Whether 2021 is the year that Sabrina Ionescu, Jazmine Jones, Leaonna Odom, Michaela Onyenwere, DIDI Richards, Kylee Shook, and Jocelyn Willoughby all make their WNBA playoff debuts is on the line tonight. In our New York Liberty betting preview for Friday’s game against the Washington Mystics, we’ll lay out not only the odds but how both teams fighting for the league’s final playoff spot should affect the action.
Washington enters the game without two of the biggest pieces of their team, one of which has been absent most of the season. At the same time, the Mystics come in with better recent form and the upper hand in that fight.
New York Liberty betting preview: What’s on the line Friday night
Let’s set the stage before getting to the betting lines. Other teams have already called seven of the WNBA’s eight playoff spots. This is the final game of the regular season for New York. The Liberty are currently 0.045 behind Washington in the standings in terms of winning percentage.
Simply put, a loss eliminates New York tonight. However, a win doesn’t guarantee them a spot. They would still need the Mystics and the Los Angeles Sparks to lose their final games of the season on Sunday. The only thing that’s certain right now is a loss tonight means no postseason.
The Liberty take the court tonight on anything but a postseason-ready roll. New York has lost all of its past eight games. On Wednesday against a Connecticut Sun team that had nothing to play for, Onyenwere and crew were blown out by 29 points.
Meanwhile, Washington has won its last two, including a road win over the playoff-bound Chicago Sky. However, there’s reason to hope for Liberty fans. Desperation and a sudden adjustment are on their side.
No 2019 MVP or Coach T for the Mystics
After making her season debut in late August 2019 MVP Elena Delle Donne hasn’t played since. Delle Donne won’t be available Friday night, either. That’s a relief for New York’s hopes, as even a compromised member of the 50/40/90 (field goal percentage/3-point percentage/free-throw percentage) presents quite a challenge to defend.
The Mystics have themselves in playoff position without Delle Donne’s on-court services this season, for the most part. However, another absence Friday night could be much more significant. Earlier this week, head coach Mike Thibault tested positive for COVID-19. He will not be with the team not only tonight but Sunday as well, at the very least.
It’s difficult to quantify exactly how much, but this works in New York’s favor to some extent. Even without Thibault in the sideline huddle, though, legal sportsbooks in New Jersey and Pennsylvania like Washington tonight.
Betting lines for Mystics at Liberty Friday
The game is set to tip-off at 7 p.m. ET on Twitter. As of early Friday, these are the lines at NJ and PA sportsbooks.
| Sportsbook | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM Sportsbook | Washington -1.5 -115 New York +1.5 -105 | Over 163.5 -110 Under 163.5 -110 | Washington -130 New York +105 |
| BetAmerica/Twinspires Sportsbook | Washington -1.5 -112 New York +1.5 -112 | Over 163.5 -113 Under 163.5 -112 | Washington -124 New York +102 |
| BetRivers/PlaySugarHouse Sportsbook | Washington -1.5 -112 New York +1.5 -112 | Over 163.5 -113 Under 163.5 -112 | Washington -124 New York +102 |
| Caesars Sportsbook | Washington -1.5 -110 New York +1.5 -110 | Over 163 -110 Under 163 -110 | Washington -120 New York +100 |
| DraftKings Sportsbook | Washington -2 -105 New York +2 -115 | Over 162.5 -115 Under 162.5 -105 | Washington -120 New York +100 |
| FanDuel Sportsbook | Washington -1.5 -106 New York +1.5 -114 | Over 163.5 -110 Under 163.5 -110 | Washington -120 New York -102 |
| FOX Bet Sportsbook | Washington -1 -118 New York +1 +100 | Over 163.5 -110 Under 163.5 -110 | Washington -120 New York -105 |
| Unibet Sportsbook | Washington -1.5 -112 New York +1.5 -112 | Over 163.5 -113 Under 163.5 -112 | Washington -124 New York +102 |
| WynnBet Sportsbook | Washington -1.5 -110 New York +1.5 -110 | Over 163 -110 Under 163 -110 | Washington -120 New York +100 |
There have been few spreads this tight over the course of the current WNBA season on apps like DraftKings Sportsbook. Additionally, most of those instances came far earlier in the season. For those reasons, there isn’t a lot of relevant data to draw conclusions from here.
The total might be a safer play here. The over did hit in each of these team’s last games. However, in New York’s case, that was mostly due to Connecticut nearly hitting triple digits in the game. The Mystics shot over 50% from 3-point range in the first half of their contest in Chicago to power that result.
It’s unlikely they can replicate that performance, but the Liberty haven’t exactly been defensive stalwarts of late. Perhaps desperation drives them to a different narrative tonight. Whether that’s enough to actually bet on is another matter, though.
