Paige Bueckers. Caitlin Clark. Azzi Fudd. Aliyah Boston. Kelsey Mitchell. Seriously, are you not hyped up yet? Why aren’t you running through a brick wall??

Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. ET. The Fever are -245 moneyline favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, while a Wings upset is priced at +200. The spread in favor of Indiana is -5.5, and the game total is set at O/U 177.5 points.

Let’s get into a pick and prediction for this Wings-Fever game.

Wings vs. Fever Preview

Talk about a big offseason for the Dallas Wings. A messy 2025 season was rewarded with another No. 1 pick, and the Wings sure made use out of the opportunity to get this rebuild into gear. Paige Bueckers, the reigning Rookie of the Year, is joined by former UConn backcourt mate Azzi Fudd in Dallas. Back-to-back No. 1 picks being college teammates who are also dating? Now that’s some drama.

But it’s not just a fit off the court. Bueckers, a tall playmaker who loves to play off the bounce and work in the midrange, is complemented extremely well by Fudd, a lights-out three-point shooter who gets after it defensively. Both can make big passes in a pinch while taking care of the basketball. Many (including myself) argued for Awa Fam 1.1, but it’s tough to pass up on that kind of chemistry, and Fudd will be ready to go from day one.

And they didn’t stop there this offseason. Dallas brought in Alanna Smith, fresh off a co-DPOY season for the Minnesota Lynx. The Wings were a mess defensively in 2025 and are in desperate need of consistency. New head coach Jose Fernandez has his defensive quarterback and anchor. Jessica Shepard also came along from Minnesota, bringing more size and presence on the glass to this team. I didn’t love the Arike Ogunbowale re-signing—she’s too one-note of a player to fit this team—but she can only do so much damage. This team took massive strides, and will be a much better watch in 2026.

The operative word for Indiana in 2026 is health. Countless injuries threatened to completely derail their 2025 season, yet they managed to push into the playoffs and take the Aces to five games. It’s no surprise that management prioritized keeping the band together in the offseason; Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Sophie Cunningham, and Damiris Dantas all got new deals. They made some moves on the margins to bolster their depth, but by and large, the team is the same.

The offense comes from Caitlin Clark, first and foremost, but this isn’t a one-player team. Mitchell had one of the best offensive seasons by a guard in 2025, and can get a bucket any time. Boston, a serious defensive force, has continued to grow as an offensive hub and play-finisher. Cunningham and Hull both get after it defensively while playing within the flow of the offense. It’s a contender-level team without question, but the injury report is lurking around the corner, waiting to undo their plans.

Now we have a good idea what to expect from these teams. Who is going to come out the winner?

Wings vs. Fever Pick, Best Bet

With relatively clean injury reports all around, both teams are ready to go full-tilt. I’m not one to dismiss the gains the Wings have made, but they’re still a team trying to find stability. Even when half-dead, this Fever team has shown they can compete with the best of the best. Now that they have a clean bill of health, I expect them to dominate in their home opener and set the tone for an exciting season.

Best Bet: Indiana Fever -5.5 (-115)