The New York Liberty (32-8) host the Atlanta Dream (15-25) within the first spherical of the WNBA playoffs, a best-of-three collection that options two-time MVP Breanna Stewart, one-time MVP Jonquel Jones, the league’s all-time rebounder in Tina Charles, and All-Star guards Sabrina Ionescu, Rhyne Howard, and Allisha Grey.
The Liberty have the undoubtable higher hand on this collection — however right here’s all the pieces you want to know forward of the #1 vs #8 matchup:
Liberty-Dream Playoff Schedule:
Recreation 1 shall be in New York on Sunday, September twenty second at 1pm ET (on ESPN)
Recreation 2 shall be in New York on Tuesday, September twenty fourth at 7:30pm ET (on ESPN)
Recreation 3, if crucial, shall be in Atlanta on Thursday, September twenty sixth, time TBD (on ESPN2)
Common Season Sequence: New York gained 3-1
Notable Gamers:
Liberty: Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton
Dream: Allisha Grey, Rhyne Howard, Tina Charles
Prediction: Liberty in two.
The Liberty ought to win this one handily. In spite of everything, New York has been the very best workforce all season, and Breanna Stewart, a two-time MVP, is as soon as once more taking part in at an MVP-caliber stage. After shedding within the Finals final season, the Liberty got here again a greater workforce this 12 months in practically each respect, and have held the league’s greatest file for a lot of the 12 months. Stewie began the 12 months gradual (by her personal lofty requirements), however she’s discovered her rhythm of late. In her final 10 video games, she averaged 22.7 factors on 49% capturing, together with 41% from three.
Rookie Leonie Fiebich has additionally been an impactful addition to the rotation, rising as a candidate for Sixth Participant of the Yr, and establishing herself as one of many league’s premier three-point threats. Jonquel Jones has proven flashes of her former MVP self, and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, after lacking a number of weeks recovering from knee surgical procedure, must be wholesome and able to affect the sport as an elite two-way participant.
Nonetheless, the Liberty enter the postseason after maybe their worst stretch of basketball of the season. They dropped three of their final 4 dwelling video games, and practically squandered a 20-point lead in opposition to the Wilson-less Aces two weeks in the past. They in the end concluded their season with two losses within the remaining three video games, and suffered some uncharacteristic vitality lulls within the remaining weeks. It’s a small pattern measurement of struggles — and a downswing that’s unavoidable in a 40-game season — nevertheless it comes at an unlucky time.
Atlanta, in the meantime, secured the #8 seed within the remaining day of the common season, overcoming a gradual begin to the 12 months and topping the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics for the final postseason berth. The Dream have been a .500 workforce because the Olympics, led by Rhyne Howard (19 factors per sport because the break) and Tina Charles (17 factors, 11.8 rebounds).
Howard is probably going going to wish to have a monster collection to ensure that Atlanta to have an opportunity to finish what could be a serious upset, as will Charles, who’s seemingly turned again the clock and has been a formidable presence within the publish. (She additionally grew to become the league’s all-time rebounder on Thursday). Allisha Grey, the Dream’s second-leading scorer this season with 15.6 factors an evening, will even have her fingers full on each ends on this one.
However make no mistake — the Liberty are the heavy favorites right here. For the season, they’ve a +11.7 web score, whereas the Dream have a -3.6 web score. They’ve two former MVPs, and the league’s third-best protection. Dropping within the first spherical could be an enormous upset, and the higher query is whether or not this workforce has the makings of a WNBA champion — and whether or not they’d beat the Lynx, Aces, Solar, or every other workforce that may stand between them and a title.
Key Query: Is Sabrina Ionescu going to discover a rhythm?
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Photograph by Catalina Fragoso/NBAE through Getty Photographs
Sabrina Ionescu, weirdly sufficient, is the x-factor right here. The All-Star guard is capturing simply 33.3% from the sector because the break, and if her shot’s not falling, the Liberty appear like a distinct ball membership. Ionescu has the flexibility to be the very best shooter within the sport, and whereas she hasn’t been her most correct self this season, this newest stretch shouldn’t be reflective of what she is able to.
Final 12 months, she had a profession 12 months from three, and whereas her general sport has taken a step ahead this season — particularly her protection and her playmaking — the shot’s in all probability going to need to be extra constant for the Liberty to realize the final word aim of a WNBA championship (although they may have the ability to get away together with her uncharacteristic misfires in opposition to the Dream if everybody else is on track).
