Fans of WNBA betting surely caught the historic moment. On Sunday night the Phoenix Mercury (8-10) traveled to Atlanta to take on the Dream (8-9) at 6pm. It was there where Phoenix center Brittney Griner posted the WNBA’s 6th triple-double in league history. Griner was able to entertain WNBA betting enthusiasts on her way to 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocks.
What’s most impressive about her performance is the 10 blocks. Triple-doubles usually occur due to a combination of points, rebounds, and assists. The fact that she was able to reach a triple-double with less than 10 assists is a testament to her defensive play. Griner also came close to tying the league record for blocks in a game (11), a record she herself set back in 2014.
“She was a game-changer on defense, and that’s what we needed from her,” Mercury’s head coach Sandy Brondello was quoted as saying. “It hasn’t always been consistent throughout the season this year, but that’s what she’s capable of, and hopefully she’ll bring it every night.”
Griner has also been inconsistent off the field. Griner was at the center of controversy back in 2015 when she and fellow WNBA player Glory Johnson were suspended following a case of domestic violence. The two players were involved in a romantic relationship and after the incident Griner ended up pleading guilty for disorderly conduct. The WNBA responded by serving both players a seven game suspension. The two players eventually eloped but their marriage did not last long as Griner filed for divorce a day after Johnson announced she was pregnant.
The Phoenix Mercury also got off to a rough start this season. At one point they were dead last in their division, now they’re currently ranked 4th. They have the talent, evident by Griner making WNBA history, they just need to perform. Diana Taurasi, Mercury’s guard, became the fastest player to reach 7,000 points. The biggest problem facing this team is discipline, clearly demonstrated in their 99-88 loss versus the New York Liberty on July 1st. Griner, after exchanging a few choice words with a referee, was ejected from the game. Taurasi soon followed and even coach Brondello received a technical. Their inability to remain level-headed cost them the game.
All is not lost for the Mercury however. If Sunday’s win is an indication of things to come then expect the Mercury to bounce back to the top of their division as the season drags on. If Mercury is able to overcome their issues with consistency, then they will certainly become a playoff favorite.
“We’ve had a very interesting season so far,” Griner stated. “We started off up and down, but it’s an upside coming for us. We just have to weather the storm.”
Griner was able to weather early foul trouble in Sunday’s game. This time around she proved exactly what you can expect from her when she remains level-headed. This is the league’s first triple-double since Temeka Johnson got hers back in July 2014. In the history of the WNBA there have only been 6 triple-doubles posted. With that in mind you can begin to understand why the WNBA receives the criticism that it does. For comparison, Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder posted 18 triple-doubles last season alone. However, online sportsbook users are more interested in value than entertainment and fans of WNBA betting are aware of the value that the sport has when it comes to gambling.