Washington (5-7) at Atlanta (8-4)
- When: Jun 20 2025, 7:30 PM
- Where: Gateway Center Arena, College Park, GA, USA
- TV: ION
WNBA Preview and Prediction: Washington Mystics vs. Atlanta Dream
Spread: Atlanta -9.0 | Total: 158.0
Atlanta Dream Breakdown
The Atlanta Dream return to College Park on Friday looking to bounce back from a tough road loss and reassert their dominance over the Mystics. After handing Washington a 33-point beatdown (89-56) last weekend, Atlanta saw a winnable game slip away Tuesday against the Liberty, falling 86-81 despite a double-digit lead entering the fourth quarter.
Head coach Karl Smesko took it as a learning moment. The Dream went toe-to-toe with one of the league’s elite for three quarters but didn’t have enough in the tank to finish the job. Still, it showcased how dangerous this team can be when locked in.
Allisha Gray, who lit up the Mystics for a career-high 32 last Sunday, was quiet with 14 against New York. But Atlanta got a nice spark off the bench from Te-Hina PaoPao, who dropped a season-high 16. Atlanta ranks among the top WNBA offenses and enters this game motivated and back on their home floor, where they’ve covered in four of their last five.
Betting Outlook: With Gray averaging 20.4 PPG and Rhyne Howard adding 17.3, Atlanta should bounce back in convincing fashion. Expect the Dream to cover the -9 spread behind a statement win.
Washington Mystics Breakdown
The Mystics are fresh off one of their grittiest performances of the year, clawing back from a 16-point deficit to stun the Chicago Sky 79-72 on Tuesday. The second-half rally was fueled by Brittney Sykes, who exploded for 20 points after halftime and finished with 32, the highest single-game total by a Mystics player this season.
Sykes has been on a tear, averaging 20.5 PPG, and she’ll need to carry the load again if Washington hopes to pull off the upset. However, the Mystics’ last visit to Atlanta ended in a historic 33-point blowout, their worst loss in nearly four years.
Coach Sydney Johnson acknowledged the lack of energy in that loss and emphasized effort as the top priority this time around. The Mystics have struggled with consistency and haven’t won back-to-back games since early May.
Betting Outlook: While Washington has the firepower to stay close in spurts, their road inconsistencies and defensive lapses make it tough to trust them here.
Prediction:
The Dream are the better and deeper team, especially at home. After letting a win slip away against New York, they’ll be focused and fired up. Washington may hang for a half, but Atlanta should take control in the second.
Score Prediction: Atlanta 83, Washington 69
Best Bet: Atlanta -9.0
Total: Over 158.0
- WNBA Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
