Two games into this highly-anticipated semifinal series, the Liberty looked every bit the team that was finally ready to break through and win a championship.
That may still be the case, but Game 3 went the way of the Las Vegas Aces 95-81, so advancement to the WNBA Finals will have to wait at least one more game.
Check out my Liberty vs. Aces prediction below.
New York Liberty Game 4 Odds vs. Las Vegas Aces
| Liberty Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -110 | 166.5 -110o / -110u | +142 |
| Aces Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -110 | 166.5 -110o / -110u | -170 |
- Liberty vs. Aces spread: Liberty +3.5
- Liberty vs. Aces over/under: 166 points
- Liberty vs. Aces moneyline: Liberty +130, Aces -160
Why The New York Liberty Can Cover In Game 4
It's not unheard of that a team on the verge of a sweep would struggle to finish a series. The Liberty were unable to knock off the Aces — winners of the last two WNBA championships.
Still, losing by 14 points in a game that wasn't particularly close following a six-point third quarter from New York is a bit concerning. Then again, if the Liberty wants to take something positive from the loss, it could be that they outscored the Aces over the other three quarters.
At any rate, if the Liberty are to finish off the Aces, they will need to get back to being the highly efficient and effective offense they have been all season. Game 3 saw them shoot just 38.8 percent from the field, making 12-of-29 threes but just 14-of-38 shots from inside the arc.
Breanna Stewart led the way with 19 points, while Jonquel Jones added 11 and Leonie Fiebich contributed 10. Sabrina Ionescu, the team's second-leading scorer during the season and leading scorer in the playoffs, scored just four after performances of 21 and 24 in games 1 and 2, respectively.
The Liberty scored fewer points than they averaged in the regular season and their 81 in Game 3 represented their lowest output of this year's playoffs.
And yet, you could point to defense as the problem in Game 3. Boasting the third-best defensive rating in the regular season and allowing the third-lowest average in the W, the 91 they surrendered to the Aces is the third-most points they've allowed to anyone all season. The Aces made 52 percent of their shots and the Liberty forced just nine turnovers in Game 3 after holding the Aces to just 43.3 percent in Game 1 and 43.5 percent in Game 2.
Liberty vs. Aces
Betting Pick & Prediction
That the Liberty lost Game 3 makes sense. The Aces are the back-to-back defending champs and were not going to go down quietly. But the game represented the first time the Aces beat the Liberty this season after losing the previous five matchups, so you could see it as a bit of an outlier.
The Aces played a great game and while the final score was comfortable, the Liberty actually held a one-point advantage over quarters one, two and four. New York is the better team, and the last time they lost consecutive games came in late May. It won't happen again.
Pick: Liberty Moneyline (+130)
How to Watch Liberty vs. Aces Game 4
| Aces vs. Liberty | Sunday, October 6 |
| Start Time: | 3 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ABC / ESPN+, YouTube TV |
| Location: | Michelob ULTRA Arena, Paradise, Nevada |
New York Liberty Betting Trends
