WNBA picks, predictions and odds: Seattle Storm vs. Indiana Fever for Sun. 8/18

Seattle Storm: This Game will be Fast

You don't come across teams like the Storm too often as this team has one of the rarest combinations.

Usually, when you think of teams like Seattle, teams with the second-best defense in the league, you'd expect to find a team that also excels at controlling the game.

Good defenses tend to have that innate ability to frustrate opponents and slow down the game.

But if you look at Seattle, it doesn't mind a fast pace. In fact, it even excels at an accelerated pace.

Seattle ranks second in pace, so we have a matchup where both teams will be looking to get up and down the court.

Indiana Fever: Turnovers Could Decide Game

The Fever sit on the other end of the spectrum for defense. Indiana's 108.2 Defensive Rating is the second-worst in the league.

Perhaps it's not entirely surprising, given that Indiana is also the third-youngest team, with an average age of 26.5 years.

If you look at the teams ranked in the bottom half of the league defensively, five of those six teams are also among the youngest in the W.

And then, when you add in a starting rookie point guard like Caitlin Clark, you have to expect a few bumps along the way.

Indiana commits the fourth-most turnovers (15.2 per game) and allows the third-most points off turnovers (17.7).

Seattle also forces 16.8 turnovers per game, the most in the league.

Lastly, we have a Fever team that also likes to play an uptempo style.

The profiles of these teams indicate a fast game. They both want to play uptempo, and Indiana's high turnover rate could help ignite a frantic pace to the game.

Storm vs. Fever: All Signs Point to the Over

Betting Pick & Prediction

This has all the markings of a high-scoring affair. Both teams are led by dynamic point guards who play a big part in setting the game's tone.

Indiana can be extremely vulnerable in the backcourt as opposing teams generally look to attack Clark.

Seattle's point guard, Skylar Diggins-Smith, recorded nine assists in two of the previous three meetings against Indiana.

Additionally, her teammate, Jewell Loyd, scored above her season average in all three meetings.

This matchup is one where the Seattle guards will relish attacking the first layer of Indiana's defense — Clark at the top of the key.

Since my model projects a score in the 170s, we're getting decent value on the over, which is still available at 168.

Pick: Over 168 points