Sun vs Liberty Betting Odds: Connecticut Solidifying WNBA Playoff Standing

The WNBA playoffs are just around the corner. But the New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun still have more work to do before they can focus on the next chapter of the season. The two contenders will meet at Barclays Center in New York on Friday (8 p.m. ET).

After opening as a 7.5-point favorite, New York is now up to -8.5 (-110). The Liberty are also -380 to win outright, compared to +310 for the Sun. Meanwhile, the projected total has slightly increased from 163.5 to 164.5 (-110). Read on as we break down the Sun vs Liberty betting odds in our game preview.

Sun Solidify Playoff Standing

With their 84-74 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday, the Connecticut Sun locked up the No. 3 seed in the WNBA playoffs. Connecticut (25-11) sits only 3.5 games behind the New York Liberty in the WNBA standings, but with only four games remaining in the regular season, it’s doubtful they will move further up.

Forward Alyssa Thomas notched her 26th double-double in the win, collecting 12 points and 13 rebounds to go with eight assists. The four-time All-Star still leads the league in rebounds (10.0) and is tied with New York’s Courtney Vandersloot for the lead in assists (8.1). She is only 10 assists shy of Vandersloot’s single-season assists record (300). As such, Thomas, 31, has the third-best WNBA MVP odds, albeit as a +1000 longshot behind New York’s Breanna Stewart (-120) and Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson (+120).

Connecticut has won two straight road games to boost its record away from Mohegan Sun Arena to 14-5. The Sun owns the league’s best point differential (plus-4.4) behind the WNBA’s two “Super Teams,” Las Vegas and New York, and have allowed the fewest points on average (78.7). Much of that is because of Thomas, a former WNBA All-Defensive Team player. That’s important to remember when assessing the Sun vs Liberty betting odds.

New York on (Franchise) Record Pace

The New York Liberty have won four straight and 10 of their last 11 games to improve to 28-7. As the playoffs approach, New York remains the biggest threat to the defending WNBA champion Aces (31-6). New York has already beaten Las Vegas three times this season, including 82-63 in the Commissioner’s Cup championship on Aug. 15, and is +155 to win its first WNBA title, according to WNBA odds. Currently, only the Aces (-170) have better odds.

Stewart has been instrumental in New York’s success. The five-time All-Star and two-time Finals MVP ranks second in the WNBA in scoring (23.0), fourth in both rebounding (9.3) and blocks (1.6) and eighth in steals (1.5). Stewart’s the first player in league history with three 40-point games in the same season. She’s also the only player with multiple games of 40 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a season.

The Liberty — who have already set the franchise record for single-season wins — are 13-4 at home and own the league’s second-best point differential at plus-8.3. They’re also second in points per game (89.0), per WNBA stats.

Handicapping the Game

New York is 3-0 against Connecticut this season, beating the Sun by an average of 9.6 points. In their most recent matchup, Aug. 24 at Mohegan Sun Arena, New York rallied from a 20-point second-half deficit to win 95-90 in overtime.

Connecticut is well-rounded, with Thomas and her fiancee, DeWanna Bonner, forming one of the WNBA’s elite duos. But the Liberty are incredibly difficult to keep pace with, especially when Stewart is on her game. It’s no wonder she was the most coveted player in free agency last offseason. With help from Vandersloot, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu — questionable for Friday with a calf injury — Stewart’s transformed the Liberty in a New York minute. The Sun don’t have anyone who can compare. They’ll see again themselves on Friday.

The Sun vs Liberty betting odds should comfortably favor New York at home.

For WNBA betting news, odds, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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