The New York Liberty (10-4) and Chicago Sky (4-9) meet in the WNBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. EDT at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Ill. The game will be broadcast live on USA.
The Liberty are favored by -10.5 on the spread, with the over/under set at 169.5 (-110o / -110u). The Liberty are a -535 favorite to win outright, while the Sky are +400 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Liberty vs. Sky predictions and WNBA picks.
Liberty vs. Sky Odds, Pick
| Liberty Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-10.5 -108 | 169.5 -110o / -110u | -535 |
| Sky Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+10.5 -112 | 169.5 -110o / -110u | +400 |
- Liberty vs. Sky Spread: Liberty -10.5 (-108), Sky +10.5 (-112)
- Liberty vs. Sky Over/Under: 169.5 (-110o / -110u)
- Liberty vs. Sky Moneyline: Liberty -535, Sky +400
- Liberty vs. Sky Best Bet: Sabrina Ionescu Under 14.5 Points
Liberty vs. Sky Preview
The WNBA’s hottest team heads to Chicago on Wednesday night looking to extend its winning streak against a Sky squad that has struggled mightily.
New York has won seven straight since a rare three-game skid briefly dropped the Liberty below .500. During the streak, New York has won by an average margin of 12.1 points and most recently rolled past Washington 86-64 on Sunday to clinch a berth in the Commissioner’s Cup final.
Breanna Stewart led the way with 14 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high seven blocks, while Jonquel Jones scored 17 of her 20 points after halftime.
The Liberty also welcomed back Sabrina Ionescu, who returned after missing seven games with back soreness. The appearance was just her second of the season after an ankle injury sidelined her earlier in the year.
For the first time all season, New York had its full roster available after Ionescu, Satou Sabally, Leonie Fiebich and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton all missed time at various points.
Laney-Hamilton is listed as questionable for this matchup because of a left knee issue.
Stewart continues to pace the Liberty with 19.9 points and 9 rebounds per game. Jones adds 13.8 points and 9.2 rebounds.
Sharp-shooter Marine Johannes (11.6 PPG), Pauline Astier (11.3 PPG) and Sabally (10.1 PPG) provide valuable secondary scoring.
Chicago enters after an extended break following last Thursday’s 114-106 overtime loss in Indiana.
The Sky have lost three in a row and eight of nine after opening the season 3-1. In those losses, they have been outscored by an average of 12.3 points.
Rookie reserve Sydney Taylor erupted for 30 points against the Fever, and Skylar Diggins chipped in 21.
With Rickea Jackson sidelined for the rest of the year after tearing her ACL, Diggins has become Chicago’s primary offensive option, averaging 15.2 points per game. Kamilla Cardoso contributes 12.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per contest.
The matchup on the glass could ultimately determine how competitive this game becomes.
New York owns a plus-4.4 rebounding margin, while Chicago ranks last in the WNBA at minus-7.1 rebounds per game.
The Liberty are 4-1 on the road this season. The Sky sit just 1-5 at home.
Liberty vs. Sky Prediction
New York is the largest favorite on this monstrous six-game slate, laying between 9.5 and 10.5 points after opening at 7.5.
The market is clearly anticipating a comfortable Liberty victory.
That game script makes Sabrina Ionescu’s points prop particularly intriguing.
Action PRO projects Ionescu for just 10.55 points, creating a substantial 33.1% edge against her listed total of 14.5.
In Sunday’s blowout win over Washington, Ionescu scored just five points, attempting only four shots in 26 minutes. In her only other appearance this season, she finished with 11 points against Dallas while shooting 4-for-15 from the field.
Given her lengthy injury history this season, there’s little incentive for New York to push its star guard’s workload if the game gets out of hand.
If the Liberty build the type of lead the market expects, reduced minutes and limited shot volume could once again prevent Ionescu from reaching this number.
Best Bet: Sabrina Ionescu Under 14.5 Points (+102, DraftKings)
