So far, so good for the Portland Fire in their debut season. The expansion franchise is off to a 2-2 start, pulling off gritty close wins against the Liberty and Sun. Now they face another big test, traveling to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to take on the Indiana Fever. Can they pull another big upset against the WNBA champion hopefuls? Or will the Fever roll to a comfortable victory?

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. The Fever are 13.5-point home favorites with -950 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. A Fire upset is priced at +625. The game total is set at O/U 180.5 points.

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

Fire vs. Fever Preview

Unlike their expansion counterparts, the Toronto Tempo, the Portland Fire are taking a measured approach to building their team. They targeted younger underutilized players in the expansion draft, and didn’t spend big in free agency, keeping the team nimble and on an upward trajectory. Carla Leite, a Valkyries expansion pick, has performed very well in a starting role. Luisa Geiselsöder continues to provide all-around value after a promising start with the Liberty. Bridget Carleton, a longtime bench player for the Lynx, is the de facto veteran at 29 years old; after averaging 6.5 PPG last year, she’s up to 17 PPG through four games.

Defense has been an issue; the Fire have surrendered 96+ points in three of their four games. That’s a tough pace for any team to keep up with. First-time head coach Alex Sarama has some work to do building better habits and discipline on the uglier end of the floor. But the team is engaged, as are the fans. Make sure you check your volume before hearing this crowd pop.

The Fever also sit at 2-2, and the beginning of the regular season has been a mixed bag. The good news: Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell are getting along, averaging a combined 47.8 points per game. The bad news: just about everything else. Aliyah Boston, their defensive anchor and post hub, is struggling through injury. Their defense, typically a strength, has been rough in the early going; they’ve already surrendered 100 points on two occasions, matching last year’s total.

All of the pieces are there. Clark has struggled with her shot, but her passing elevates the offense’s floor in a major way. Mitchell’s bucket-getting can match any guard in the league. Boston is a two-way force in the paint who is constantly expanding her game. They have the role players to mix and match, throwing out different lineups. It’s all a matter of putting things together.

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

Fire vs. Fever Pick, Best Bet

The Fever are big favorites for a reason. They’ve got all the stars to overwhelm a team still getting its sea legs. However, I’m not confident in this Indiana defense just yet; they’re going to take their lumps containing a surprisingly robust Portland offense. This one screams over.

Best Bet: Over 180.5 Total Points (-110)