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The Atlanta Dream (14-25) and the New York Liberty (32-7) meet Thursday in the regular-season finale at Barclays Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (NBA TV). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Dream vs. Liberty odds, and make our expert WNBA picks and predictions.
Season series: Liberty lead 3-0
The Dream hold a 1-game lead over the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics for the 8th and final playoff spot heading into the finale. Atlanta has won 2 in a row, which just happens to be against the Sky and Mystics,
If 2 teams are tied for the final spot, the tiebreaker is head-to-head record. Atlanta is 2-2 against Chicago, and, yep, 2-2 against Washington. The Mystics are 3-1 in 4 regular-season meetings with the Sky.
If all 3 teams are tied for the final spot, the determining factor is record against teams with a winning mark. As it stands, an Atlanta loss, and wins by both Chicago and Washington, would eliminate the Dream.
An Atlanta loss, Chicago loss and Washington win, and a tie between the Dream and Mystics, results in the Dream going to the playoffs due to a better record against teams with a record of .500 or better.
The Liberty have nothing to worry about, as it has sewed up the 1st overall seed, and it will play either the Dream, Mystics or Sky in the 1st round of the playoffs.
Dream at Liberty odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:01 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Dream -105 (bet $105 to win $100) | Liberty -115 (bet $115 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Dream +1.5 (-115) | Liberty -1.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 159.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
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Dream at Liberty picks and predictions
Prediction
Dream 79, Liberty 76
Moneyline
ATLANTA (-105) is worth a roll of the dice, as New York (-115) is likely to rest key players with the No. 1 seed locked up, and no rest to risk injuries.
The Liberty have a history of resting key players, as Breanna Stewart sat in the game previous to the Olympics break, giving way to Kennedy Burke. Leonie Fiebich could also get the starting nod, as Betnijah Laney-Hamilton has been dinged up most of the season, and there is no sense pushing it.
The Dream will be going all out, and if they were to secure the outright victory, they’d be right back in New York for Game 1 of a 1st-round series.
Against the spread
There is no sense backing Atlanta +1.5 (-115), unless you are absolutely convinced New York -1.5 (-105) will win by a single point only. If not, then playing the moneyline is the much more sensible play.
PASS.
Over/Under
UNDER 159.5 (-105) is a solid play in this finale.
If the Liberty rests key players, the offensive chemistry and production should be way off.
The Under is 4-2 in the past 6 games for the Liberty, as it stands, while going low in 9 of the past 13 outings.
For the Dream, the Under is 3-1 in the past 4 games, and 9-4-1 in the previous 14 contests, while going 4-1 in the previous 5 road outings.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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