Chicago Sky vs. New York Liberty 8/17/22 WNBA Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Chicago Sky and New York Liberty face off on Wednesday in game 1 of their first-round matchup of the WNBA playoffs at Wintrust Arena. This is a best of three series, with the Sky hosting the first two games. When these two teams faced off on July 29th it was the Sky that were able to secure the 89-81 victory. 

The Chicago Sky finished the regular season with a 26-10 record overall, and in the last game of the season, they were able to beat the Phoenix Mercury 82-67. The Sky won the WNBA title last year, and the most impressive part of the team this year has been how balanced of attack they have. In the last game against the Mercury, they had four different players that scored at least 11 points. The Sky are averaging 86.3 points, while their defense is giving up 81.3 points per game. The offense is ranked 2nd, while their defense is ranked 4th. Kahleah Copper has been the top player, and she is averaging 15.7 points while shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from behind the three-point line. 

On the other side of this matchup is the New York Liberty, who sit with a 16-20 record overall, but they have been playing well to finish off the season. In the last game against the Atlanta Dream, the offense scored 87 points and that was enough to secure the four-point victory. The Liberty are averaging 79.6 points, while their defense is giving up 82 points per game. The offense is ranked 9th in the league, while their defense is ranked 6th. Sabrina Ionescu has carried the team, and she is averaging 17.4 points while shooting 41.1 percent from the field. 

The Sky are seven-point favorites coming into this game, but I think they should be closer to 10 or 11-point favorites. The big difference between the two teams is the offense, and the Sky are averaging 86.3 points per game. Chicago will run up the score here, and New York is going to have no answer. Look for Chicago to win by at least 10 points, and they will cover the spread.