The WNBA playoffs continue and a couple of teams are staring a long offseason in the face. Sabrina Ionescu wants to send the Atlanta Dream packing and figures to be an even bigger part of the New York Liberty's offense tonight with our prop picks.
But I don’t see the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces taking their foot off the gas — and two of their marquee stars headline my top WNBA picks for this Game 2 doubleheader on Tuesday, September 24.
Sabrina Ionescu Over 16.5 Points + Assists
After surging to a 48-30 half-time lead, the New York Liberty didn’t have to overexert themselves in the second half in Game 1. Even so, Sabrina Ionescu ended up with 17 points and five assists in 26 minutes.
It was the latest reminder that Ionescu's points + assists prop has an extremely high floor. She’s the engine that makes this New York offense hum, and I expect the Liberty to dig a little deeper tonight. A desperate Atlanta Dream team will bounce back with a better effort in Game 2 after shooting just 40% from the field on Sunday, and that will push Ionescu toward a heavier workload.
Her season averages of 18.2 ppg and 6.2 apg confirm the volume should be there, even accounting for a slower playoff pace, and she knocked down 3 of 7 triples on the weekend.
Her assists have been steady too, with six or more dimes in each of her final five regular season outings.
Chelsea Gray Over 5.5 Assists
Defense was the big storyline in the Las Vegas Aces’ Game 1 win as they held the Seattle Storm to just two points in the fourth quarter, but some impressive offensive numbers were buried in the box score, including seven dimes for Chelsea Gray.
In addition to her scoring, Gray’s playmaking holds the key to getting A’ja Wilson into a rhythm — and I expect a similar pay-off for her assists tally in Game 2.
For a start, the Aces should shoot the ball more efficiently after a rough 30-for-69 effort on Saturday. They missed some good looks, and Kelsey Plum whiffed on all four of her 3-pointers.
Gray has been at her creative best lately. She’s finished with six or more assists in five of her past eight games, including 10 helpers against the Chicago Sky earlier this month, and her chemistry with Wilson is usually a path to easy buckets.
It would be no surprise if Las Vegas responds with 80+ points tonight, and Gray’s passing figures are at the heart of their best moments. I’m taking the Over — and the plus odds — on this 5.5 line.
Jewell Loyd Under 16.5 Points
Injuries have popped up at the worst possible moment for Seattle, with Ezi Magbegor missing Game 1 and Jewell Loyd hampered by a knee injury.
The Las Vegas defense can pose problems even for fully healthy opponents — and the Storm are far from that as they head into a must-win Game 2 on the road.
Credit to Loyd for finding a way to get back on the court, but she went 2-for-8 from the field on Saturday night, finishing with just six points, and I have my doubts about whether she can go full throttle.
It's a Knockout: Can the Dream and Storm Survive?
The Atlanta Dream and the Seattle Storm are in must-win situations as they face elimination in their respective Game 2 matchups. Both teams will need to overcome their recent struggles and bring their best game if they want to stay alive in the playoffs.
The Dream will be looking to avoid a second straight loss to the New York Liberty, a team that dominated them in Game 1. Seattle, meanwhile, will need to find a way to slow down the Las Vegas Aces' offense and take advantage of the Aces' own offensive woes from Game 1.
These matchups are a reminder that the WNBA playoffs are a sprint to the finish line, and one slip-up can be the difference between moving on and heading home. The Dream and the Storm have their work cut out for them, but both teams have the talent to pull off the upset and extend their playoff runs.
