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Los Angeles (10-13) at Chicago (8-16)
- When: Jul 17 2026, 7:30 PM
- Where: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, IL, USA
- TV: ION
Los Angeles vs Chicago Preview & Prediction
Spread: Chicago -2.0
Moneyline: Chicago (-125)
Total: 184.0
The Chicago Sky enter Friday night as 2.0-point favorites, while the total sits at a towering 184.0. Apparently, Bovada Sportsbooks expect defense to be treated like an optional subscription service.
Sparks: Ogwumike Chasing History and a Win
Los Angeles dropped a 96-87 decision to Minnesota on Wednesday, but Nneka Ogwumike still delivered another huge performance. She scored 23 points and tied Lisa Leslie’s Sparks franchise record with 6,263 career points.
Ogwumike would probably prefer the record celebration to include a victory instead of another polite postgame explanation. She leads Los Angeles with 17.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game and has reached double figures in nine consecutive contests. She has also scored at least 20 points five times during that stretch.
The Sparks average 89.1 points per game but have lost two straight and seven of their last 10. Their offense is clearly working. The defense occasionally clocks out early.
Sky: Sydney Taylor Keeps Cooking
Chicago improved to 8-16 with a 95-90 victory over Seattle, snapping a two-game losing streak. Undrafted rookie Sydney Taylor scored 17 points and continues making every team that passed on her look increasingly uncomfortable.
Taylor averages 13.0 points and has scored in double figures in 11 of her last 12 games, including four straight. She is also one of only four rookies with more than 100 made field goals this season—and the only undrafted player in that group.
Chicago averages 86.8 points per game and will be looking to avenge a 102-87 loss to Los Angeles on July 10.
Unfortunately, Kamilla Cardoso has not played since July 12 because of a knee injury, while Skylar Diggins remains sidelined with her own knee issue. Apparently, Chicago’s medical room has become the team’s busiest meeting place.
LVSB Betting Prediction
Los Angeles won the first meeting comfortably and owns the stronger scoring offense. Chicago has home court and momentum, but laying points with an 8-16 team feels like lending money to someone who says, “Trust me.”
The Sparks’ defense is unreliable, but Ogwumike’s consistency and Taylor’s emergence should help produce another high-scoring matchup.
Final Score: Sparks 96, Sky 93
Lean: Los Angeles Sparks ML (+105)
Total: Over 184.5
- WNBA Playoffs Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
