Chicago Sky vs New York Liberty Prediction, Picks, and Odds: Sabrina Does Damage From Deep

The New York Liberty and their new Big 3 are the favorites in the East this year and they go for a fifth straight win this afternoon against the rebuilding Chicago Sky.

After a surprising loss to the Mystics in the season opener, the Liberty have reeled off four straight victories, with Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Courtney Vandersloot settling in alongside Sabrina Ionescu.

Their latest win came against the Sky on Friday in a 77-76 nailbiter, sealed by Stewart’s late basket, but Chicago — 3-3 this year — has shown it’s going to be no pushover in 2023 despite losing Candace Parker, Vandersloot, Allie Quigley, and several other core players in the offseason.

Check out our free WNBA picks and predictions for more tips and trends heading into Sky vs. Liberty on June 4.

Sky vs Liberty best odds

Sky vs Liberty picks and predictions

No one seemed happier about New York’s summer overhaul than star Sabrina Ionescu, who was coming off a year where she averaged 17 points, seven rebounds, and six assists for a Liberty team that stumbled to a 16-20 record and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

There’s now an embarrassment of riches alongside Ionescu in the Big Apple, and the offense is clicking into place, with former Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot piling up assists and Breanna Stewart continuing to be a nightly double-double threat.

It’s still early days but Ionescu is predictably sacrificing numbers with this stacked roster — that’s part of the deal when forming a superteam. Her points and assists have dipped, but there’s no shortage of quality looks with defenses having to contend with Stewart and Jones in the paint.

I’m locking in on Ionescu props for this afternoon’s matchup. She had a quiet outing against the Sky on Friday, with just five points on 1-for-7 shooting, but I’m setting that dud performance aside and predicting a big bounceback game. In Ionescu’s prior three games, she’d lit it up from 3-point range, going a combined 13-for-24, including six triples in the win over the Storm on Tuesday.

Though Chicago ranks in the top half of the league for opponent 3-point percentage, New York shot 35% from deep in Friday’s matchup, and Ionescu has shot better than 40% from downtown at Barclays Center so far this year.

The Liberty sharpshooter has knocked down three or more 3-pointers in three of her last four games, and I’m taking these odds for another clinic today from behind the arc.

My best bet: Sabrina Ionescu Over 2.5 made threes (-115 at bet365)

Sky vs Liberty spread and Over/Under analysis

The down-to-the-wire battle between these teams in Chicago on Friday has done little to convince the oddsmakers that the Sky can repeat that effort today. Despite still only scratching the surface of their huge offensive potential, the Liberty are double-digit favorites and have won both their home games this season by more than 15 points.

The visitors can take plenty of positives from pushing New York to the limit last time out. Kahleah Copper was the best guard on the court while scoring 18 of her 20 points in the first half before being limited by an ankle injury in the second half, and Chicago did a decent job on Stewart, who needed 16 shots for her 19 points.

While there’s not much to learn from prior meetings given all the recent roster changes, other numbers are more helpful. The Sky are 5-1 ATS this season, while the hosts are 2-3 in 2023 and 3-9 ATS in their last 12 Sunday games, dating back to last season.

As for the Over/Under trends, both teams have leaned towards the Under lately. It’s 7-1 in Chicago’s last eight road games and 6-1 in their last seven games after a loss. It’s also 5-1 in the Liberty’s past six outings against Eastern Conference teams.

Keep in mind that New York boasts the WNBA’s stingiest defense so far this year (74.4 points per game) while only Indiana is averaging fewer points than the Sky’s 76 points. 

With Isabelle Harrison and Rebekah Gardner both sidelined, this Chicago offense has been wildly inconsistent — following up a 94-point outburst that sunk Dallas with a 65-point no-show against Atlanta. 

Sky vs Liberty betting trend to know

With the Sky losing so many offensive weapons during the offseason, it’s no surprise that their totals are tilting towards the Under, which has hit in their last four games against Eastern Conference opponents. Find more WNBA betting trends for Sky vs. Liberty.

Sky vs Liberty game info

Sky vs Liberty key injuries

Sky: Isabelle Harrison F (Out), Rebekah Gardner G (Out), Morgan Bertsch F (Out), Ruthy Hebard F (Out).
Liberty: No key injuries to report.
Find our latest WNBA injury reports.

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