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The Chicago Sky host the New York Liberty Friday night. The Sky lost the Commissioner's Cup on Tuesday to the Las Vegas Aces but will remain home to face New York on Friday.
The Sky are 21-7 and hold the first seed in the league but by just one game over the Aces. The Liberty are on the outside looking in the moment, as they're 10-17 and 1 1/2 games behind the eighth seed, the Dallas Wings.
"Time to get back to business. #skytown" - Chicago Sky
These two teams matched up on Saturday, with the Liberty winning by three points in a game that came down to the wire. The win snatched a previous four-game losing streak New York had while facing Chicago.
The Sky lost by 10 points to the Aces in the Cup but will now turn their attention toward the path to defending their title. Chicago is led by legend Candace Parker, who put together a great performance against Las Vegas in the loss. Her 20 points and 14 boards weren't enough, but she'll look to keep playing well on Friday.
The Sky rank second in the league in points per game, and they're also the most efficient team in the league. They still hold the season series lead over the Liberty, 2-1, despite their loss on Saturday. Chicago's 11-2 home record is the best in the WNBA and they'll look to improve that mark Friday.
The Liberty have been off since Saturday's win and still hold onto playoff hopes with just nine games left on their schedule.
Sabrina Ionescu came just shy of a triple-double in what has been a breakout season for the guard out of Oregon. Ionescu recorded 17 points to go along with nine rebounds and eight dimes in the win. Her season averages aren't too far off either, as she averages 17.2, 7.2, and 6.2. Teammate Natasha Howard also had a big game, recording a double-double.
"She is the @Withings Player of the Game" - nyliberty
New York doesn't have a ton of reliable scoring options outside of their star, and they rank just 10th out of 12 in points per contest. Even though they bested the Sky last weekend, it'll be even tougher to go into their building and record another victory.
Chicago Sky vs. New York Liberty Match Details
Fixture: New York Liberty @ Chicago Sky
Date & Time: Friday, July 29, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Venue: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Chicago Sky vs. New York Liberty Betting Odds
Chicago Sky vs. New York Liberty Betting Prediction
The Liberty were able to upset the Sky last matchup, but Chicago still has a much more talented roster. The Sky shot just 3-for-24 from deep in that game, so if they approach their normal 34.7% clip, they should win this one handily. Back the favorites here to get back on track after two straight defeats.
Prediction: Sky -9 (-115) & First Half Over 83 Total Points (-115)
