Unrivaled Preview (Feb 18, 2025): Vinyl vs Rose & Laces vs Phantom

After a week-long break for the 1v1 tournament, Unrivaled is back in action. Napheesa Collier took home the $200K prize, but now, it’s back to team play.

Tonight’s Matchups (7:30 PM ET, Live on TNT & TSN+):

• Vinyl vs Rose
• Laces vs Phantom

Let’s break down what to expect.

Vinyl vs Rose

Vinyl: 3-4 (W1)
Rose: 3-4 (W2)

These teams kicked off their seasons against each other, with Vinyl winning 79-73. Since then, both squads have been mid-pack teams, sitting in 3rd and 4th place.

Key Players to Watch:

• Vinyl: Dearica Hamby (21.2 PPG)
• Rose: Kahleah Copper (16.6 PPG)

Hamby vs. Copper will be the deciding factor in this one. Both teams are well-rested, with the exception of Azurá Stevens (Rose) & Arike Ogunbowale (Vinyl), who played deep into the 1v1 tournament.

Betting Insights:

• Rose (-120) slight favorites over Vinyl (-106)
• Spread: Rose -2.5
• Total: 141.5

The total at 141.5 seems low—especially with fresh legs after the break. I’m hammering the Over.

Best Bet: Over 141.5 (-113) (2u)
Prop Bet: Angel Reese 10+ Rebounds (-112) (1u)

Laces vs Phantom

Laces: 4-3 (L3)
Phantom: 2-5 (L2)

It’s a battle of cold streaks, and one team has to break the slump.

Last Meeting: Laces dominated Phantom 83-48 in their first matchup. Since then, the Laces have cooled off but still sit in 2nd place, while Phantom struggles in 5th place, just ahead of Mist.

Key Players to Watch:

• Laces: Kayla McBride (24.7 PPG)
• Phantom: Sabrina Ionescu (17.8 PPG)

Laces are calling up Betnijah Laney-Hamilton tonight, which could shake up their lineup.

Betting Insights:

• Phantom (-156) are favorites despite their poor record
• Laces at +122 ML & +3.5 spread
• Total: 136.5

I’m all over Laces at +3.5 here. They crushed Phantom last time, and I don’t see much reason for Phantom to be favored here.

Best Bets:

• Laces +3.5 (-113) (3u) Pick of the Night
• Laces ML (+122) (1u)
• Over 136.5 (-113) (1u)

Final Betting Card for Tonight

• Angel Reese 10+ Rebounds (-112) (1u)
• Vinyl vs Rose Over 141.5 (-113) (2u)
• Laces vs Phantom Over 136.5 (-113) (1u)
• Laces +3.5 (-113) (3u) (Best Bet)
• Laces ML (+122) (1u)