On Saturday, August 30, the Phoenix Mercury (24-14) will host the New York Liberty (24-15) in a WNBA regular-season match-up.
The Mercury comes into this game after a gruelling 84-79 win against the Chicago Sky. Kahleah Copper led with an outstanding 28-point effort as the Mercury forced 20 turnovers.
The Mercury has a weak hold on the 4th spot.
On the other hand, the Liberty will enter the match-up after a 89-63 demolition job of the Washington Mystics.
Isabelle Harrison’s season-high 16 points highlighted a balanced effort from the short-handed Liberty. The Liberty are in the fifth spot, just half a game back from the Mercury.
Which team will win the game that can have serious implications for playoff standing? Go through the predictions related to player props, total, and spread here.
New York Liberty
The Liberty’s title defense is not going as planned. Injuries to Jonquel Jones and then Breanna Stewart derailed them. The team has underperformed after signing Natasha Cloud and Emma Messeeman.
But you don’t want to face them in the playoffs due to their incredible depth. Here are some facts about them:
Liberty Expected Starting Lineup
PG: Sabrina Ionescu | SG/SF: Leonie Fiebich | PF: Breanna Stewart | PF/C: Jonquel Jones | C: Emma Meeseeman
Key bench players: PF: Isabelle Harrison, SF: Kennedy Burke, PG: Marine Johannes
Injuries/Updates: The status of Sabrina Ionescu, Natasha Cloud, and Jonquel Jones is UNCLEAR at the time of writing.
Phoenix Mercury
The Mercury has been up and down and is now peaking at the right time. They are 5-1 in their last six games, the only loss against the red-hot Aces.
Phoenix has a deep and experienced talent pool and can be a tough match-up in the playoffs. Here are some stats about them:
Mercury Expected Starting Lineup
PG: Monique Akoa Makani | SG: Kahleah Copper | SF/PF: Alyssa Thomas | PF: Natasha Mack | PF/C: Satou Sabally
Key bench players: SF: Kathryn Westbeld, SF: DeWanna Bonner, SF: Sami Whitcomb
Injuries/Updates: All fit and fine thus far.
The Liberty has become an injury hub. It is difficult to predict what lineup they will unleash. As a result, their defense has suffered more often than not.
On the other hand, Mercury’s defense has been airtight thus far. They have limited teams in the 70s on multiple occasions.
The Mercury has been a better offensive team than the Liberty, too. They have had a more stable lineup, so scoring 85+ has been easier.
At any rate, I see a low scorer here.
Total: Under 166.5 for -110 at BetMGM
Here is an overview of my selections:
| Picks | BetMGM Odds |
| Total U 166.5 | -110 |
| Spread- Mercury -1.5 | -115 |
| Kahleah Copper O 1.5 3-Pointers | TBD |
| Money Line- Mercury | -120 |
Alyssa Thomas O 9.5 Rebounds: Thomas has been an active rebounder, as usual. She has tallied RPG, having grabbed 10 or more in four of the last six games. I see her clasping 10 again at least.
Emma Meesseman O 3.5 Assists: Messeman has tallied 3.8 APG, delivering 4 or more helpers in three of the last four games. I expect her to deliver at least 4 dimes here, too.
Kahleah Copper O 14.5 Points: Copper is having another fantastic scoring year. She has logged a career-high 2 3-pointers per game this season. The guard has made at least 2 in four of the last five games. I see her continuing the trend.
Main pick: Kahleah Copper O 1.5 3-Pointers at BetMGM
The Liberty has won two in a row, but both victories were against struggling squads. They are 7-9 in the last 16 games, constantly struggling against elite squads.
The biggest reason has been so numerous lineup changes.
On the other hand, Mercury has finally found their chemistry after a lean period. The current lineup has stabilized on both ends.
The dynamics here suggest that Phoenix is better prepared. Thus, I see them winning here and covering the spread.
Spread/Money Line Pick: Spread: Mercury -1.5 for -115 at BetMGM
Photo Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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