Portland Fire vs Seattle Storm prediction: WNBA pick, odds and analysis

The Seattle Storm visit the Portland Fire at the Moda Center, and the betting line is doing something strange: a team with two road wins all season is favoured. Our three pundits went unanimous against it and landed on Portland Fire to win at 2.05 (Bovada).

The matchup

Portland Fire are 12-19 on the season and 7-9 at home, an expansion franchise that has been considerably more competitive than the visitors. Seattle Storm are 6-27 overall and just 2-16 on the road, carrying a ten-game losing streak into Portland with their playoff hopes gone.

Despite that, the market installed Seattle as a road favourite of a point and a half.

The head-to-head says Portland

These teams have met three times already this season and Portland lead it 2-1, having won the last two. Seattle took the April meeting in Seattle 91-81. Portland then won 94-89 at the Moda Center in June — the only previous meeting in tonight's building — and followed it by going into Climate Pledge Arena in July and winning 77-72.

The visitors have lost to tonight's opponent twice in a row, including at home.

The rest question

Part of the case for Seattle is fatigue, and it is thinner than it appears. Portland last played on Thursday evening, roughly 46 hours before tip. Seattle last played on Wednesday afternoon, about 73 hours out. Seattle have one extra day, not a rested team facing a back-to-back.

Availability

Portland are without Sarah Ashlee Barker and Sania Feagin for the season, with Bridget Carleton and Teja Oblak listed day-to-day. Crucially, neither season-ending absence is among Portland's statistical leaders — Carla Leite leads the team in scoring and assists at 15.9 points and 6.4 assists, and Emily Engstler leads the rebounding, and both are available. Seattle are without Taina Mair, with Katie Lou Samuelson day-to-day. Dominique Malonga, Seattle's best player at 16.9 points and 8.7 rebounds, is available.

The number

The Quant declined the points cushion, reasoning that a cushion of a point and a half costs more in price than a game of this shape returns, and backed Portland straight. He makes them about a 52% shot to win, with Bovada posting 2.05.

The verdict

Portland Fire to win @ 2.05. All three pundits are on the same side, which is unusual here — the Skeptic came aboard while openly arguing that Portland aren't good and that Seattle's losing streak came against the better teams in the league.

This pick was posted and timestamped before tip and stays up whether it wins or loses.

See the full debate →

18+ · bet responsibly.