The New York Liberty's (32-8) overall depth helped propel them to a 2-0 series lead over the Las Vegas Aces (27-13). Two days after Breanna Stewart led all scorers with 34 points in the opener, it would be Sabrina Ionescu's turn to take the reins in Game 2, scoring a team-high 24 points.
New York continues to do whatever is necessary to help them win games. It's almost like the Liberty spent the entire offseason studying everything about the Aces, and now they have a perfect counter for anything Las Vegas draws up.
Given the threat both teams offer from the perimeter, 3-point shooting will always be a critical factor in this series. And even though Las Vegas outshot New York 36-27 from beyond the arc in Game 2, it still wasn't enough to come away with the victory.
If New York can still win these types of games even when it loses the perimeter battle, then you could argue that the Aces have no chance of finding their way back into this series. Continue below for my Liberty vs. Aces predictions and my WNBA picks for Friday, October 4.
New York Liberty Game 3 Odds vs. Las Vegas Aces
| Liberty Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
+3 -108 | 165.5 -108 / -112 | +126 |
| Aces Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
-3 -112 | 165.5 -108 / -112 | -154 |
- Aces vs. Liberty spread: Aces -3
- Aces vs. Liberty over/under: 165.5 points
- Aces vs. Liberty moneyline: Aces -154, Liberty +126
Why The New York Liberty Can Cover In Game 3
When you're a perfect 5-0 this season against the two-time defending champions, there isn't much of a need to make any adjustments. Surprisingly, the Aces have tried to go toe-to-toe with the Liberty, playing both games in this playoff series at a breakneck pace.
This season, the difference for New York is that the team is more balanced. Its core players have now played together for a second straight year and wholly understand their roles within the team.
New York forward Jonquel Jones is one player who looks much more comfortable in her second season in the offense. As a stretch-four, Jones helps to provide better spacing on the floor, and she's been much more lethal from the perimeter, averaging 1.5 3-point field goals on 3.9 attempts (38.8%) during the regular season.
Even in last year's defeat to Las Vegas in the WNBA Finals, New York was still didn't walk away totally empty-handed. Following the Aces' loss in Game 2, Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon pointed out that New York channeled the disappointment of last year's finish into this season.
"We were the best team last year. They've been the best team this year," Hammon told reporters. "Because of their habits, their edge that they've had the entire year, their incredible attention to detail. Quite frankly, we haven't had the edge."
While the job is clearly not done, Liberty fans should sleep somewhat comfortably knowing that WNBA teams are a perfect 18-0 in a best-of-five series after taking a 2-0 lead.
Liberty vs. Aces
Betting Pick & Prediction
With the Aces' season on the line, there's a thought they'll find a way to stave off elimination with a win in Game 3. However, I still expect this game to be tightly contested, even if they're successful. One way to take advantage of this would be to create a same game parlay from the alternate odds menu.
By adjusting the point spread and total by five points, we can back New York at +8 and play the total over 160.5 points with odds at +105.
Another Liberty angle that looks promising for Game 3 is to take Betnijah Laney-Hamilton's rebounding prop over 3.5. Laney-Hamilton is one of those glue-type players that every good team needs.
While she's only averaging six points in the series, she's chipped in with four rebounds in both games. She has also recorded over 3.5 boards in six of her last seven games against teams that finished the year in the bottom-five for rebounding.
The Aces are certainly a team that falls in that category, as Laney-Hamilton has also gone over 3.5 rebounds in five straight games against Las Vegas and nine of 13 head-to-head meetings.
Laney-Hamilton is a player who fully understands her role in the team, and her selflessness is just another example of why New York has flourished this season.
Pick: Same Game Parlay – Liberty +8 / Over 160.5 (+105, BetRivers) | Player Prop – Betnijah Laney-Hamilton Over 3.5 Rebounds (-128, FanDuel)
How to Watch Liberty vs. Aces Game 3
| Aces vs. Liberty | Friday, October 4 |
| Start Time: | 9:30 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN 2 / ESPN+, YouTube TV |
| Location: | Michelob ULTRA Arena, Paradise, Nevada |
