New York Liberty vs Chicago Sky WNBA Preview and Prediction
It’s the final game of the regular season, but these teams are heading in very different directions.
New York has officially locked into the No. 5 seed for the playoffs after beating the Washington Mystics 75-66 on Tuesday, while Chicago has been out of contention for weeks and is coming off a 92-61 drubbing at the hands of the Las Vegas Aces. The Sky could be shorthanded again, with Angel Reese, Ariel Atkins, Hailey Van Lith, and Elizabeth Williams all listed as game-time decisions.
New York is a 9.5-point favourite to win on the WNBA odds, while the total is pegged at 159.5.
New York Liberty vs Chicago Sky WNBA Odds and Betting Trends
The Liberty enter as heavy nine-point favourites, given the way each team’s season has gone, and the Sky’s uncertain injury situation. Tuesday’s win marked the first time since mid-July that New York had a fully healthy roster, with Sabrina Ionescu and Nyara Sabally back in action.
For Chicago, the betting trend is grim. They’ve lost three straight by 14 points or more, and with this spread sitting just under 10 in favour of the Liberty, we can’t exactly get behind the Sky right now. The total sits at 159.5, a number that looks lofty considering Chicago’s recent offensive struggles.
New York Liberty
For the Liberty, Tuesday’s win over Washington was a glimpse of what this team can be at full strength. Emma Meesseman came off the bench to score 19 points, while Breanna Stewart added 14 points, eight rebounds, and Jonquel Jones poured in 12 points and recorded 11 rebounds. Ionescu and Sabally returned, although their production was limited, and Sabally only played two minutes. Coach Sandy Brondello will almost certainly use Thursday to fine-tune rotations before the playoffs.
Even if the Liberty don’t go full throttle for four quarters, expect their regulars to play heavy minutes through at least three quarters. With playoff form and rhythm as the priority, New York will still bring plenty of urgency.
Chicago Sky
The Sky’s season has been a grind, and motivation is a fair question heading into this finale. Reese has been nursing a back issue, Atkins the same, Van Lith has an ankle problem, and Williams is now questionable following Tuesday’s loss. That’s a lot of uncertainty. Add in Reese’s one-half suspension last weekend after critical comments in the media about the team, and chemistry doesn’t appear to be in a great place.
If there’s a bright spot, it’s Kamilla Cardoso. The rookie centre posted 13 points and 13 rebounds against the Aces Tuesday, and she torched the Liberty for 22 and 15 the last time these clubs met. Cardoso has been a handful, and she’ll look to play spoiler one last time.
WNBA Prediction: Who Will Win New York Liberty vs Chicago Sky?
This matchup is tricky to handicap with so many Sky players questionable, but the safest angle is the total. Chicago’s offence has sputtered without its key pieces, scoring just 61 in Vegas, while New York doesn’t need to run up the score with their playoff seed already set. I was correct in predicting the spread and total when these teams met in August, even though Chicago shocked us with an outright upset.
Cardoso may shine again, but the Sky’s overall firepower looks too depleted to keep pace. The Liberty should control this one comfortably, using it as a tune-up before the real season begins.
Best Bets: Liberty -9.5 + Under 159.5 Total Points
Final Score Prediction: Liberty 85, Sky 71
