The battle for seeding before the playoffs. Prediction for New York Liberty vs Atlanta Dream
New York Liberty
Atlanta Dream
New York Liberty and Atlanta Dream will meet in the early hours of Tuesday, September 22, in the WNBA regular season. The game will be played at Barclays Center, with tip-off scheduled for 02:00 Central European Time. I am backing the total points market in this matchup.
H2H and statistical facts
- Both teams have won three games in a row.
- The Liberty have won seven of their last eight home games.
- The Dream are riding a five-game winning streak on the road.
- Atlanta have lost four straight games in New York.
New York Liberty
The Liberty are enjoying an inconsistent but sufficiently strong season. The team sits sixth in the standings and has already secured a playoff berth, but cannot yet afford to relax in the race for a top-four finish.
Breaking into the top four is particularly important, as it guarantees home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. New York have an offense capable of competing with the league’s best teams: the Liberty average 89.9 points per game and shoot 46% from the field.
After the season resumed following the break for the World Championship, New York immediately faced a major test, traveling to take on league-leading Minnesota. The Liberty delivered a highly confident performance and won 93:81. Breanna Stewart posted a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Sabrina Ionescu added 17 points and six assists.
The Liberty looked even more convincing in their most recent game. New York crushed Toronto 106:69 on the road, producing a dominant third quarter with 33 points. Stewart was once again the team’s leading weapon, finishing with 27 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Atlanta Dream
Atlanta are approaching the decisive games of the regular season with even greater confidence. The Dream sit fourth at 28-14 and continue to fight for the highest possible seeding. The team can still challenge for third place, so their motivation for the remaining two games remains sky-high. In addition, Atlanta have won eight of their last 10 games, displaying one of the best current stretches of form in the league.
After returning from the international break, the Dream opened with two emphatic wins. First, Atlanta demolished Connecticut 103:59, then left Chicago with no chance in a 106:81 victory. Against the Sky, the team won all three opening quarters and built a comfortable lead. It was Atlanta’s third straight win.
Angel Reese remains the Dream’s leading figure this season. The forward is averaging 16.6 points and 12.3 rebounds per game, with her impact especially evident on the boards. In the win over Chicago, Reese recorded 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks.
Atlanta do, however, have a personnel issue. The team have lost Brionna Jones for the rest of the season after she played just nine games following her return from meniscus surgery. Her absence increases the workload on the other frontcourt players.
What is the best bet?
Both teams come into this matchup in excellent form, while their tournament motivation is almost identical: New York are looking to climb higher in the race for home-court advantage, whereas Atlanta still have a chance to secure a better seed. My pick is over 173 total points.
