The team with the best record in the WNBA is facing off with the team who holds the second-worst as the New York Liberty visit the Dallas Wings. New York is looking to get closer to clinching the top overall seed for the postseason while the Wings are hoping to notch a signature win in what has been a disappointing season.
Where does the betting lie in this East vs. West bout? Read more for my Liberty vs Wings prediction.
Liberty vs. Wings Prediction
If there's one thing each of these teams does well, it is put the ball in the basket. The Liberty have been an elite offensive team all season, whereas the Wings have been solid there but have taken things to another level since Satou Sabally returned to the lineup. This game may not be close, but it should be high-scoring.
Liberty vs. Wings Pick: Over 171.5 (-110) via FanDuel
Liberty vs. Wings Odds
| Liberty Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9 -112 | 171.5 -110o / -110u | -500 |
| Wings Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9 -108 | 171.5 -110o / -110u | +360 |
New York Liberty: Letting Freedom Ring
Expected to be one of the W's best teams, the Liberty has been running near the top for the entire season. Currently the No. 1 seed in the playoffs and looking every bit the title contender, New York has won three straight and 12 of its last 14. Most recently it knocked off the Las Vegas Aces once and the Seattle Storm twice.
The Liberty feature a pair of elite scorers in Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, who are averaging 20.3 and 19.3 points, respectively. Stewart is also chipping in 8.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists, whereas Ionescu is adding 5.9 assists while shooting a team-high 8.7 threes a game.
Jonquel Jones and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton are the team's other primary scorers, with Jones averaging 14.7 and Laney-Hamilton 12.0 per game. Jones also leads the team with 9.3 boards per game.
New York gets solid contributions off the bench, including 5.0 assists per game from Courtney Vandersloot.
Indeed, the Liberty average the second-most points per game for a reason. They have the league's best offensive rating and are in the top three for assist percentage, effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage.
Dallas Wings: Broken Wings
Almost the exact opposite of New York, the season has been a struggle for the Wings from the start. Injuries have played a role in their prolonged losing streaks, with lineup inconsistency proving to be too much to overcome.
Even still, there have been some bright spots, with the brightest being the play of Arike Ogunbowale. The sixth-year pro is averaging 22.6, 5.2 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.
In just 10 games following a return from a shoulder injury, Satou Sabally has emerged as the team's second-leading scorer, averaging 18.6 points. She has reached double figures in every game she has played in, while being consistent on the boards (6.3 per game) and dishing out assists (4.8 per game).
Save for a three-game winning streak with victories over Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Minnesota, Sabally's presence hasn't done much for the win/loss record but has helped Dallas become one of the league's higher-scoring teams. On the season the Wings are averaging 83.9 points per game, but have scored 88.8 per game over the last 10.
Just, Dallas also gives up an average of 91.1 points per game and has the league's worst defensive rating.
Liberty vs. Wings: Buckets Galore
Betting Pick & Prediction
New York, the league's second-highest-scoring team in the league, is facing off with the league's worst defensive team, albeit one that is also capable of scoring plenty of points. Although New York plays at a more middling pace, Dallas plays at the league's fastest and therefore even if they are getting soundly beat you can expect them to get plenty of shots up. With as many high-level scorers as there are in this game, expect the scoreboard to light up.
Liberty vs. Wings Pick: Over 171.5 (-110) via FanDuel
