It all comes down to this! Game 5 of the WNBA Finals between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty is set for Sunday night. Tipoff from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The oddsmakers see the Liberty as 5.5-point home favorites in the series finale (New York -5.5), while the total is set at over/under 157 points. Our basketball betting experts have locked in three bets in three different markets for today's winner-take-all matchup, including a pick against the spread, a total prediction, and a player prop.
Continue below for our WNBA best bets and Lynx vs. Liberty Game 5 picks for Sunday, October 20.
WNBA Best Bets: Lynx vs Liberty Finals Game 5 Picks, Predictions
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
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  | 8:00 p.m. | |
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Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our WNBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Lynx vs. Liberty
Breanna Stewart has posted a double double in two straight games, and three of her last five, which is the same way she finished last year, as she recorded double doubles in three straight against the Aces to close her postseason campaign.
I would normally say she'll play close to 40 minutes as another reason, and while that's true, she was limited to 33 with foul trouble in Game 4 and still got to 11 boards. The points were worrisome given the awful shooting start, but she still got there.
This is an exploitable inside matchup, and after taking the Liberty to win the series in five games prior to Game 1, I don't feel the need to back away from it, so I'm riding with them here too.
Pick: Breanna Stewart Double Double / Liberty ML (+164)
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Lynx vs. Liberty
If the oddsmakers keep posting this line, then I'm going to keep taking it.
Both teams tend to start out strong offensively, and both starting lineups have been scorching the opposing defense throughout this series.
Across eight matchups this season, here are the first quarter totals: 48, 50, 42, 47, 51, 52, 46, 46.
Perhaps they are predicting a low scoring affair given that it's a winner-take-all game, but 39.5 is still far too low to me.
Pick: First Quarter Over 39.5 (-110)
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Lynx vs. Liberty
The first half narrative angles have played out as expected all series and I don't see why they'd stop tonight.
The Lynx upset the Liberty in Game 4, thanks in part to a questionable shooting foul call on Bridget Carleton with 2.0 seconds left in regulation. The two free throws she sunk would be the difference in the game, and Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello wasn't shy about her feelings about the officiating.
I think the Liberty will come out aggressive and energetic with the motivation of a team that feels like they were "cheated" out of a Game 4 win.
Whether or not that translates to a win in Game 5, I can't say for sure. But the Liberty are going to be incredibly fired up for Sunday's series finale, and I expect them to use that aggression early to win the first half.
Pick: Liberty First Half -3 (-112)
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