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The Connecticut Sun host the Dallas Wings for Game 1 on Thursday night. The Sun finished the season with three consecutive victories and a final record of 25-11. The Wings ended their own season very strong, winning seven of their last 10 contests. They got up to an even .500 record at 18-18 and will look to pull the upset as the sixth seed in the league.
"The road to the championship starts here." - ConnecticutSun
The Wings impressively won two of their three head-to-head matchups this season against the Sun, winning on both their own and Connecticut's home floor. They will, however, be without star and leading scorer Arike Ogunbowale. Ogunbowale scored 20 points in Dallas' win over the Sun in early July, so her presence will definitely be missed.
In Ogunbowale's absence, Marina Mabrey has stepped up, averaging 21.3 points per game, so she'll need to keep scoring at this rate on Thursday for Dallas to pull the upset. Dallas' defense gives up the third-highest field goal percentage in the league, and without Ogunbowale, who averaged 1.5 steals per game, it'll be even harder to get stops.
Connecticut has no key injuries, and also they ended the year with a great 13-5 home record. They played Dallas twice at home back in late May, losing the first contest 85-77 but then winning 99-68 two days later.
The Sun boast five double-digit scorers, making up a balanced offensive attack. They ranked third in points per game this year while allowing the second-fewest on defense. They also led the league in rebounding, which is always important in the postseason. All around, this is a strong, talented team that should be able to take advantage of a Wings team missing their star.
Connecticut Sun vs. Dallas Wings Match Details
Fixture: Dallas Wings @ Connecticut Sun
Date & Time: Thursday, August 18, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Venue: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut
Connecticut Sun vs. Dallas Wings Betting Odds
Connecticut Sun vs. Dallas Wings Betting Prediction
The Sun struggled in their lone road game in Dallas, but at home, they averaged 88 points per game versus the Wings. Expect the Sun, who have scored 90 points in four straight games, to stay hot offensively and put up a solid point total. Both underdogs covered yesterday, but with Dallas missing their star player, expect the Sun to cover at home.
Prediction: Sun -9.5 (-110) & Sun Team Total Over 86.5 Points (-105)
