The Phoenix Mercury host the New York Liberty on Friday, June 27 at PHX Arena. Tip-off is set for 10:00 PM ET. This game features two of the league’s top teams, with Phoenix sitting at 11-4 and New York just ahead at 11-3. Both teams are riding strong records and looking to stay near the top of the standings.
Phoenix beat New York 89-81 in their last meeting just over a week ago. That win started the Mercury’s current five-game winning streak. Since then, they’ve also picked up a 107-86 win over Chicago. New York won their last game against Golden State 81-78 but has dropped three of its last five games after a 9-0 start.
The Liberty are 5-2 on the road, while the Mercury are 6-2 at home. These teams have split their last 10 meetings, with Phoenix holding a 6-4 edge. Phoenix has covered in nine of 15 games this season. New York has gone 6-8 against the spread but still holds the top spot in the East.
Mercury Preview – Phoenix Aiming for Sixth Straight Win
The Mercury are on a season-best five-game win streak. Their most recent victory came on Saturday, scoring a season-high 107 points against Chicago. They also held New York to just 81 points in their last meeting by forcing 20 turnovers and turning those into 19 points.
Alyssa Thomas has returned from injury and is helping across the board. In the last five games, she has averaged 13.6 points, 9.8 assists, and 6.8 rebounds. Monique Akoa Makani scored 21 in the win over New York and has emerged as a key scorer. Kahleah Copper, Satou Sabally, and Sami Whitcomb give the team strong scoring from multiple spots on the floor.
Phoenix leads the WNBA in scoring at 87.8 points per game. They shoot 45.6% from the field and hit 10.4 threes per game, both tops in the league. Their ball movement is also strong, ranking first in free throws made and second in assists. Phoenix has also been solid defensively during this win streak, ranking fourth in opponent points per game at 78.2.
Liberty Preview – New York Trying to Get Back on Track
New York has dropped three of its last five games after starting the season 9-0. Injuries and cold shooting have slowed them down. Jonquel Jones is out with an ankle injury and expected to miss a month. Sabrina Ionescu is playing through a neck issue and has gone 2-for-17 from deep in her last two games.
Breanna Stewart scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the win over Golden State on Wednesday. Kennedy Burke added 20 points off the bench. Ionescu had 11 points but was 1-of-7 from three. Natasha Cloud and Nyara Sabally continue to start, but neither has provided big scoring lately.
New York still ranks second in the WNBA in scoring at 85.2 points per game. They shoot 34.8% from three and 82.6% from the free-throw line. The team leads the league in assists and free throws made. But their three-point shooting has dropped with Ionescu struggling, and their defense has taken a hit without Jones anchoring the inside.
Betting Prediction
Phoenix is a 1.5-point favorite at home, with the total set at 167.5. Both teams have similar records, but Phoenix is trending up while New York is trying to adjust without Jones. The Mercury are 9-6 ATS and have covered in five straight games. The Liberty are just 1-4 ATS in their last five.
Phoenix has more depth right now and is playing its best basketball of the season. They are scoring efficiently and defending well. New York is missing a key piece in Jones and Ionescu is not 100%. With home court and momentum, Phoenix should win again and cover the small number.
Pick: Phoenix -1.5
