The Dallas Wings (13-8) and New York Liberty (13-8) meet in the WNBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. EDT at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
The Liberty are favored by -4.5 on the spread, with the over/under set at 175.5 (-106o / -114u). The Liberty are a -188 favorite to win outright, while the Wings are +152 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Wings vs. Liberty predictions and WNBA picks.
Wings vs. Liberty Odds, Pick
| Wings Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -106 | 175.5 -106o / -114u | +152 |
| Liberty Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -114 | 175.5 -106o / -114u | -188 |
- Wings vs. Liberty Spread: Wings +4.5 (-106), Liberty -4.5 (-114)
- Wings vs. Liberty Over/Under: 175.5 (-106o / -114u)
- Wings vs. Liberty Moneyline: Wings +152, Liberty -188
- Wings vs. Liberty Best Bet: Marine Johannes Under 9.5 Points (-135)
Wings vs. Liberty Preview
The Commissioner’s Cup champion Liberty welcome the Wings to New York on Tuesday night.
Both clubs enter with identical 13-8 records and have won two straight games.
Dallas has opened July with road victories over Connecticut and Toronto, most recently cruising to an 89-76 win over the Tempo on Sunday. Paige Bueckers led the way with 22 points as the Wings never trailed, while Jessica Shepard added 14 points and 15 rebounds for her league-leading 12th double-double of the season.
Bueckers and Shepard were rewarded with starting spots in this month’s WNBA All-Star Game, and Shepard has emerged as the frontrunner for Most Improved Player honors.
Bueckers continues to pace the Wings with 20.3 points and 6.1 assists per game. Shepard (14.2 PPG, 11.4 RPG), No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd (13.3 PPG, 1.8 SPG), and Arike Ogunbowale (13.1 PPG) round out one of the league’s most balanced offensive attacks.
New York also enters in strong form after defeating Las Vegas 93-85 to win the Commissioner’s Cup, then returned to league play with a convincing 99-86 victory over Minnesota. The Liberty are now 7-4 at home.
Two-time MVP Breanna Stewart dominated the Lynx with 36 points, and Jonquel Jones chipped in 14 points and 15 rebounds.
Stewart anchors the Liberty, averaging 20.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals per game.
Jones (15.1 PPG, 9 RPG), Satou Sabally (10.4 PPG), Sabrina Ionescu (10.3 PPG), Pauline Astier (10.2 PPG) and Leonie Fiebich (10 PPG, 1.2 SPG) have all averaged double figures as New York has gradually returned to full strength, though the Liberty could still be a bit shorthanded for this test.
Sabally remains in concussion protocol and Fiebich is listed as questionable with a sore left foot.
These teams met once earlier this season, with Dallas earning a 91-76 victory in New York in late May. Bueckers scored 24 points and Fudd erupted for 17 of her 24 points off the bench during the third quarter, spoiling Ionescu’s season debut. Sabally finished with 20 points in the loss.
Dallas also caught fire from beyond the arc, knocking down 15-of-35 3-pointers. New York shot just 8-for-26 from deep but still managed to outscore the Wings 40-20 in the paint.
Wings vs. Liberty Prediction
New York’s improving health has quietly reduced Marine Johannes’ offensive role.
During her first 13 games, Johannes averaged 26.7 minutes per game and played fewer than 20 minutes just once.
Over the past three weeks, however, her workload has steadily declined. Johannes has averaged just 18.6 minutes over her last nine games as New York’s rotation has gotten healthier and more established.
The reduced playing time has translated directly into fewer scoring opportunities.
Johannes has topped seven points only once in her last eight games, averaging just 4.9 points during that stretch. She was held scoreless against Minnesota last time out, attempting one shot in 17 minutes.
The trend isn’t new against Dallas, either. In the first meeting between these teams, Johannes failed to score in 22 minutes, missing all three of her tries from beyond the arc.
Action PRO projects Johannes for 6.81 points, creating a 13.2% edge against her posted total of 7.5.
With Stewart, Jones, Ionescu, Astier and the rest of New York’s rotation commanding a larger share of the offense, Johannes has shifted into more of a complementary role.
Unless she unexpectedly returns to a larger role, this line asks too much from a player whose offensive opportunities have steadily diminished.
Best Bet: Marine Johannes Under 9.5 Points (-135, FanDuel)
