Joey Tron Handicapper Reviews & Picks

I am taking the OVER here between the Valkyries and the Sparks. I expect plenty of points to be scored between these two teams and lets not forget, they are a combined 18-8 to the over this season. The Sparks have been one of the better scoring teams early, averaging 90.4 PPG, and Kelsey Plum’s usage gives them a reliable engine to push this total, coming off a 43 point performance against Phoenix. Golden State is not always a track-meet team, but they have enough balance and three-point volume to trade runs, especially at home, where their offense tends to feed off pace and crowd energy. Golden State might slow this game down early on, but the Valkyries also have enough perimeter shooting to answer runs and avoid long scoring droughts. This should be a competitive game which makes the over more attractive as neither team should blow out the other. Take the OVER here. —Joey Tron

I am laying the -1 with Belgium here against Egypt. Belgium has a much higher ceiling and more talented roster from top to bottom and should control majority of this game. Belgium come into this Group G opener as the favorite and still have the higher-end attacking pieces with Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku, Leandro Trossard, and Romelu Lukaku, just to name a few. Egypt counters with Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush giving them real counterattacking punch, but Belgium should control more of the ball and create the cleaner volume of chances. I look for Belgium to score first, which will force Egypt to open up, and that’s where Belgium’s quality in wide areas and final-third passing can turn this into a multi-goal result. Look for the Belgians to pull through late and give us a multi goal victory. Lay the -1 with Belgium here. —Joey Tron

I am laying the points here with the Aces against the Wings. The Aces have proven to be the team to beat in the Commissioner’s Cup with a gutsy 100-97 win over the Lynx last time out. Las Vegas enters this matchup in much better form, sitting 10-3 and on a six-game winning streak since losing to Dallas earlier in the season. That revenge angle matters, but the bigger edge is A’ja Wilson, who has been dominant during the streak at 28.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, giving Vegas the most reliable half-court scorer on the floor. Dallas is no pushover at 8-5 and already proved it can beat the Aces with a 95-87 win on May 28, but the Wings are in a tough spot schedule-wise, playing their fourth game in nine days, and Paige Bueckers’ ankle status adds real uncertainty after she missed the last game. While Arike Ogunbowale and Jessica Shepard can keep them competitive, Vegas has the better top-end talent, better current momentum and a much higher ceiling of overall talent. Lay it with the Aces here. —Joey Tron