Phoenix at Indiana

Phoenix started slow but finished strong, winning 8 of 14 despite playing six of the final eight on the road. Phoenix is 6-4 since Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner helped lead Team USA to Olympic gold in Rio. Griner is the league's seventh-ranked scorer (17.0), ninth-ranked rebounder (7.6) and top shot blocker (3.4). The Mercury have a top seven scorer in Taurasi and two other top 15 scorers in Griner and DeWanna Bonner. Phoenix averaged the second most free throws made (19.7 per game) during the regular season. Indiana may be home, but has a weak offense, #11 in the league in scoring and ranks dead last in rebounding. That will be a problem against a big Phoenix frontcourt. The Fever have a losing home record this season and are not strong on defense, allowing the highest field goal percentage (50.8%) and highest free throw rate (0.348) of any playoff team, ranking second-to-last in both categories overall. Phoenix won the most recent game, a 79-65 win in Indianapolis on August 30 with a +7 rebound edge, shooting 45% from the field and holding Indiana to 33% on this floor. This one lines up for Phoenix, so back the Mercury.