Sunday, May 13th brings the start to the 2017 WNBA season and will include the reigning WNBA champions hosting one of the three games. Candace Parker and the Los Angeles Sparks will see the banners raised for their WNBA championship from last season, which was their third. The Seattle Storm will try to spoil that home opener although they've been dealt some lingering injury issues to key players.

Here's the latest Storm vs. Sparks WNBA game preview including odds, time, TV channel and how to watch it live streaming online.

Game preview

During the 2016 WNBA Finals, it was the Sparks defeating the Minnesota Lynx to earn their third championship. Now they'll begin their title defense, and attempt to match their previous feat of winning back-to-back titles in 2001 and 2002. They'll bring back league MVP Nneka Ogwumike and Finals MVP Candace Parker, among many other players on their championship roster. The team lost Kristi Toliver who signed with the Washington Mystics as a free agent, though.

Toliver was a three-point specialist who also averaged 13.2 points and 3.7 assists per game last season.

The Seattle Storm are hoping to see several of their key players back on the court, but it's unknown if Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, or Noelle Quinn will be able to do so today. Bird is getting better after having to get offseason surgery on her knee, while Stewart has an ongoing knee injury. Quinn missed training camp due to a bruised thigh. Neither Seattle's coach, nor Bird, could confirm if she'd be on the court today, although Bird admitted with a 34-game season ahead, she wants to make sure she's healthy and good to go.

For today's matchup, Vegas Insider has listed the Sparks as anywhere from 6.5-point to seven-point favorites to win at home.

The over/under points total is sitting at 152 to 153 depending on the sports book one consults. In terms of future odds, the Los Angeles Sparks are 9 to 4 favorites to repeat as WNBA Champions, with the Minnesota Lynch next at 11 to 4 odds. The Seattle Storm are several spots below those teams, with 10 to 1 odds to win the 2017 WNBA Finals.

How to watch it live

Sunday's Seattle Storm vs. Los Angeles Sparks game is scheduled for 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Live television coverage of this game will be shown on ESPN around the United States. Live streaming of the game is available to cable and satellite subscribers through the WatchESPN website or compatible apps. Cable and satellite subscribers should be able to log in to these options using their TV service provider log-in.

A free live streaming feed is available to anyone who is a new customer that signs up for the SlingTV channel streaming service. The lowest tier channel lineup on Sling.com for their one-week free trial includes ESPN and ESPN2, along with other channels.