Atlanta Dream vs Washington Mystics Prediction and Betting Tips - May 16

It’s WNBA Opening Day on Friday, and one of the first matchups features the Atlanta Dream taking on the Washington Mystics in a game packed with both young talent and seasoned veterans. Both squads are under new leadership and aim to make a splash in the 2025 season.

Here’s a preview of Friday’s Atlanta Dream vs Washington Mystics game, scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET at CareFirst Arena in Washington.

Atlanta Dream vs Washington Mystics Preview and Odds

Moneyline: Dream (-298) vs Mystics (+240)

Spread: Dream -7.5 (-110) vs Mystics +7.5 (-110)

Total (O/U): Dream o156.5 (-110) vs Mystics u156.5 (-110)

Editor's note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.

Atlanta Dream vs Washington Mystics preview

Both teams underwent major transformations this offseason.

Atlanta is now led by coach Karl Smesko, formerly of Florida Gulf Coast. Also among the Dream’s key additions are 11-year WNBA veteran Brittney Griner, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Brionna Jones and highly regarded rookie Te-Hina Paopao.

Atlanta is expected to lean on a perimeter-oriented attack, with Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray spearheading the offense.

Washington, meanwhile, went younger under new coach Sydney Johnson. The Mystics added rookies Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen in the draft, though they’ll be without fellow rookie Georgia Amoore, who’s out with an ACL injury.

Aaliyah Edwards is also sidelined, but the team still features veteran contributors like Brittney Sykes and Stefanie Dolson.

The two teams squared off in the preseason, with the Dream claiming an 80-70 win led by strong outings from Howard, Griner and Nia Coffey. The Mystics also had promising showings from Sykes and Iriafen.

Atlanta Dream vs Washington Mystics predicted starting lineups

Dream

G - Allisha Gray | G - Te-Hina Paopao | F - Rhyne Howard | F - Brionna Jones | C - Brittney Griner

Mystics

G - Jade Melbourne | G - Brittney Sykes | F - Sonia Citron | F - Emily Engstler | C - Stefanie Dolson

Editor's note: These are the predicted lineups and could change based on the availability of players.

Atlanta Dream vs Washington Mystics betting tips

Look for the Dream’s experience to help them cover the spread and secure a decisive win. Expect a strong performance from Rhyne Howard and a solid debut outing from Te-Hina Paopao.

Atlanta Dream vs Washington Mystics prediction

We’re backing the Dream to take control early and ride their veteran depth to a comfortable victory over Washington’s younger lineup.

Our prediction: Dream win by 16.

About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro