The Golden State Valkyries are hosting the New York Liberty on Wednesday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, the Liberty are a 10-point favorite and this game carries a total of 162 points.
Below, I break down this matchup between the Valkyries and Liberty and give a pick for the game.
Valkyries vs. Liberty preview, prediction
The Valkyries are in for a big test with the defending champion Liberty coming to town Wednesday. Seeking the organization’s second straight championship, New York has been the best team in the WNBA this season, with a 10-3 record and leading the league in net rating. The Valkyries, on the other hand, are 7-6 and the team ranks seventh in net rating. Wednesday will be the third time that Golden State and New York have faced each other this season, and the Liberty are 2-0 in this season series, with this victories coming by 28 and five points.
This season, the Liberty continue to be led by Breanna Stewart, who is averaging 20.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, and Sabrina Ionescu, who is averaging a career-high 20.4 PPG, to go along with 5.2 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game.
Ionescu missed the Liberty’s last game with a neck injury, but the guard is expected to play Wednesday, despite being listed as questionable, per Her Hoop Stats’ Alford Corriette. This is big news, as with Ionescu out Sunday vs. the Storm, New York lost by 10 points. The veteran ranks fourth in the WNBA in plus/minus this season and she lit Golden State up for 24 points when the Liberty last faced the Valkyries.
As for Golden State, ex-Liberty player Kayla Thornton is leading the Valkyries with 15.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this season. Golden State is shorthanded right now, as the club is missing six players due to the EuroBasket tournament that continues till June 29th, but the Valkyries are playing the team’s best basketball of the season right now despite missing some key players. Entering Wednesday, Golden State has won of it’s last six and two in a row. In these past two victories, not only has Thornton been great, but Tiffany Hayes has stepped up, scoring 14 points in each contest, while leading the team in plus/minus. If Hayes can continue to play at a high level Wednesday, the Valkyries have a great chance to make this a competitive affair with the Liberty.
Valkyries vs. Liberty pick, best bet
While the Liberty are a powerhouse, Ionescu is coming off an injury and the Valkyries are playing very well right now. Furthermore, Golden State is at home, where the squad is 5-2 this season. The Valkyries haven’t lost by double-digits in eight games and this 10-point spread in favor of the Liberty simply is too long.
This season, New York is a mediocre 6-7 ATS, while Golden State is a league-best 9-4 ATS. In this situation, backing the Valkyries to cover at +10 is the right move and doing it quickly is smart, as this line could keep moving before tipoff, as 65% of the handle and 53% of the bets for this game are on the Valkyries at +10 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
