New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx return from the FIBA Women's World Cup break Friday night in a matchup between two teams that have already clinched playoff berths.
The Liberty visit the league-leading Lynx at Target Center at 7:30 p.m. ET with only four regular-season games remaining for each team.
Minnesota enters at 31-9 and owns the WNBA's best record despite losing its final two games before the FIBA Women's World Cup break. The Lynx fell 80-66 to Golden State before dropping an 89-81 decision at Atlanta on Aug. 30. Kayla McBride scored 17 points in the latter defeat.
New York sits at 24-16 after closing August with an 85-66 victory over Chicago. Han Xu came off the bench to score a season-high 19 points, while Breanna Stewart added 13 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
The season series is tied 1-1. Stewart exploded for 36 points as New York won 99-86 at Barclays Center on July 3. Minnesota answered eight days later with a 90-85 home victory behind McBride's 25 points and Olivia Miles' 23.
Friday's winner takes the regular-season series and picks up an important victory heading into the final week before the playoffs begin.
New York Liberty vs. Minnesota Lynx betting picks and predictions
Minnesota Lynx +6.5 (-110)
Minnesota is a 6.5-point home favorite with a -260 moneyline, while New York is available at +210.
The Liberty have already shown they can beat the Lynx, but Minnesota's performance in the rematch matters more in Friday's home contest.
Miles returned from a calf injury in that game and immediately scored 23 points with four three-pointers and four assists. McBride added 25 points and five three-pointers, while Natasha Howard finished with 16 points and 9 rebounds.
New York made things interesting with a 30-point third quarter, but Minnesota closed it out by scoring 29 in the fourth.
The Lynx have also been considerably better over the full season. They average 91.3 points while shooting 48.2% from the field and 39.1% from beyond the arc. Opponents average 83.4 points. New York averages 89.9 points while surrendering 86.8.
The Liberty still possess enough star power to make this dangerous. Stewart is averaging 20.4 points and 8.1 rebounds, while Jonquel Jones contributes 14.6 points and nine rebounds. Sabrina Ionescu has averaged 15.1 points and 4.7 assists despite an injury-interrupted season.
But Minnesota has found another star in Miles. The rookie has emerged as the Lynx's leading scorer and playmaker while helping Minnesota establish the league's best record.
New York is also only 10-10 on the road, compared with Minnesota's 14-6 home record.
Take the Lynx to win and cover at home.
Under 177.5 points (-110)
These teams combined for 185 points in New York's July victory and 175 in Minnesota's win eight days later.
The Liberty's offense can be explosive, but its final two games before the break demonstrated its volatility. New York scored a season-low 60 points against Golden State before responding with 85 against Chicago.
Minnesota, meanwhile, allowed only 83.4 points per game through its first 40 contests.
The unusual three-week layoff also matters. Neither team has played a WNBA game since August, and several important players participated in the World Cup rather than spending the entire break resting.
New York is averaging 85.5 points against Minnesota this season, while the Lynx have failed to reach 90 in each of their last two games.
Look for Minnesota to control the pace and win by a margin closer to 91-84, so take the Under.
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New York Liberty vs. Minnesota Lynx odds
New York Liberty | +210 |
Minnesota Lynx | -260 |
Spread | MIN Lynx -6.5 |
Total Points | O/U 177.5 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
