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 things you should know forward of the #1 vs #8 matchup:
Liberty-Dream Playoff Schedule:
Recreation 1 can be in New York on Sunday, September twenty second at 1pm ET (on ESPN)
Recreation 2 can be in New York on Tuesday, September twenty fourth at 7:30pm ET (on ESPN)
Recreation 3, if vital, can be in Atlanta on Thursday, September twenty sixth, time TBD (on ESPN2)
Common Season Sequence: New York received 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 staff 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 staff this 12 months in almost each respect, and have held the league’s finest document for a lot of the 12 months. Stewie began the 12 months sluggish (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% taking pictures, 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 12 months, 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, ought to be wholesome and able to impression 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 house video games, and almost 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 ultimate three video games, and suffered some uncharacteristic vitality lulls within the ultimate weeks. It’s a small pattern dimension of struggles — and a downswing that’s unavoidable in a 40-game season — but it surely comes at an unlucky time.
Atlanta, in the meantime, secured the #8 seed within the ultimate day of the common season, overcoming a sluggish begin to the 12 months and topping the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics for the final postseason berth. The Dream have been a .500 staff for the reason that Olympics, led by Rhyne Howard (19 factors per sport for the reason that 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 significant upset, as will Charles, who’s seemingly turned again the clock and has been a formidable presence within the publish. (She additionally turned the league’s all-time rebounder on Thursday). Allisha Grey, the Dream’s second-leading scorer this season with 15.6 factors an evening, may even have her palms 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 internet ranking, whereas the Dream have a -3.6 internet ranking. They’ve two former MVPs, and the league’s third-best protection. Dropping within the first spherical could be a large upset, and the higher query is whether or not this staff has the makings of a WNBA champion — and whether or not they’d beat the Lynx, Aces, Solar, or every other staff which may stand between them and a title.
Key Query: Is Sabrina Ionescu going to discover a rhythm?
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Picture by Catalina Fragoso/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs
Sabrina Ionescu, weirdly sufficient, is the x-factor right here. The All-Star guard is taking pictures simply 33.3% from the sector for the reason that break, and if her shot’s not falling, the Liberty appear like a distinct ball membership. Ionescu has the power to be the very best shooter within the sport, and whereas she hasn’t been her most correct self this season, this newest stretch is just not reflective of what she is able to.
Final 12 months, she had a profession 12 months from three, and whereas her total sport has taken a step ahead this season — particularly her protection and her playmaking — the shot’s most likely going to should be extra constant for the Liberty to realize the final word objective of a WNBA championship (although they may be capable of get away together with her uncharacteristic misfires in opposition to the Dream if everybody else is on track).