Wings vs. Valkyries Prediction: Game 3 WNBA Picks for Friday, Oct. 2

With the final spot in the semifinals up for grabs today, my Wings vs. Valkyries prediction for Game 3 backs Paige Bueckers to have a big night in the finale of this first-round series.

The winner will face the Aces, the favorite in the WNBA championship odds. The Valkyries are a 7.5-point betting favorite, with tipoff from Chase Center in San Francisco set for 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2).

🏀 Wings vs. Valkyries prediction: WNBA picks

See all of our experts' WNBA picks based on the latest WNBA odds.

Total wagered: 2.5 units | Max profit: +2.12 units

🏆 Who will win Wings vs. Valkyries?

I predict the Valkyries will beat the Wings by eight points on Friday. Dallas deserves a ton of credit for pushing this series to Game 3, but I expect Golden State's depth and talent advantages to ultimately prevail. The Valkyries should earn their first postseason series win in franchise history.

Score prediction: Valkyries 85, Wings 77

💰 Wings vs. Valkyries prediction & best bet

Valkyries -1.5 2Q (-120)

Allow me to hit the second-quarter button on the Valkyries once again in Game 3. I'll keep doing it as long as the spread is -1.5.

Golden State was the league's best second-quarter team in the regular season, posting a +26.1 net rating. That mark improved to +35.9 at Chase Center due to its incredible home-court advantage.

In Game 1, the Valkyries scored 37 points in the second quarter to pull away from the Wings. Given the depth of their roster against a depleted Wings squad, I expect a similar story in Game 3.

🔥 Best Wings vs. Valkyries player prop bet

Paige Bueckers Over 18.5 points (-115)

There is a world where the Wings pull off a shocking upset, which is why I'm not interested in the full-game markets. But they only do that if Bueckers is right in Game 3.

Bueckers scored just 10 points in Game 2, missing 10 of her 13 shots. However, she hasn't failed to clear her scoring line in consecutive contests since Aug. 7.

Nobody silences a crowd with a mid-range jumper like Bueckers. She's averaged 22.2 points per game on the road for a reason, clearing this line in 17 of her 22 away outings.

🚀 Wings vs. Valkyries same-game parlay

FanDuel nearly offers a 4/1 payout on my Wings vs. Valkyries parlay. Not all three legs are correlated: I'm backing the Valkyries to prevail in the second quarter, but the Wings to hang around long enough for Bueckers to clear her scoring line. It's a delicate balance, but one I'm comfortable counting on for Game 3.

📊 Live Wings vs. Valkyries odds

📺 How to watch Wings vs. Valkyries

• Date: Friday, Oct. 2
• Tipoff: 9 p.m. ET
• Location: Chase Center (San Francisco)
• TV: ESPN2