Action Network contributor and WNBA betting expert Dano Mataya of Her Hoop Stats joined host Maria Marino on the BUCKETS Podcast on Friday to break down the WNBA betting slate, including best bets from the single-game slate.
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Liberty vs. Mystics Odds
| Liberty Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|
-9.5
-110
|
163.5
-110 / -110
|
-520
|
| Mystics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|
+9.5
-110
|
163.5
-110 / -110
|
+370 |
Dano Mataya: I’m looking at the Liberty in the first half and the full game. If I can find a closer line to -8.5, I’m taking that as well. I may put a half unit on the first quarter as well, just based on the trends that we’ve seen with this team after a loss.
There are a lot of pure professionals on this team, and the talent goes without saying. It’s easy to see how, after a loss, they come out and just smack teams. The lowest margin in a first quarter after a loss for this team has been nine points. They are averaging a margin of 21.5 points at each half of those games after a loss. They are basically covering the full game spread at halftime. Especially with this team, you want to see them get a huge lead, since we’ve seen them blow a few.
Even in the loss, there were a lot of good things to take from that game on Wednesday against the Wings. We’ve seen two games against the Mystics where the Liberty haven’t covered.
In their last game at home against the Mystics, Ariel Atkins couldn’t miss. That was the game where Shakira Austin got hurt as well, so this is a completely different Mystics team. Granted, the other players are stepping up in a big way. Brittney Sykes has hit her points over four games in a row until her last game against the Fever. Tianna Hawkins is playing great as well. However, this is just a good opportunity for the Liberty to get a momentum win going forward.
I really want to say something about Jonquel Jones. I’m probably one of her biggest haters; this is an MVP caliber player who we aren’t getting that ROI from here in New York City. In any other sport, I want to hold players to a high standard, and you can see that she’s wearing this in her overall energy.
However, they have Sab, they have Stewie, and both of them have been playing great after losses. Sabrina’s lowest scoring output was nine points, but she almost had a triple-double in that game. She’s had 34, 20 and 20 in her last three games; she’s on fire. It should shape up to be a nice game. I think Sandy knows what she’s doing against a team she’s seen twice before. Granted, it’s going to be a different lineup, but this should bode well.
Picks: Liberty First Half -4.5 | Full Game -9.5