The Phoenix Mercury take on the Las Vegas Aces. Our WNBA odds series has our Mercury Aces prediction, odds, and pick. Find out how to watch Mercury Aces.

Is this the last ride for Diana Taurasi in the WNBA? At age 41, Taurasi — a player who has seen it all and done it all in women's professional basketball in a glorious two-decade career — is running out of time and fuel. How long will she continue to push herself, and how long can she continue to play against younger players with fresher legs and more energy at both ends of the court? Taurasi is a legend of the game, but time is undefeated, and this could be the year when Taurasi reaches the end of the line. The Phoenix Mercury have Taurasi and Brittney Griner on their roster. Griner, whose harrowing ordeal in a Russian prison made global news, might be in a more settled position this year. If she can raise her game by a few notches, the Mercury might be able to surprise some people.

The problem for the Mercury is that while they should be several games better than they were in 2023, they were the last-place team in the WNBA last year at 9-31 in the 40-game regular-season schedule. Even if they make substantial improvements, it will be hard for them to reach the .500 mark.

The Mercury will find it hard to start their season on a winning note because they're running into the two-time defending WNBA champions, the Las Vegas Aces. Coach Becky Hammon leads a galaxy of stars intent on making history. In the WNBA's existence, only one team — the Houston Comets in the first four seasons of the W, from 1997 through 2000 — has won three or more consecutive championships. The Aces will try to become the second team this year. Given that they were one of only two teams to win 30 or more regular-season games in the 2023 WNBA season, and given that they finished 12 games ahead of fourth-place Dallas in last year's regular-season standings, it seems hard to think the Aces won't at least be able to get back to the WNBA Finals with a great chance at defending their title. MVP contender A'ja Wilson is surrounded by a parade of winning players: Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Alysha Clark, and others. A deep and balanced roster has solutions for every problem, with Hammon providing the guidance needed to make the pieces fit. It will be hard for other teams to find a winning hand against these Aces, who know how to play high-stakes poker in women's professional basketball.

Here are the Mercury-Aces WNBA Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

WNBA Odds: Mercury-Aces Odds

Phoenix Mercury: +15 (-108)

Las Vegas Aces: -15 (-112)

Over: 168 (-112)

Under: 168 (-108)

How to Watch Mercury vs. Aces

TV: ESPN2

Stream: ESPN Plus, Disney Plus

Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT

*Watch WNBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Mercury Could Cover The Spread

The spread is a very large 15 points. The Aces are great, and no one disputes that, but there could be a little opening-night rust and a general sense that the Aces will pace themselves in this game at the start of a long season. The Mercury, on the other hand, will have a ton to prove in this game and will come out of the blocks playing with tenacity and a little desperation. That could enable Phoenix to stay close and cover.

Why The Aces Could Cover The Spread

The Aces are the best team in the WNBA until proven otherwise. The Mercury were the worst team in the league last year and have stars who — while owning decorated and very important careers in the game of women's basketball — are simply getting older. If Phoenix had younger stars in the center of their primes, the idea that the Mercury could stay close against Vegas would hold more credibility. Unfortunately, the Mercury don't have the young legs to stay with the Aces.

Final Mercury-Aces Prediction & Pick

This is a mismatch, plain and simple. Take the Aces.

Final Mercury-Aces Prediction & Pick: Aces -15