Three times in the last few weeks, the Minnesota Lynx have had the upper hand against the New York Liberty. Tonight, the WNBA’s top team will try to lock up a season sweep in the final Lynx vs. Liberty matchup of the regular season when the two title rivals face off at Barclays Center (7:00 p.m. ET, NBA TV).
Minnesota (28-5) has used those three wins over New York (21-13) to take a commanding advantage atop the WNBA standings, as they enter play today with a 6.5-game lead over the Atlanta Dream and a 7.5-game gap between themselves and New York. Will that gap widen even further tonight? Read on for our Lynx vs. Liberty prediction and best bets and get the best value odds from BetOnline and other top online sportsbooks.
Minnesota Lynx vs. New York Liberty Betting Trends
- The Lynx are 20-12-1 against the spread this season, including 8-2-1 in their last 11 games.
- Minnesota is 11-4 SU and 9-6 ATS on the road this season. In their last eight road games, the Lynx are 6-2 SU and ATS.
- The Lynx have been an underdog only twice this season but covered and won outright in both games.
- The Liberty are 12-20-2 against the spread this season, including a woeful 1-9-1 in their last 11 games.
- New York is 13-4 SU and 9-7-1 ATS at home this season and has been favored in every home game this season.
- The Liberty are 21-7 SU and 12-15-1 as a favorite this season.
- The under is 6-1-1 in the Liberty’s last eight games.
- In Minnesota’s four games since losing Napheesa Collier to a sprained ankle, the under is 2-1-1.
Lynx vs. Liberty Prediction and Best Bets
Saturday afternoon, the Lynx defeated the Liberty 86-80, led by big games by Courtney Williams (26 points, five rebounds, five assists) and Jessica Shepard (17 points, 10 rebounds).
It was Minnesota’s fourth consecutive win without the injured Napheesa Collier (sprained ankle), and it was the team’s sixth straight win overall. Three of the six wins have come in Lynx vs. Liberty matchups, with a sizzling stretch for the Lynx coinciding with a sad one for the Liberty.
New York is 4-6 SU and 1-8-1 in ten games since Breanna Stewart was injured on July 26 (not counting that day’s loss to the Los Angeles Sparks, in which Stewart suffered a knee injury). Her return, which may occur sometime next week, cannot come a moment too soon.
But the team’s overall struggles also sit squarely with the individual struggles of Sabrina Ionescu. Ionescu was on fire to end July and begin August, averaging 27.7 PPG and shooting 52.6% from the field in a five-game stretch.
But in her last six games, she is averaging just 13.3 PPG and shooting only 32.9% from the field, including 25.7% from three. And after scoring 31 points in the first Lynx vs. Liberty matchup on July 30, Ionescu had only 23 points total and made just 9 of 31 shots (29.0%) in the last two.
Those struggles are especially glaring when the Lynx are still chugging along without Collier, who has been listed as doubtful for tonight’s game. And they can’t continue if the Liberty are to avoid the regular season sweep tonight.
That is because Williams, Kayla McBride, Alanna Smith, and others have all stepped up at various points to help the Lynx in key moments.
Supporting Cast Steps up for the Lynx
- Courtney Williams (last six games): 14.8 PPG, 7.2 APG, 5.2 RPG,
- Kayla McBridge (last six games): 18.0 PPG, 4.0 APG, 39.0% 3PT
- Alanna Smith (last six games): 12.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 3.5 APG, 2.3 BPG, 2.0 SPG, 52.7% FG, 37.0% 3PT
- Jessica Shepard (last six games): 11.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 67.6% FG
- DiJonai Carrington (last four games): 11.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 55.2% FG
Who will deliver tonight for Minnesota? My money’s on Williams and McBride to be the key in a seventh straight victory for the Lynx. The Liberty are favored at home, just as they were when the two teams met at Barclays Center nine days ago. But there’s nothing in how New York is playing right now that indicates that they will back up those odds.
Lynx vs. Liberty Prediction: Lynx to win
Lynx vs. Liberty Best Bets: 1) Lynx +2.5 (-105 at Everygame) 2) Lynx ML (+125 at BetOnline) 3) Kayla McBride to score 15+ points (-120 at Bovada) 4) Courtney Williams over 6.5 assists (+110 at Bovada)
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