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The New York Liberty take on the Washington Mystics. Check out our WNBA odds series for our Liberty Mystics prediction, odds, and pick. Find out how to watch Liberty Mystics.
The New York Liberty had some moments last season when they did not look like a fully cohesive team. They had the star power and the raw potential, but the chemistry on the roster wasn't instant. It had to be developed. The Liberty maturely responded to the rough patches in their season and, in the end, turned in a season which was more than worthy of their talent and ability. The Liberty were one of just two teams in the WNBA to win at least 32 regular-season games in the 40-game schedule. The third-place Connecticut Sun (27-13 in 40 games) were the only other team in the league besides the Liberty and the first-place Las Vegas Aces (34-6) to finish at least 10 games over .500. The rest of the league, from fourth-place Dallas through last-place Phoenix, was not very good. Dallas finished 22-18, and teams five through 13 were all under .500. The Liberty had an elite roster. The question was whether the players could blend together and share the ball in ways which led to team success. The journey was not smooth and linear, but the roster rose to the occasion, reaching the WNBA Finals and pushing the Las Vegas Aces in a tough four-game series.
Entering this season, there should not be any questions about this group's ability to not only win, but to play together and function seamlessly at both ends of the floor. In a year when most WNBA experts are picking the Las Vegas Aces to return to the WNBA Finals, the Liberty stand out as the team most likely to face the defending champions in what would be a compelling rematch. The journey to that showdown begins now for the Liberty against the Washington Mystics.
Washington is hamstrung by one very big and central development: Elena Delle Donne won't play for the team. Delle Donne, the superstar who led the Mystics to the 2019 WNBA championship, has been pounded by injuries throughout her career. Her plans for the future remain unclear, a reality affirmed by the fact that she has not signed a supermax contract offered to her by the Mystics' front office. Without a superstar-caliber player on the court, the Mystics are unavoidably limited in terms of what they can achieve. It's up to this group to find out how high their lowered ceiling can actually become.
Here are the Liberty-Mystics WNBA Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
WNBA Odds: Liberty-Mystics Odds:
New York Liberty: -11 (-108)
Washington Mystics: +11 (-112)
Over: 163.5 (-110)
Under: 163.5 (-110)
How to Watch Liberty vs Mystics
TV: ESPN3
Stream: ESPN3
Time: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Liberty Could Cover The Spread
The Liberty are an elite team in the WNBA. One thing a lot of WNBA observers agree on is that if it took some time for the 2023 team to learn how to play together, that should not be a concern in 2024. We should see this team work seamlessly together without questions about its continuity at either end of the floor. With a Big Three of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Courtney Vandersloot, the Liberty will remain hard to guard at all positions on the court. Defenses simply won't be able to double-team the Liberty's stars, which will create the floor spacing for New York's offense to thrive.
Against Washington, the Liberty face an opponent which enters an uncertain season without Elena Delle Donne. It's hard to see a path for the Mystics in this game and, beyond that, the 2024 season as a whole.
Why The Mystics Could Cover The Spread
The Liberty had some choppy and ragged games last season. The chemistry on the Liberty is expected to be better in 2024 than it was in 2023, but if there is ever a time to play the Liberty, it's right now at the very beginning of the season. Washington's lack of depth might get exposed in full as the season moves along, but in a season opener at home, depth might not be exploited to the same extent we will witness in the late summer months when the regular season hits its home stretch.
Final Liberty-Mystics Prediction & Pick
The Liberty should be a great team this season. If you want to bet on this opener, trust the proven talent of New York.
Final Liberty-Mystics Prediction & Pick: Liberty -11
