WNBA Playoff Picks Today: Lynx vs Sun Game 2 Predictions and Lines on October 1

The Minnesota Lynx hopes to bounce back from a late-game collapse while the Connecticut Sun eyes for a 2-0 advantage as they collide in Game 2 of their best-of-five WNBA semifinal series this Tuesday at Target Center.

(Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Connecticut heads into this game fresh off a 73-70 Game 1 victory over Minnesota thanks to a 16-8 offensive outburst in the fourth quarter.

• Balanced scoring powered the Sun’s victory in Game 1 as four players reached double-digits including Marina Mabrey who led the team with 20 markers.
• However, despite the victory, early Minnesota Lynx vs Connecticut Sun odds have the latter as five-point underdogs.
• Including regular season and playoffs, Connecticut have beaten Minnesota in three of their four meetings this year and what’s even more impressive is they won those games by an average margin of three points.

With the Lynx needing a win and the Sun gunning for a commanding lead in the series, expect both teams to put the pedal into the metal in what could end up being another thrilling affair.

As of press time, here’s how the current Minnesota Lynx vs Connecticut betting lines look.

Minnesota Lynx vs Connecticut Sun DraftKings WNBA Playoff Odds for October 1

Moneyline

• Minnesota Lynx: -205
• Connecticut Sun: +170

Spread

• Minnesota Lynx: -5 (-115)
• Connecticut Sun: +5 (-105)

Over/Under (Total)

• OVER 151.5 (-110)
• UNDER 151.5 (-110)

Stay on top of all the latest game-day predictions with our updated betting news.

Minnesota Lynx vs Connecticut Sun Injury Report

Minnesota Lynx Injury Report

1.     Cecilia Zandalasini – Quadriceps - Day-to-Day

Connecticut Sun Injury Report

1.     Tyasha Harris – Day-to-Day
2.     Tiffany Mitchell – Illness – Out

Best WNBA Playoff odds for Minnesota Lynx vs Connecticut Sun

• The Minnesota Lynx are the best team in the league as far as covering the spread is concerned. Caesars Sportsbook offers the best Minnesota Lynx odds to cover the five-point spread at -110.
• The Connecticut Sun have defeated the Minnesota Lynx three times in their four matchups this season. BetMGM has the best odds for the Sun to win outright at +180.
• The under hit in Game 1 and in six of the last seven encounters between the Minnesota Lynx and the Connecticut Sun. The best Minnesota Lynx vs Connecticut Sun odds for the under are available on BetMGM at -110.

Looking for some fresh picks? Swing by our Ballislife Bets section for the latest odds and insights.

Why will the Minnesota Lynx cover the spread?

The Minnesota Lynx will only have themselves to blame for the capitulation that happened in Game 1 but if there’s something they can take away from that game, it’s their excellent interior defense.

• Known for its offensive exploits, the Lynx was sound defensively in Game 1 as they recorded eight steals, and seven blocks while forcing the Sun to commit nine turnovers.
•  Minnesota were also able to contain Dewanna Bonner to 10 points, which is incredibly impressive considering that the American-Macedonian forward has been averaging 22 points against them this season.

Lynx aiming to bounce back and crush the spread in game 2

Just like in Game 1, the Lynx head into this game as five-point favorites and that has everything to do with their ability to cover the spread this year.

•  Excluding the catastrophe that is Game 1, the Lynx is the best team in the league as far as covering the spread is concerned, sporting a 27-16 Against-The-Spread (ATS) card.

One thing the Lynx have to do in Game 2 to potentially cover the five-point spread and even the series is to avoid mindlessly chucking shots from the outside.

Leading by five heading into the fourth, Minnesota missed three straight shots from the outside before converting its first basket on a two-point shot by Napheesa Collier with 6:39 to go.

Collier has to do even more to conquer the Sun's citadel

Speaking of Collier, the 28-year old forward also needs to step her game up in Game 2. While a 19-point and nine-rebound performance was impressive, Minnesota will need Collier to do a lot more to match up with Connecticut’s high-octane defensive pressure.

Should Collier regain her form in the first round and the Lynx win the rebounding battle, there’s plenty of value towards backing the home squad to cover the five-point spread, especially since they are playing in front of their home fans.

Why will the Connecticut Sun cover the spread?

Phenomenal isn’t even enough to describe what the Connecticut Sun did in Game 1. Playing in front of a hostile crowd and feeling all sorts of pressure, Connecticut forced the Minnesota Lynx to miss its first seven shots in the fourth.

• What’s even more impressive is they held Minnesota to a season-low of eight fourth quarter points, which is hard to do, especially inside the ruckus Target Center.
• Another key aspect in Connecticut’s Game 1 victory was crashing the boards as they outrebounded Minnesota 39-32.
• Connecticut were also able to contain forward Napheesa Collier to 19 points, which is still plenty of points but not plenty enough compared to her first round average of 40 markers.

Sun’s chances to cover rely on better defense and free throws

Should the Sun continue to dominate the boards and get solid offensive contributions from its starters, backing them to cover the five-point spread should offer potential value.

• It is worth noting that the Sun have covered the spread in three of their four matchups with the Lynx this year.
• What’s even more remarkable is Connecticut did not only win all those but two of its three victories came on the road.

Connecticut though has to work on playing defense without fouling and getting to the line more often. In Game 1, the Sun did not only allow 13 shots from the charity stripe but were only able to shoot three times from the line.

Final Minnesota Lynx vs Connecticut Sun WNBA Playoff Prediction: Minnesota Lynx -5 (-110)

The Connecticut Sun heads into this game with plenty of confidence, especially with the manner they won Game 1. However, I am still going to trust forward Napheesa Collier to bounce back in a big way here and lead the Minnesota Lynx to an all-important Game 2 victory.

One thing that has been impressive for Minnesota this year has been their ability to bounce back from major setbacks. A case in point was when the Lynx suffered back-to-back losses in July before winning 15 of their 17 games to end the regular season.

For a closer look at how these teams stack up, check out our WNBA betting section.