The Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty meet Wednesday in WNBA action at the Barclays Center. The Los Angeles Sparks look to snap a 4-game losing streak. The New York Liberty look for a win after splitting their last 6 games.
The Los Angeles Sparks are averaging 80.4 points on 44.9 percent shooting and allowing 85.5 points on 46.2 percent shooting. Nneka Ogwumike is averaging 18.7 points and 2.1 assists, while Brittney Sykes is averaging 10.4 points and 3.2 rebounds. Katie Lou Samuelson is the third double-digit scorer and Jordin Canada is dishing 5.1 assists. The Los Angeles Sparks are shooting 33.1 percent from beyond the arc and 77.6 percent from the free throw line. The Los Angeles Sparks are allowing 38 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 31.2 rebounds per game.
The New York Liberty are averaging 79.4 points on 42.9 percent shooting and allowing 83.8 points on 42.4 percent shooting. Sabrina Ionescu is averaging 16.9 points and 6.5 assists, while Natasha Howard is averaging 15.4 points and 7.4 rebounds. Betnijah Laney is the third double-digit scorer and Marine Johannes is grabbing 1.5 rebounds. The New York Liberty are shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc and 81.6 percent from the free throw line. The New York Liberty are allowing 34.8 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 34.1 rebounds per game.
The Sparks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 0 days rest and 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall. The Liberty are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 0 days rest and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. Western Conference. The over is 4-1 in Sparks last 5 road games. The under is 4-1 in Liberty last 5 overall. The Sparks are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
It's not easy to beat the same team twice in as many days, but the Los Angeles Sparks are falling apart before our eyes. The Sparks are getting rocked defensively, and one of their better players in Liz Cambage is no longer on the roster. The New York Liberty have quietly won 3 of their last 4 games and find themselves hanging onto that eighth and final playoff seed. A win here and the Liberty create some distance in the standings. The Los Angeles Sparks probably don't have much fight left. Give me the Liberty and the reasonable chalk.
AUTHOR: Randy Chambers
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