Washington Mystics vs New York Liberty Game 1 Odds, Picks, and Predictions: Offenses Lead the Way

The star-studded New York Liberty have lived up to the sky-high expectations so far this season, but the spotlight gets even brighter tonight as they start their playoff charge against a talented Washington Mystics team.

With a 32-8 record and an offense that averaged 89 points a night, the Liberty are eyeing a deep playoff run — and they’d won eight in a row before losing their season finale against Washington on Sunday. 

The Mystics enter this series as a dangerous and somewhat overqualified No. 7 seed after being rocked by injuries this season, but Washington can take confidence from a healthier roster and its 90-88 win over New York at the weekend, with Brittney Skyes and Natasha Cloud combining for 37 points.

Get the lowdown on tonight’s matchup with our free WNBA picks for Mystics vs. Liberty.

Mystics vs Liberty Game 1 best odds

Mystics vs Liberty Game 1 picks and predictions

This New York Liberty juggernaut was formed for exactly this type of big game — and I expect Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, and Courtney Vandersloot to embrace the bright lights tonight in what should be a high-scoring battle.

The Liberty have scored 85+ points in each of their last nine games, and they’ve gone past 90 points in five of them. Meanwhile, with their injury woes largely behind them, the Washington Mystics have reached the 90-point mark in two of their last three contests.

Look for plenty of 3-pointers in Game 1 too — New York led the league in attempts per game (29.7) and Washington was fourth (23.1).

Put these two teams on the court together and it’s more of the same. They blew past tonight’s Over/Under line on Sunday (178 total points) and the Liberty landed 89-88 and 96-87 victories earlier in the season. 

The trends add to the case for the Over, which is 6-2 in the hosts’ last eight games and has cashed in for the Mystics’ last four games against teams with a winning record.

Even with the pace likely to slow a little in the postseason, I see both teams executing at a high level offensively and making this Over a winner.

My best bet: Over 162.5 (-110 at SIA)

Mystics vs Liberty Game 1 spread and Over/Under analysis

The Mystics have handled the Liberty as well as anyone this year — beating them twice and losing one matchup in overtime — so it’s a little surprising to see a 9-point line tonight.

That spread is really just a nod to New York’s offensive ceiling when Stewart, Ionescu, and company are in top gear.  

Still, Washington is an attractive underdog here and won’t be daunted by the task of taking down this Liberty superteam. They split their four matchups this year and the visitors can lean on the experience of veteran Elena Delle Donne alongside the backcourt brilliance of Cloud and Sykes.

They’re 3-0-1 ATS in their past four contests against teams with a winning record. In short, they raise their game against opponents like the Liberty — and they’ve covered the spread against New York in all four meetings this year.

I’ve already picked the Over, with the prospect of both teams clicking offensively. Washington shot 50% from the field against the hosts on Sunday, while the Liberty scored 88 points that afternoon despite 40% shooting overall and a 4-for-17 effort from Stewart.

In many ways, Ionescu holds the keys to a big offensive night for New York. She set a new single-season record for 3-pointers (128) this year and can put games out of sight when she heats up.

Even against Washington’s stubborn perimeter defenders, Ionescu had 20 points on Sunday (4-for-6 on triples) and posted a 31-point masterpiece against the Mystics back in June.

Mystics vs Liberty betting trend to know

New York’s shotmakers have feasted on the East all year, and the Over is 10-3 in the Liberty’s last 13 games against Eastern Conference opponents. Find more WNBA betting trends for Mystics vs. Liberty.

Mystics vs Liberty Game 1 game info

Mystics vs Liberty Game 1 key injuries

Mystics: Shakira Austin C (Questionable), Kristi Toliver G (Out).
Liberty: No key injuries to report.
Find our latest WNBA injury reports.

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