game-recap-lynx-vs-aces-8-2-25

Game Recap: Lynx vs. Aces (8/2/25)

We’re officially two-thirds of the way through the 2025 WNBA season, and the storylines are stacking up. The Sparks have rattled off five straight wins, putting themselves back in the playoff mix, and they just got Cameron Brink back in the lineup. Out East, the Liberty have hit a skid, dropping three in a row, including a high-stakes Finals rematch with the Lynx. And no, I haven’t forgotten about Paige Bueckers. The rookie’s been steady as ever, averaging 18 points and nearly six assists a night over her last four.
Let’s take a look at the latest <a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba">WNBA odds</a> for Finals Winner, give a weekend preview, and I’ll share my WNBA best bets for Friday and Saturday’s slates of games on DraftKings Sportsbook. You can also find more WNBA previews, picks, and daily content on <a href="https://dknetwork.com/?source=WNBAArticlebyMeghan">DraftKings Network.</a>
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<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=team-futures&amp;subcategory=champion">2025 WNBA Finals Winner</a>
The Favorite: MIN Lynx (+180)
Normally I’d start with the MVP board on DraftKings Sportsbook before moving to Finals odds, but let’s be real: Napheesa Collier (-900) is running away with it. Alyssa Thomas is the closest name at +700, but no one’s touching the reigning Defensive Player of the Year right now. The title race, though? That’s where it gets interesting. The Minnesota Lynx now lead the pack at +180, just ahead of the New York Liberty at +190. These two have owned the top of the standings all season, but Minnesota taking over as the favorite is a new shift. Back on July 11, New York held the edge at +190 with the Lynx behind at +220. So, what changed?
Minnesota’s now 23–5, riding the league’s best record with a five-game cushion over the Liberty. New York’s gone 6–4 in their last ten, but Minnesota? They lead the league in offensive rating (109.1) and defensive rating (95.9). It’s not just Collier — though she did drop 30 in a recent 100–93 win over New York. Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams keep pouring in points, while Collier and Alanna Smith hold it down on defense (Smith’s averaging 2.1 blocks a night). This team isn’t just good — they’re for real.
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WNBA Best Bets and Weekend Preview
LA Sparks at Seattle Storm — Friday, August 1, 10:00 PM ET
Los Angeles finally got Cameron Brink back after she missed nearly a full year recovering from a torn ACL just a month into her rookie season. The 6&#8217;4&#8243; forward out of Stanford played 14 minutes in her return, easing in with five points and three rebounds. On Friday, she and the Sparks face a Seattle Storm team creeping up the standings after winning six of their last 10. Nneka Ogwumike isn’t showing her age — at 35, she’s putting up 17.4 points, 7.1 boards, and just dropped 26 in Seattle’s blowout win over the Sun.
Seattle’s still just 9th in offensive rating (101.7), but defensively they’re elite — second in the league with a 97.7 rating and allowing only 77.6 points per game. LA, meanwhile, saw its five-game win streak snapped by a 34-point barrage from A’ja Wilson on Tuesday and now has to dig in for another tough matchup. Offensively, the Sparks rank 8th, but they’ve struggled to take care of the ball, posting a TOV% of 19.5% —second-worst in the league. Look, I’m thrilled Brink is back. She’s essential to what LA wants to do defensively, but there’s no shot Lynne Roberts unleashes her for heavy minutes just yet. And against a disciplined, defensive-minded Seattle team? Yeah, I’m taking the Storm.
Lean: SEA -5.5
<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=player-points&amp;subcategory=points-o%2Fu">PICK: Nneka Ogwumike Over 16.5 Points (-125)</a>
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Minnesota Lynx at Las Vegas Aces — Saturday, August 2, 3:00 PM ET
What’s better than a showdown between the reigning MVP and the current MVP frontrunner? Maybe a Finals rematch… but we already got that. So next up? Lynx vs. Aces. A’ja Wilson is coming off a monster 34-point, double-double performance in a win over the red-hot Sparks. She was also one of our two Queens of the Court during DraftKings Sportsbook’s July 22 promo <a href="https://dknetwork.draftkings.com/2025/07/22/draftkings-queen-of-the-court-wnba-picks-for-july-22/">(you saw that, right?).</a> Jackie Young has been quietly leveling up too, dropping her first career triple-double in that same win and averaging 17.0 PPG — the second-best mark of her career.
The Aces are riding real momentum heading into Saturday, but this isn’t just any opponent — they’re running into the MVP favorite and the Finals favorite. Minnesota’s defense is no joke, allowing just 76 points per game, anchored by Alanna Smith’s rim protection and Napheesa Collier’s perimeter lockdown work. So here’s the question: can the Lynx contain A’ja Wilson? Because if they can’t, Vegas might just flip the script on the top seed.
<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/event/min-lynx-%40-lv-aces/32593377?category=odds&amp;subcategory=game-lines">PICK: MIN LYNX -6 (-110)</a>
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<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=player-points&amp;subcategory=points-o%2Fu">PICK: Paige Bueckers Over 17.5 Points (+100)</a>
After digging into this weekend’s slate, there’s one more pick I’ve got to lock in, and it’s all about Ms. Buckets. Paige Bueckers has been everything the Wings could’ve hoped for in her rookie season: averaging 18.3 points, 5.5 assists, and logging ten 20+ point games already. She became just the 10th rookie to ever start a WNBA All-Star Game, and she’s doing it all efficiently — shooting 45.2% from the field, 34.6% from three, and keeping her turnovers low at just 2.1 per game.
She’s been steady, smart, and adapted well. With that in mind, I’ve got no hesitation backing her to hit over 17.5 points against the Fever on Friday. Give Paige her flowers!
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All odds and lines provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change.
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WNBA Best Bets for August 1: Weekend Preview and Finals Winner Odds

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Game Recap: Aces vs. Fever (7/24/25)

The WNBA has officially named 2x WNBA Champion and 3x MVP, Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson, as the first-ever Global Ambassador for the Jr. WNBA. The announcement marks a pivotal moment in the league’s mission to empower young girls through basketball, leadership, and community. 
 “Connecting with youth in the future of this game, it&#8217;s so near and dear to my heart,” Wilson said in an interview with WNBA.com. “I was once in their position, literally not even knowing if I wanted to play basketball, not even knowing if I wanted to stay in sports. And because I did, it allowed me to be the person that I am today.”  
Since 2018, the NBA and WNBA have focused on keeping girls ages 5 through 17 engaged in sports through the Jr. WNBA. The program offers impactful initiatives like Belonging in Basketball resources, created in partnership with non-profit partner Girls Leadership and designed for and by girls to recruit and keep all girls in the game. Jr. WNBA participants also gain access to the Jr. WNBA Vision Box, allowing girls to embrace their creativity and construct a vision board that reflects their passions, dreams, and goals for the future.   
Wilson will participate in Jr. WNBA events hosted at NBA and WNBA marquee events, including on-court instruction &amp; competition and off-court programming aimed to help girls gain confidence, face challenges, and learn the importance of physical and mental wellness.  
Wilson will also serve as the Strategic Advisor to the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Court of Leaders, a comprehensive development program for select top high school basketball players who receive support and mentorship from the NBA and WNBA. The program fosters basketball development, personal growth, social impact, and leadership. 
<div id="attachment_201069" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-201069" class="wp-image-201069" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/RS25178_A1308093.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/RS25178_A1308093.jpg 8640w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/RS25178_A1308093-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/RS25178_A1308093-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/RS25178_A1308093-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />A&#8217;ja Wilson talks to children during the WNBA x AT&amp;T Community Clinic in Indianapolis, Indiana</div>
<h2>More Than a Game </h2>
Candice Haynes, Director of Youth Basketball Development, emphasized the program’s inclusive approach. “We really look at the Jr. WNBA as an opportunity to educate girls on different things they can do, not just as basketball players, but as young women,” she said. “Whether that&#8217;s setting goals, thinking through different career opportunities, or just falling in love with the game and being a fan.”  
Haynes noted that the Jr. WNBA creates a space where girls feel they belong. “We want them to look at the game of basketball as that space.”  
<h2>A Role Model Who Reflects the Mission </h2>
Wilson’s authenticity and relatability made her a natural choice for ambassador. “She already embodies the values of the Jr. WNBA,” Haynes said. “She genuinely cares about young people and the future of young women.” 
 Wilson’s message to young players is simple yet powerful: “If you can see her, you can be her.” She hopes her presence in Jr. WNBA programs will help girls realize their own potential. “If I can just be seen in these spaces and make it look like, ‘Yes, they can do this. You guys are no different from me,’ that’s what I hope my role could be.”   
Wilson’s commitment to youth development extends far beyond the hardwood; the same spirit of visibility and empowerment drives the <a href="https://www.ajawilsonfoundation.org/">A’ja Wilson Foundation</a>, which supports young people with dyslexia in reaching their full potential through workshops, programming, and camps. 
<h2>Leadership Starts Early </h2>
Wilson believes leadership at the youth level is about self-discovery. “It can vary in so many different ways because you&#8217;re still in this stage of figuring out who you are,” she said. “It comes in friendships, and it comes in losses sometimes, but you continue to persevere and know that it&#8217;s always brighter on the other side.”  
She also sees her platform as a tool for advocacy and inclusion. “I&#8217;m blessed to have a platform that can reach the masses. So I’ll continue to speak up for them, being the voice for the voiceless and giving them something they can see, dream of, and want to pursue.” 
<div id="attachment_201071" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-201071" class="wp-image-201071" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/RS25028_A5L03720-a.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/RS25028_A5L03720-a.jpg 8640w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/RS25028_A5L03720-a-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/RS25028_A5L03720-a-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/RS25028_A5L03720-a-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />Jr. WNBA Host Ari Chambers and A&#8217;ja Wilson sit for a discussion at the WNBA x AT&amp;T Community Clinic in Indianapolis, Indiana</div>
WNBA media personality Ari Chambers regularly hosts Jr. WNBA events and attended the Jr. WNBA x AT&amp;T Community Clinic during AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. More than 100 girls ages 7 and up were able to participate in basketball clinics, vision board sessions, and sit and listen to WNBA players such as Wilson, Courtney Williams, and Dijonai Carrington. Chambers sees the program as a catalyst for connection. “The whole point is to keep girls in sport past the age of 14,” she said. “Most of them said what they love most about basketball is the friendships they make. These are core memories they experience with their friends.” 
Chambers added that the Jr. WNBA is more than skill development on the court. “Not only do we build better basketball players, but we build better character along the way.” 
<h2>A Vision for the Future </h2>
Looking ahead, Wilson hopes her work will inspire a new generation of leaders. “I would love to see someone take my space,” she said. “A young girl who was once sitting down on that basketball is now coming back when she&#8217;s a WNBA All-Star, and she&#8217;s now ‘the new A’ja.’ That is what I see for the longevity of this program.”  
Haynes echoed that vision: “She’s where these young people want to be. She’s an MVP, she’s a champion. But she’s also been successful off the court. That example is so important.” 
With Wilson at the helm, the Jr. WNBA is poised to reach new heights both in the U.S. and globally. Her message to young girls everywhere is clear: “You guys are no different from me… dream big and believe in yourselves.”  
 
The Jr. WNBA is the WNBA’s initiative dedicated to championing change on behalf of girls and women and providing them with ways to connect, collaborate, and actively engage with basketball and one another. For more information, visit the website <a href="https://jr.nba.com/hertimetoplay/">HERE</a>.

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