The weather in New York City is finally heating up, with temperatures projected to climb possibly into the triple digits early next week. But even if it does touch the vaunted 100 degree mark, it still won’t be as hot as the New York Liberty.
The reigning WNBA champions won again on Tuesday to improve to 10-1, though their defeat to the Indiana Fever means they won’t be able to win the Commissioner’s Cup. They’re not even the best team in the league by record — the Minnesota Lynx are 11-1 — but with a plus-18.5 net rating to the Lynx’s plus-13.1, it isn’t much a competition.
Amidst it all, 2020 first overall pick Sabrina Ionescu is enjoying the finest season of her career, averaging 20.8 points, 5.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game on 46-36-90 shooting splits. New York is blitzing opponents by an incredible 21.5 points per 100 possessions with her on the floor. The Liberty will face a fairly difficult opponent tonight in the 9-4 Phoenix Mercury. The game will tip at 7 p.m. at the Barclays Center.
New York is an 11.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the point total set for 164. Below, I’ve detailed my favorite prop bet centered around Ionescu.
Best Sabrina Ionescu Prop Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook
Sabrina Ionescu 30+ Points + Rebounds + Assists (-110)
Ionescu is coming off of arguably the best two-game stretch of her career, averaging 34.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.0 steals per game over her last two games while making 57.5% of her shots and 44.4% of her threes, carrying the Liberty despite the loss to the Fever and a narrow win over the Atlanta Dream. It seems that, more than anyone, Ionescu has benefited from the absence of Leonie Fiebich, who’s representing her native Germany in the EuroBasket tournament. Ionescu has posted a 29.4% usage rate in these two games, the fourth-highest among players who have played at least 50 total minutes across their last two team games.
Especially with how hot she’s been and how much responsibility she’s garnered recently, all she needs is an average performance tonight to reach 30-plus P/R/A, and thankfully, the Mercury’s defense has been roughly average in all facets. Phoenix, playing without franchise legend and two-time Defensive Player of the Year Brittney Griner for the first time, has struggled to replace her dominant post defense, allowing the fifth-fewest points, fourth-most rebounds, and seventh-most assists per game. While the Mercury caught a big break when star Satou Sabally opted to stay with the team instead of joining Germany for EuroBasket, she was a negative defender last year and has only posted one season with more than one defensive win share in her career.
