Liberty vs. Wings WNBA Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Thursday, Sept. 12 (Bet o

For the fourth and final time this season, the New York Liberty will face the Dallas Wings on Thursday evening.

New York has won all three meetings between these teams, winning those games by 20 (home), 8 (home), and 14 (away). They covered the spread in two of those wins, including Tuesday's 105-91 victory.

Breanna Stewart has had several games with over 26 points against the Wings, who have the worst defensive rating in the WNBA this season.

With Liberty only a few games away from securing first place, bookmakers see them as clear favorites on the away pitch.

Here's a breakdown of the odds, players to watch, and my top pick for Thursday night.

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Spread

Money line

In total

Liberty Injury Report

Wings Injury Report

New York Freedom

Breanna Stewart: Stewie had a great game in this matchup on Tuesday night, scoring 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting (3-of-6 threes). It's the second time this season she's scored 26 or more points against the Wings, and she's scored 72 points against them in three games this season. Can she keep it up on Thursday?

Dallas Wings

Natasha Howard: Wings forward Natasha Howard has been quietly playing great basketball since the Olympic break, averaging 19.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 46.5 percent. Howard was solid in this matchup on Tuesday, scoring 21 points on 8 of 14 shooting.

This is a standalone game, so all eyes will be on these teams in Dallas to win.

New York improved its road record to 13-5 with Tuesday night's win, while Dallas fell to 5-13 on the road.

Dallas' defense has been a major problem all season. The Wings have a defensive rating of 111.1, which is by far the worst in the WNBA. The 11th-ranked team – the Indiana Fever – has a defensive rating of just 107.1.

Compared to New York (third in defensive rating), the Wings are allowing almost 16 more points per 100 possessions this season.

So Dallas is definitely scoring goals at least at a high level, right?

Yes and no. The Wings rank fifth in defensive rating, but are not particularly efficient. They rank seventh in effective field goal percentage and eighth in actual shooting percentage.

With the Liberty still trying to officially claim first place, I trust them to get the job done on the road as well. If they can do that, there's a chance New York will bench some players or play fewer minutes in the final few games of the regular season.

Selection: Liberty -11.5 (-110)

The odds are updated regularly and are subject to change.

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