Atlanta Dream vs Phoenix Mercury: Preview, Prediction and Odds | 2024 WNBA Season (September 3)

The Phoenix Mercury will host the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday with both teams desperate for a win to secure one of the final postseason spots. With five of the eight WNBA playoff positions already accounted for, every win is vital and neither team can afford to drop games as we approach the final stretch.

The Dream come into the game with an 11-21 record and are tied for eighth place in the WNBA standings alongside the Chicago Sky.

After dropping their last three games, the Mercury have been surpassed by the Indiana Fever and are currently seventh in the standings with a 16-17 overall record.

Atlanta Dream vs Phoenix Mercury: Preview, Prediction and Odds | 2024 WNBA Season (September 3)

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner reacts against the LA Sparks in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Photo Credit: Imagn

Phoenix will take on Atlanta at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Tuesday with tip-off scheduled at 10:00 p.m. EST.

Here are the latest odds for the matchup:

Moneyline: Phoenix Mercury (-120), Atlanta Dream (Even)

Spread: Phoenix Mercury (-1.5), Atlanta Dream (+1.5)

Total (Over/Under): 160.5 points

Note: All odds are subject to change prior to tip-off.

Atlanta Dream vs Phoenix Mercury 2024 WNBA Season: Preview

The playoff implications of this encounter are colossal for both teams with just a handful of games remaining this regular season.

The Atlanta Dream has been on the fringes of the playoff spots throughout the season and will need a late push to overtake the Sky or Mercury for one of the final postseason positions.

The team has been inconsistent throughout the season with a 4-6 record over their last 10 games. An 80-62 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday gave Tanisha Wright's team some much-needed confidence.

Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray and Tina Charles will be called on to provide the offense for the Dream. Those three have combined for an average of 46.7 points per game this year. Atlanta currently ranks last in the WNBA in points per game with just 76.1 and will need their star players to be firing on all cylinders.

Meanwhile, the Phoenix Mercury has been in decline since returning from the WNBA break, winning just three of their last eight games. They are currently on a three-game losing streak after defeats to the New York Liberty, Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces.

Despite some unexpected losses, Nate Tibbett's team still has plenty of firepower with star talents like Kahleah Copper, Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi on the roster. Copper has been in exceptional form this season, averaging 22.1 ppg (third in the WNBA), 4.7 rpg and 2.2 apg.

The Mercury has a 9-7 record at home, which is slightly better than its 7-10 record away from home.

Both teams have faced off three times before this season, with Phoenix holding a 2-1 series lead.

Atlanta Dream vs Phoenix Mercury 2024 WNBA Season: Prediction

Expect this to be a hard-fought game between two evenly-matched teams. The Mercury enters the game with a better record but has looked out of sorts in its last three games. Atlanta knows that anything less than a win will make its chances of a playoff birth highly unlikely.

The Atlanta Dream has looked better offensively over the last month. Tina Charles scored 23 points in the team's win over the Sparks and if the center can pull off a similar performance, fans could see an upset on Tuesday night.