On Thursday, August 21, the New York Liberty (22-13) will host the Chicago Sky (8-26) in a WNBA regular-season match-up.
The Liberty will come into the game after a much-needed 85-75 win against the #1 Minnesota Lynx. Jonquel Jones added 22 points as NY broke a three-game losing streak against Minnesota.
They reclaimed the second spot but have a fragile grip on it.
On the other hand, the Sky enters the game after an 88-94 loss against the Seattle Storm. A 38-28 fourth quarter wasn’t enough as Angel Reese put up 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in her return.
The Sky has tumbled to 12th spot and will likely finish with the worst record.
Can the Liberty beat the Sky by double-digits again? Check the predictions related to player props, total, and spread here.
New York Liberty
Liberty Expected Starting Lineup
PG: Natasha Cloud | PG/SG: Sabrina Ionescu | SF: Leonie Fiebich | PF: Emma Meesemann | C: Jonquel Jones
Key bench players: SG: Marinee Johannes, SG: Stephanie Talbot, SF: Kennedy Burke.
Injuries/Updates: Breanna Stewart and Nyara Sabally are OUT long-term. Isabelle Harrison’s status is UNCLEAR.
Chicago Sky
Sky Expected Starting Lineup
SG: Ariel Atkins | SG: Rachel Banham | SF: Michaela Onyenwere | PF: Angel Reese | C: Kamilla Cardoso
Key bench players: C: Elizabeth Williams, SG: Kia Nurse, SG: Rebecca Allen, SG/SF: Sevgi Uzun.
Injuries/Updates: All fit and fine thus far.
The Liberty’s offense has taken a hit without Breanna Stewart. Sabrina Ionescu’s average spell also has a lot to do with it. But you can fancy them to score 81+ on most nights.
Defensively, they have lost grip a lot but can limit lower-ranked teams to below 80.
The Chicago Sky does fall in the lower-rank category. They scored 70 or fewer in four straight games, but the return of Reese made them better. Can they score 80 against Liberty? I doubt.
Overall, I see the score going “Over” courtesy of Liberty’s offense.
Total: Over 166.5 for -110 at BetMGM
Here is an overview of my selections
| Picks | BetMGM Odds |
| Total O 163.5 | -110 |
| Spread- Sky +15.5 | -115 |
| Angel Reese O 13.5 Points | -110 |
| Money Line- Liberty | -1400 |
Angel Reese O 14.5 Points: Reese has tallied 14.4 points per game, but the average is less due to her early-season struggles. She has scored 15 or more in six of the last seven games. I see her doing so again.
Sabrina Ionescu O 17.5 Points: Ionescu has scored 17 or fewer in four straight games. This follows a period when she was scoring 22+ on a daily. Anyway, I se eher exploiting the Sky defense to put up at least 18.
Jonquel Jones O 1.5 3-Pointers: Jones has stepped up her game in the absence of Breanna Stewart. She has been lethal from long range lately.
The center has converted at least 2 triples in five of the seven games. I see a repeat of that again.
Main pick: Angel Reese O 13.5 Points for -110 at BetMGM
The Liberty will enter as the obvious favorites here. They are loaded up on all fronts despite missing Breanna Stewart.
The win against the top seed suggested that they are ready for a big push before the playoffs. On the other hand, the Sky has been in tatters.
Sure, Reese’s return helps, but they are just not good enough to win even 33% of the WNBA games. Therefore, I see the Liberty coming up with a big win here.
However, the spread of -15.5 in their favor looks bloated. I see Reese enabling the Sky to keep the game withing 12 points.
Spread/Money Line Pick: Spread: Sky +15.5 for -110 at BetMGM
Photo Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
nba Hi, I am Shubham. I am currently an NBA Predictions Writer on The Playoffs. I enjoy this job because it helps keep me in the loop about the game I love while fulfilling the pleasure I derive from stats. I got into NBA writing through social media interactions in the mid-2010s as I shared my takes on young talents such as D’Angelo Russell. I hope you enjoy reading my pieces as much as Dennis Rodman loved rebounding the basketball!
Read moreWe use cookies for ads and to improve your experience. By continuing on the site, you agree to our Privacy Policy. Read more about it
