The Portland Fire (6-4) and Golden State Valkyries (5-3) meet in the WNBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 10:00 p.m. EDT at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. The game will be broadcast live on FOX12+.
The Valkyries are favored by -9.5 on the spread, with the over/under set at 158.5 (-114o / -106u). The Valkyries are a -420 favorite to win outright, while the Fire are +310 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Fire vs. Valkyries predictions and WNBA picks.
Fire vs. Valkyries Odds, Pick
| Fire Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9.5 -114 | 158.5 -114o / -106u | +310 |
| Valkyries Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9.5 -106 | 158.5 -114o / -106u | -420 |
- Fire vs. Valkyries Spread: Fire +9.5 (-114), Valkyries -9.5 (-106)
- Fire vs. Valkyries Over/Under: 158.5 (-114o / -106u)
- Fire vs. Valkyries Moneyline: Fire +310, Valkyries -420
- Fire vs. Valkyries Best Bet: Megan Gustafson Over 9.5 Points (-108)
Fire vs. Valkyries Preview
A pair of surging Western Conference teams will clash Tuesday night at the Chase Center when the Valkyries host the Fire.
Portland has won four of its last five and enters this tilt fresh off a convincing 100-84 victory over Indiana to conclude a 2-1 homestand. The Fire led by as many as 26 points, hitting the century-mark in all for a season-high, with Megan Gustafson pacing the attack with 22.
The expansion franchise also received a pair of historic performances in the win. Carla Leite recorded 18 points and 12 assists, while Emily Engstler added 16 points and 10 rebounds as both players notched the first double-doubles in team history.
Leite has blossomed into one of the league’s early breakout stars after averaging just 7.2 points per game as a rookie for Golden State last season. She’s now leading Portland with 15.9 points a night while helping fuel one of the WNBA’s most surprising starts.
Bridget Carleton (15.1 PPG, 2.2 SPG), Sug Sutton (11.3 PPG, 5.7 APG), Gustafson (10.4 PPG), and Sarah Ashlee Barker (10.2 PPG) are also averaging double figures for a balanced Fire offense.
Golden State has won two of three and will wrap up its four-game homestand with Portland. The Valkyries suffered a 91-81 setback to the Aces in their latest effort. The Valkyries had been the league’s stingiest defense before A’ja Wilson (28 PTS, 15 REB, 4 BLK) and Jackie Young (23 PTS, 9 AST) erupted for the defending champions in Becky Hammon’s 150th career coaching win.
Gabby Williams continued her strong season with 20 points in the loss and leads Golden State with 15 points per game. Veronica Burton (14.8 PPG, 5.8 APG) and Sixth Player of the Year candidate Janelle Salaun (13.4 PPG) are close behind.
Burton is questionable with a bruised right quad, making her status worth monitoring before tipoff.
In an interesting contrast, no WNBA team shoots worse from the field than Golden State’s 40.2%, but the Valkyries sit atop the league in 3-point success at 38%. They should have plenty of chances against a Fire squad that averages a league-low 27.1 rebounds and is equally poor on the offensive and defensive glass.
Fire vs. Valkyries Prediction
Let’s ride the hot hand.
Megan Gustafson’s points prop remains surprisingly affordable at 9.5 despite her recent surge.
The former Iowa center is coming off a season-high 22-point performance against Indiana and has now scored at least 10 points in five consecutive games. Her role has steadily expanded during that stretch, culminating in a season-high 28 minutes opposite the Fever.
Gustafson has been remarkably efficient, shooting 26-for-39 (66.7%) from the field over her last five contests. She’s also knocked down 7-of-13 attempts from beyond the arc and converted 80% of her free throws.
The combination of increased opportunity and elite efficiency makes this number feel a bit light.
Action Pro projects Gustafson for 10.88 points, creating a 13.9% edge and ranking among the strongest player prop values on the slate.
Best Bet: Megan Gustafson Over 9.5 Points (-108)
