The New York Liberty take on the Los Angeles Sparks. Our WNBA odds series has our Liberty Sparks prediction, odds, and pick. Find out how to watch Liberty Sparks.
The WNBA resumes its season after one month off for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The New York Liberty had a few players on Team USA, but only one of them figures to be at least somewhat fatigued or less than fully sharp for this game. Breanna Stewart, whose late-game blocked shot helped the United States fend off France for the gold medal, played 31 high-pressure minutes on Sunday and might need to be eased into the second half of the WNBA season. It would be pretty reasonable for the Liberty to not ride her too hard in this game. On the other hand, Sabrina Ionescu — curiously given only 10 minutes against France by Team USA head coach Cheryl Reeve (the head coach of the Minnesota Lynx) — should be fresh and ready to be a high-impact player in this game.
Los Angeles Sparks star Dearica Hamby also played at the Olympics in France, but not in the main women's basketball competition. She played in the 3 X 3 tournament and came away with a bronze medal. Three-person basketball is a very different competition compared to five on five. It will be interesting to see how Hamby comes out of the gate in the second half of the WNBA season.
Here are the Liberty-Sparks WNBA Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
WNBA Odds: Liberty-Sparks Odds
New York Liberty: -11 (-110)
Moneyline: -700
Los Angeles Sparks: +11 (-110)
Moneyline: +470
Over: 164.5 (-108)
Under: 164.5 (-112)
How to Watch Liberty vs. Sparks
Time: 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
TV: ESPN, ESPN Plus, WNBA League Pass
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Liberty Could Cover The Spread/Win
The New York Liberty, in the final two to three weeks before the midseason break, looked like the best team in the WNBA. They won games against good teams even when not playing with all of their best players. They have scored road wins over the Connecticut Sun and Las Vegas Aces, two of the other top teams in the league. They are deep, they are versatile, and they have steadily improved as they have gone along. Against the Sparks, one of the worst teams in the WNBA, the Liberty — who did handle Los Angeles comfortably in New York earlier in the season — should have no problem establishing and retaining the upper hand. Ionescu should be fresh and should be able to step up if Breanna Stewart plays reduced minutes, which is a possibility.
Why The Sparks Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Sparks will be hungry to improve after a disappointing first half of the WNBA season. Amid their disappointments, they did beat the Las Vegas Aces twice at home, so on their best day, they can be a really good and dangerous team. The Liberty might be rusty after the one-month break, and Breanna Stewart should not be expected to be especially sharp in this contest. The Sparks can cover what is a very large point spread.
Final Liberty-Sparks Prediction & Pick
This is a question-mark-filled game because we don't know what to expect from Breanna Stewart after the Olympic tournament. The spread is large and might not be accounting for possible rust on the part of New York. Our official recommendation: Pass.
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Final Liberty-Sparks Prediction & Pick: Sparks +11
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