Layup Lines: Clark tries to get right

Happy Friday and welcome back to Layup Lines, your quick recap of what’s going on in the WNBA.

• The plan this weekend: Win some bets, get rich, and then give everybody nice sweaters and teach them how to dance.

This 491 word newsletter should take about 2 minutes to read.

Las Vegas is falling apart

• With 3:45 left in 4th quarter last night, the Aces led the Mystics 66-58. On the road without an injured A’ja Wilson, it looked like a nice, gritty win for a team that has looked like a shell of the 2022 and 2023 WNBA champs this season.

  • Instead, Las Vegas fell apart again. Missed layups, turnovers and dumb fouls led to scoring two more points and losing 70-68.

  • The Aces (9-11) have now lost nine of their last 15 games and that was with Wilson. If she’s out for even a couple weeks with this wrist injury, they could outright miss the playoffs.

• In yesterday’s other game, the Lynx dispatched the Sparks in a game that was not as close as the final score. We hit on that but lost on the Aces / Mystics over, so it was another 1-1 day.

Today’s games

• We’re 54-49 this season with a $51 profit. I know this is an extremely glamorous way to make a minimal amount of money but someone’s gotta do it.

• There are two games tonight, both on Ion — Atlanta @ Indiana (7:30pm ET) and Connecticut @ Seattle (10:00pm).

  • While Caitlin Clark has been battling injuries all season, she’s also 3-28 on 3-pointers over her last four games and the Fever are 1-3. The slump will break soon but not tonight, as she’s already struggled with the Dream’s big, physical defense this season.

    • Bet: Atlanta to win (moneyline), $50 to win $52.

  • What a weird scheduling decision, to have the Sun and Storm play in Connecticut on Wednesday and then again in Seattle on Friday. The Storm are favored by 19 points and I am opting out.

  • BONUS LOOK-AHEAD: The Aces are currently -1 over the Valkyries on Saturday. If A’ja doesn’t play, that lines moves at least four points toward the Valks. So we’re going to take the Golden State moneyline today, just in case ($50 to win $45).

Reader wager to go

• Let’s try something new heading into the weekend, which is to get your input on a game. I’ve done fine this season but there is certainly a lot of room for improvement. You fine people might be the winning touch.

Layup Lines is written 100% by human beings and we appreciate your support. If you’re still reading this newsletter, you must like it enough to share with a friend. We’ll see you back here tomorrow.

— Everett Cook, Founder & Editor