- Matchup: Minnesota Lynx vs Washington Mystics
- Date: Friday, August 21, 2026
- Venue: CareFirst Arena, Washington, DC
- Broadcast: ION
- Betting Odds: Minnesota Lynx favored by 4.5 points
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The Minnesota Lynx (30-7) will take on the Washington Mystics (21-14) this Friday at CareFirst Arena, with Washington starting as 4.5-point underdogs. The match has an over/under set at 164.5 points.
In their previous game, the Minnesota Lynx triumphed over the Golden State Valkyries with a score of 77-66. The Lynx showcased a solid 50.0% shooting accuracy (28 of 56) and made 7 out of their 19 three-point attempts. At the free-throw line, they converted 14 of 16, achieving an impressive 87.5% rate. On the boards, Minnesota secured 32 rebounds, including 7 offensive boards. They also recorded 14 assists, forced 13 turnovers, and claimed 9 steals. Defensively, they restricted their opponents to a 32.5% shooting average (25 of 77). Golden State managed 12 assists and 7 steals and grabbed 29 rebounds, which included 12 on the offensive end. They finished with an 81.8% free throw percentage, making 9 of 11 attempts, and struggled from beyond the arc, sinking only 7 of 37 shots.
Kayla McBride made a significant contribution in this contest, finishing with 20 points on 6 of 13 shooting and playing for 36 minutes while also grabbing 1 rebound. She closed the game with a field goal percentage of 46.2% and tallied 1 assist.
Minnesota approaches this matchup with an outstanding 30-7 record. The Lynx are shooting 39.4% from beyond the arc (343 of 871) and 80.9% at the free-throw line. They average 92.2 points per game, ranking 2nd in the WNBA, and hit 48.5% of their field goals. They turn the ball over an average of 12.5 times each game and commit 18.4 fouls per game. In terms of rebounding, Minnesota pulls down 34.6 boards per contest and leads the league with 808 assists this season. Defensively, the Lynx force opponents to commit 14.7 turnovers per game while adding 16.5 personal fouls. They allow a field-goal percentage of 43.1% (543 of 610) and concede an average of 32.7 rebounds per game. They stand 9th in the league for assists allowed, giving up 756 this season, and rank 3rd in points allowed, surrendering 83.4 points per game on 32.3% shooting from three-point range.
In their last outing, the Washington Mystics secured a win against the Toronto Tempo, finishing the game 93-82. Washington recorded 29 defensive boards and 14 offensive rebounds for a total of 43. They committed 16 turnovers but managed to achieve 5 steals. The Tempo were penalized with 25 fouls, leading to 28 free-throw attempts for the Mystics, who made 24 for a success rate of 85.7%. Washington connected on 9 of 27 three-point attempts (33.3%) and shot 30 for 66 from the field for 45.5%. Defensively, the Mystics allowed the Tempo to shoot 28 of 65 (43.1%) from the field and finished with a three-point shooting rate of 40.7%, making 11 of 27 attempts and 15 of 23 free throws (65.2%). In the rebounding battle, Washington allowed Toronto to secure 27 total rebounds (7 offensive).
Kiki Iriafen played a pivotal role for the Mystics in this matchup, scoring 21 points on 8 of 12 shooting for an impressive 66.7% field goal rate, while also gathering 13 rebounds in 29 minutes of play.
This season, Washington holds a 21-14 record, scoring a total of 2,868 points (averaging 81.9 per game) and securing an average of 37.9 rebounds per contest. They commit 19.9 fouls per game and have an 73.1% success rate at the free-throw line. Offensively, the Mystics are shooting 44.3% from the field, ranking 11th in the league. They average 19.4 assists per game (12th in the WNBA) and turn the ball over 15.2 times per game. Defensively, Washington ranks 2nd in points allowed per game at 82.3, and they also concede an average of 19.5 assists and 30.5 rebounds per game, ranking them 4th and 1st in the WNBA, respectively. They give up 33.2% shooting from three-point range (306 of 921) and opponents hitting 78.0% from the free-throw line. The Mystics force 12.2 turnovers per game and allow opponents to shoot 42.4% from the field, which is the best in the league.
Which team will prevail in this WNBA showdown against the spread?
Prediction: Bet on Minnesota to cover the spread (-4.5)
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