Peter's Points: WNBA Best Bets Today (Predictions, Prop Bets for Mercury-Aces, Sabrina Ionescu, Kiki Iriafen)

A significant night of WNBA games is scheduled for Thursday, August 21, featuring key matchups involving the New York Liberty (No. 2 seed), Atlanta Dream (No. 3 seed), Minnesota Lynx (No. 1 seed), Phoenix Mercury (No. 4 seed), and Las Vegas Aces (No. 5 seed). The Aces are only half a game behind the Liberty, and a win would propel them past Phoenix in the standings. Meanwhile, the Washington Mystics, currently outside the playoff picture, aim to recover from a recent loss and are 1.5 games behind the Seattle Storm for the No. 8 seed.

Betting analysis favors the Las Vegas Aces, who are on an eight-game winning streak and have won nine of their last 10 games, including a recent victory over the Atlanta Dream. The Aces have been strong at home with a 13-5 record and lead the league in offense while ranking fourth in defense. Although the Phoenix Mercury have also won consecutive games and performed well on the road, the Aces' current form and home advantage make them the preferred pick for this matchup.

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu is experiencing a scoring slump, failing to exceed 18.5 points in seven straight games while shooting 32.0% from the field and 28.9% from three-point range. Despite her recent clutch performance, her inconsistency and the possibility of the Liberty building a large lead against the weak Chicago defense could limit her playing time and scoring opportunities.