Grace Hollars/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
Indiana Fever vs Connecticut Sun: Eastern Conference Playoffs – First round
The Connecticut Sun are hosting the Indiana Fever in Mohegan Sun Arena in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Playoff series on Tuesday.
Can the Fever bounce back?
The Indiana Fever finished the regular season third in the Eastern Conference with a 20-20 record including 8-12 on the road. The Fever are third in the league scoring 85 points per game while shooting a league-best 45.6% from the field. Defensively, they are second to last in the league in allowed field goal attempts, allowed free throws and allowed points with 87.8. Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark lead the team averaging 19.2 points per game.
The Sun look like a real contender
The Connecticut Sun finished the regular season second in the Eastern Conference with a 28-12 record, including 14-6 at home. They won 4 of the last 6 games on the schedule and are coming off an 87-54 win over the Chicago Sky. The Sun are the best defensive team in the league allowing 73.6 points per game on the least allowed field goal attempts per game 63. Offensively, they are eighth in the league scoring 80.4 points per game. DeWanna Bonner leads the team with 15 points per game, while Marina Mabrey averages 14.9.
Betting Trends
The Sun have been the moneyline favorite 33 total times this season. They’ve gone 27-6 in those games. Connecticut has gone 20-2 when playing as a moneyline favorite with odds of -275 or shorter. Connecticut and its opponents have gone over 163.5 combined points in nine of 41 games this season. The average point total in Sun games this season is 157.8, 5.7 points fewer than this matchup’s over/under. The Fever have won eight, or 30.8%, of the 26 games they’ve played as underdogs this season. Indiana has won two of its 10 games, or 20%, when it is the underdog by at least +230 on the moneyline. Fever games this season have had a combined scoring total higher than 163.5 points in 30 of 41 outings. Indiana’s games this year have had a 169.7-point total on average, 6.2 more points than this matchup’s over/under.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Connecticut Sun absolutely demolished the Indiana Fever in the opening game of the series, winning 93-69. Alyssa Thomas recorded 12 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds for her fourth career triple-double in the playoffs and 15th overall to spoil Caitlin Clark’s postseason debut. Clark shot only 4 of 17 from the field, and the Fever made only 40.3% of their shots. The Fever will definitely step up tonight, but that will not make a big difference, and the Sun will finish the series covering the -7.5-point spread.
