1:05 pm
August 2

Phoenix Mercury v. New York Liberty

Who will WIN this matchup?

Phoenix Mercury (1-2)

New York Liberty (0-3)

 

Current odds:

Phoenix Mercury: (-550)

New York Liberty: (+400)

 

• The spread for the game is Phoenix by 11 points.

• Ionescu (18.3 points per game, 4.0 assists per game, 4.0 rebounds per game) and the Liberty (0-3) hit a major road block in their progression when she rolled her ankle during the first half of Friday’s 84-78 loss to Atlanta. X-rays taken at a nearby hospital were negative, but New York expects to be without Ionescu for some time.

• Rookie Jazmine Jones (14.0 ppg) and veteran Layshia Clarendon (15.7 ppg) could be called upon to fill the current void at the point for the Liberty, who are trying to avoid losing their first four games for a second consecutive season. Clarendon scored 20 in the 87-71 season-opening loss to Seattle and Jones posted the same amount versus Atlanta.

• Diana Taurasi (14.7 ppg, 5.0 apg) and Skylar Diggins-Smith (16.0 ppg) each had 22 points and Brittany Griner (16.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg) added 18 as the Mercury shot 57.6 percent from the field and an impressive 11 of 20 from beyond the 3-point arc. Taurasi also dished out 10 assists.

• Phoenix took two of three from New York last season. Griner played in two of those matchups, totaling 59 points and 22 boards.

7/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Phoenix Mercury
Previous Pick
Next Pick