WNBA Best Bets Today: 3 Best Player Props & Odds for June 4

The WNBA is back, and there are four games scheduled for the Thursday slate. Let's take a look at my best bets and player prop predictions for June 4.

(Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

First up, Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream (6-2, 3-1 away) will face Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever (4-4, 3-2 home). Both teams will match up for the first time this season, as the Dream hold the WNBA's second-best record at 6-2. Behind Reese, Rhyne Howard, and Allisha Gray, the Dream are one of the most efficient teams on defense and have won four of their last five games.

Is there trouble in Indianapolis? The Fever are fresh off two straight losses, including a 100-84 loss to the expansion Portland Fire. Tensions are high, especially between Caitlin Clark and head coach Stephanie White. Can the Fever get it together tonight and bring the band back? Oddsmakers are expecting a close matchup as the Fever are 1.5-point favorites at home.

Next up, the Golden State Valkyries (6-3, 2-1 away) will face the Minnesota Lynx (7-2, 2-2 home) on the road. The Lynx hold the WNBA's best record, and that's without star Napheesa Collier. Holding it down is rookie Olivia Miles, Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, and Natasha Howard. Minnesota heads into tonight's game on a five-game winning streak.

With a 6-3 record, the Valkyries are one of the WNBA's top teams on both sides of the ball. Winners of three of the last four games, Golden State is a 3.5-point underdog on the road tonight.

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WNBA Betting Odds And Schedule For Thursday, June 4 (FanDuel)

If you're betting on the WNBA games today, welcome!

Both matchups will air on Prime Video, and the Dream and Fever will tip off at 7 p.m. The Valkyries and Lynx will conclude the night at 9 p.m. ET.

WNBA Best Bets & Player Props (June 4)

• Rhyne Howard OVER 16.5 Points (-130 Fanatics)
• Atlanta Dream Moneyline (-105, boosted to +124 on DraftKings)
• Veronica Burton OVER 5.5 Assists (-124 FanDuel)

Atlanta Dream vs. Indiana Fever Best Bets

Player Prop Bet: Rhyne Howard OVER 16.5 Points

Today, I placed one unit on Dream star Rhyne Howard to score over 16.5 points as one of my best bets. Howard was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week in May, and I'm not fading her now. Here's why.

Howard has been on a tear, averaging a career-high 19.3 points in her fifth season with the Dream. Through seven games, she's putting up 3.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.7 steals, while shooting 40% from beyond the arc.

There's no doubt that Howard has been inconsistent when it comes to player props, but she's coming off a season-high 36 points against the Connecticut Sun. Against a rebuilding Connecticut team, Howard delivered her best performance of the season with eight 3-pointers. If we want to talk about shot volume, she attempted a career-best 19 3-pointers.

Yes, you read that correctly, 19 3-pointers. In 27 minutes, Howard shot 12-of-24 from the field and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line. A three-level scorer, Howard was bulldozing through Connecticut's defense and caught fire with some good looks.

Trust Rhyne Howard Against a Struggling Fever Defense

I understand we are only seven games through, and the last game could be an outlier. However, Howard is putting together a nice statistical season on a fully-loaded Dream team. Starting all seven games, she's second on the team in scoring (19.3 PPG) and shot attempts (14.3). What stands out is her exceptional 3-point percentage (40%) and the fact that she leads Atlanta with 9.3 3-point attempts per game.

Automatically, we know the minutes and shot volume are there. Plus, she posts a 21.5% usage rate under head coach Karl Smesko and boasts a 59.6% true shooting percentage.

Today, Howard gets a Fever team that's been in disarray. Indiana has lost two straight games and owns the 10th-worst defensive rating (105) in the WNBA. In fact, they own the WNBA's worst defensive rating (117.3) over their two-game losing streak, having allowed 100 points to the Fire and 90 to the Valkyries.

Howard should get a decent matchup against the Fever, who allow the second-most points to guards/forwards (32 per game). Howard often plays the three alongside Jordin Canada and Allisha Gray, and should have a nice matchup if switched onto Caitlin Clark. This season, Clark has been hunted by teams all season long and ranks No.109 in defensive rating (104.5).

Ironically, the Fever allow the fewest 3-pointers per game (19), but teams shoot over 33% from beyond the arc against Indiana. Soaring over this player prop line in three of the last five games, Howard should see a ton of looks up top. Not only do 62% of her shots come from above-the-break-3, but the Fever allow opponents to shoot 35% from that range!

Final WNBA Betting Prediction: Rhyne Howard OVER 16.5 Points (-130 Fanatics)

I'm not expecting Howard to hit a bulk of her shots from the corner, but I do expect her to score from all three levels tonight. 16% alone of her shots come inside the paint, and this is a Fever team that recently gave up 19 points to Gabby Williams and 22 to Arike Ogunbowale.

• I'm taking Rhyne Howard to score over 16.5 points today. The Fever love to push the pace, and it will be interesting if the Dream can match that. The Dream is a heavy 3-point shooting team, but also loves to score in the paint (40.8). The Fever allows over 43 paint points, and this is a spot where Howard can thrive. I truly don't trust the Fever defense right now, and Howard has the size advantage. While she hasn't been nearly efficient on the road, she's averaging 36.1 minutes in away games. 

Straight Bet: Atlanta Dream Moneyline

For my second-best bet, I placed one unit on the Atlanta Dream moneyline to beat the Indiana Fever outright.

I'm leaving value on the table if I don't go with Atlanta tonight. How can I back the Fever here, who have lost two straight games in addition to Caitlin Clark's well-documented struggles?

For the second-straight season, the Dream are in the upper echelon of teams. While the offense hasn't quite lived up to the standard, Atlanta's defense is a mean one. In fact, they own the second-best defensive rating in the WNBA (99.5).

When I speak efficiently, the Dream have limited the Sun and Fire to combined 70.5 points over the last two games. I know Connecticut isn't in the same caliber as Atlanta, but the Dream held the Sun to 4-of-17 from three and the Fire to 9-of-27 from beyond the arc. Not one player on Portland scored more than 14 points against the Dream, which was telling.

NET rating is important, as Atlanta owns a 7.1 compared to Indiana's 3.6. That said, this is a marquee matchup, and I expect this one to be exciting. Offensively, the Dream have come alive, as they are averaging 88.5 points over the last two games. Under Smesko, they are a powerful team from the 3-point line (28 3PA), but make up for it even more in the paint (40.8 PPG). On top of that, Atlanta is one of the best second-chance points teams (13.8 PPG) in the WNBA.

Now compare that to a Fever team that has Aliyah Boston and Monique Billings, but still allows the third-most interior points per game (43.5). Mind you, Brionna Jones is still out for the Dream! Against the Fire, Atlanta tallied 42 paint points alone thanks to Angel Reese's 18-point, 12-rebound night.

Allisha Gray trails A'ja Wilson as the WNBA's third-leading scorer (21.1 PPG), who has drastically ramped up her performance and 3-point production (35.2%). Named May's player of the Month, Gray and Howard are coming off 62 combined points against Connecticut!

Final WNBA Betting Prediction: Atlanta Dream Moneyline (-105 DraftKings)

The Fever remain a bottom-tier team on defense but average a league-best 91.9 points per game. A team that shoots just 44.9% from the field and 32.1% from deep may be in trouble tonight. The Dream allows just 79.1 points per game on a league-best 27.3% 3-point shooting.

• The Fever were shut out by 16 points against the newest expansion team, where Caitlin Clark delivered just six points and accumulated five personal fouls. Over the last two games, Indiana has been shooting 41% from the field and 27.5% from deep. Until I see better production and cohesiveness from the Fever, I'm backing the Atlanta Dream. Atlanta is 3-1 on the road and is averaging 83.8 points per game. 

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Golden State Valkyries vs. Minnesota Lynx Best Bets

Player Prop Bet: Veronica Burton OVER 5.5 Assists

For my third-best bet, I placed one unit on Veronica Burton to dish out over 5.5 assists.

The Valkyries have a tough matchup against the Lynx, who boast the WNBA's top defense. Now in her fifth season, Burton is averaging a career-best 6.1 assists per game.

While Burton's assists prop has been relatively volatile, she's coming off nine in Golden State's 95-77 victory over the Portland Fire. Mind you, that was with Gabby Williams shooting 4-of-13 from the field and 0-of-5 from deep.

Golden State shot franchise-best 18 threes on 40 attempts last game. Kayla Thornton had five alone, along with seven off the bench from Janelle Salaün, Kaila Charles, Kaitlyn Chen, and Juste Joyce. We are talking about a Valkyries team that leads the WNBA in 3-point attempts per game (31.3).

Burton gets the Lynx for the first time this season, but heads into tonight's game recording 14 assists over the last two games. Overall, we've seen Natasha Cloud (7) well clear this line, and nearly 45% of Burton's assists have come from the top of the arch Overall, Minnesota should apply plenty of pressure on Burton, and perhaps the Valkyries will get some outside looks given how well Natasha Howard has played in the interior.

Final WNBA Betting Prediction: Veronica Burton OVER 5.5 Assists (-124 FanDuel)

As a team, the Lynx allow just 10.7 assists to guards, and this line truly lies in whether the team can hit shots as simply as it sounds. Golden State has some heavy hitters, and Burton has been the catalyst to the offense.

• I'm taking Veronica Burton to record over 5.5 assists against the Lynx. Don't forget she tallied just nine assists in 23 minutes last game! Expect this to be a close, competitive, and defensive battle.