The 2022 WNBA Playoffs tip-off on Wednesday night with two of the league’s high-profile teams facing off in the Windy City. The New York Liberty managed to secure a playoff berth thanks to finishing out the season on a three-game winning streak. Their reward is a First Round series against the defending champion Chicago Sky. Few will likely be surprised to learn that the WNBA betting odds are heavily tilted towards Chicago to win this series. Many bettors are opting to side with the champs for their Game 1 Liberty vs Sky prediction.
The following game preview will get you all set for Wednesday night’s WNBA Playoffs Game 1 matchup. Included is our official Liberty vs Sky prediction, the injury report for both teams, WNBA betting odds, key betting trends and much more! But first, let’s take a look at this special welcome offer from BetOnline Sportsbook.
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Liberty vs Sky Prediction, WNBA Betting Odds and Game Info
WNBA Playoffs 2022 — Game 1
New York Liberty (16-20, 7-11 Away) vs. Chicago Sky (26-10, 14-4 Home)
Date: Wednesday, August 17, 2022
Time: 8 PM EST
Venue: Wintrust Arena — Chicago, IL
Coverage: ESPN2
Liberty vs Sky WNBA Playoffs Game 1 Betting Preview
New York Liberty Preview
When the month of May came to a close, the Liberty were languishing at the bottom of the league standings with a 1-7 record. Case in point, the fact that coach Sandy Brondello was able to lead the team into the postseason is quite remarkable. New York had firm control of its own destiny entering the final weekend of regular season play. The Liberty swept a home-and-home against Atlanta, one of their fellow playoff contenders. This marks the second year in a row that the 7-seed Liberty have qualified for the postseason despite finishing with a sub-.500 record.
Of course, simply getting to the playoffs is one thing. In order to advance, the Liberty will have to pull off a massive WNBA betting matchup in their First Round series against Chicago. It seems pretty safe to assume that star point guard Sabrina Ionescu will have to be in rare form for that to happen. On the bright side, the Liberty do enter the postseason fully healthy after Betnijah Laney returned from an extended injury absence late in the year. She and Natasha Howard round out New York’s top offensive trio.
Chicago Sky Preview
Just how deep are the defending champs? Well, it certainly was noteworthy to see the Sky defeat Phoenix in their regular season finale despite limiting the minutes of their starters and key bench players. After winning the first title in franchise history a year ago, Chicago has all the goods necessary to run it back in 2022. The Sky have certainly garnered the respect of oddsmakers ahead of their First Round series. Case in point, a $5 wager on Chicago for a Liberty vs Sky WNBA betting series prediction only returns $1 at the time of writing!
In total, a half-dozen Sky players averaged in double figures scoring this season. Last year’s WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper led one of the most balanced attacks in the league with 15.7 per game. One of the things that makes Chicago so difficult to match up with is that they are strong in multiple areas. In the frontcourt, opponents must try to contain the duo of Candace Parker and Emma Meeseman. At the same time, Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley are two of the best perimeter guards in the league.
Liberty vs Sky WNBA Betting Odds
All WNBA betting odds for Liberty vs Sky can be found at BetOnline Sportsbook.
Moneyline: NY: (+275) | CHI: (-330)
Point Spread: NY: +7.5 (-110) | CHI: -7.5 (-110)
Total: 166 — Over: (-115) | Under: (-105)
Public (Spread) Betting Percentages via VSiN: NY: (38%) | CHI: (62%)
Odds to win Series: NY: (+395) | CHI: (-500)
Liberty vs Sky Betting Trends
- The total has gone UNDER in ten of the Liberty’s last 12 games following an ATS loss.
- Eight of the Liberty’s last ten games against teams with a winning record have gone OVER the total.
- Sky are just 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven home games.
- 11 of the Sky’s last 12 games against teams with a losing record have gone OVER the total.
- 12 of the last 14 Liberty vs Sky head-to-head matchups have gone OVER the total.
New York Liberty Injury Report
None
Chicago Sky Injury Report
Questionable: Li Yueru (personal)
Liberty vs Sky Stats
- New York is averaging 79.6 points per game (PPG) this season (No. 9 in the WNBA).
- New York is surrendering 82.0 PPG this season (No. 6 in the WNBA).
- Chicago is averaging 86.3 PPG this season (No. 2 in the WNBA).
- Chicago is surrendering 81.3 PPG this season (No. 4 in the WNBA).
Liberty vs Sky Prediction
The Liberty have done a phenomenal job of rebounding from such a poor start to the season. Unfortunately, it would take nothing short of a miracle for New York to find its way past the Sky in this First Round series. The WNBA betting odds clearly indicate just how large of a favorite the defending champs are. Thanks to a superbly talented roster led by a surefire Hall of Famer in Candace Parker, there is no reason to bet against Chicago advancing.
As far as making a Liberty vs Sky prediction for Game 1 of this series, the game total of 166 certainly stands out. There are multiple reasons for this, with one being a concern for the Liberty’s ability to consistently produce at the offensive end. New York was one of only four teams to average fewer than 80 points per game during the regular season. In theory, being matched up against a stout Chicago defense won’t help matters. Although the Sky faltered at that end of the floor late in the year, that should change with the playoffs starting.
Another interesting aspect of this WNBA betting total is that the line is higher than the closing total for three of four regular-season meetings between these teams. The playoffs are a different animal in terms of defensive intensity compared to the regular season. For the underdog Liberty, turning Wednesday’s game into a slow, defensive affair is probably the only way they have a shot at scoring an upset. Needless to say, there are a number of ways to rationalize going under on this total.
Liberty vs Sky Prediction: Under 166 (-105 at BetOnline Sportsbook)
Top WNBA Betting Offers
