With just a couple more days of WNBA action before the FIBA World Cup break, teams are looking to come back from hiatus within striking distance of a favorable playoff seed. Tonight, three playoff teams are in action. The Golden State Valkyries are fresh off a win last night and are looking to complete a regular season sweep over the New York Liberty. The Washington Mystics have their second date in just three days with the Phoenix Mercury. Likely, the Mystics will also be cheering for the Valks tonight, as a Washington win and Liberty loss would move the Mystics into sixth in the WNBA standings.
Here's everything you need to know about tonight's WNBA action.
WNBA schedule for Aug. 27
MATCHUP | TIME | HOW TO WATCH |
|---|---|---|
Liberty vs. Valkyries | 8:00 p.m. ET | Prime Video |
Mercury vs. Mystics | 10:00 p.m. ET | Prime Video |
New York Liberty vs. Golden State Valkyries
What to know: This is the first meeting between these squads in two months. In their first matchup of the season, the Valkyries handed the Liberty a 17-point loss. In the second matchup, New York still lost, but only by a nine-point margin. Tonight, they look to turn the tide and finally get one over on Golden State. However, the Liberty have been hot and cold against other playoff teams, while the Valkyries simply haven't. Over their last 10 matchups versus other playoff teams, New York is 5-5, while Golden State is 8-2.
Expect to see New York hone in on turnovers. In the latest meeting, the Valkyries put up 15 points off of the Liberty's 12 turnovers. It would also be huge for New York if they could get some extra bench production to combat the production we've been seeing from Golden State's reserves. Finally, the Valkyries just played a game last night. The starters didn't have to play too much due to a large point margin — none played more than 20 minutes. But still, the Liberty are fully refreshed, not having played a game since Saturday.
Players to watch: Sabrina Ionescu has not shot well from beyond the arc over the last few games, but her production could be crucial tonight. Over the Valkyries' last four games, a bench player has led the team in scoring in three of them. Watch for a player like Janelle Salaün to bring an extra spark to Golden State's offense.
Injury report:
- New York Liberty:Â Satou Sabally (OUT)
- Golden State Valkyries:Â None
Prediction: Golden State win a close battle, securing the season sweep over the Liberty.
Phoenix Mercury vs. Washington Mystics
What to know: These two squads just faced off on Tuesday, when the Mystics claimed a 94-84 victory. The Mercury struggled tremendously from beyond the arc. They made only three 3-pointers, shooting at 17.6 percent. The Mystics sank nine 3-pointers, shooting at 42.9 percent. The poor 3-point shooting really ruined the Merc's night. They beat the Mystics in rebounds, points in the paint, fast-break points and points off turnovers.
Players to watch: If the Mercury decide to ditch the 3-point shooting and focus more on paint play, pay attention to Natasha Mack. But if they do decide to primarily attack the paint, Shakira Austin will have something to say. It's likely she and Kiki Iriafen would try to shut that down quickly.
Injury report:
- Phoenix Mercury: Marta Suárez (OUT), Kelsey Plum (QUESTIONABLE)
- Washington Mystics:Â None
Prediction: Washington claims the season sweep over Phoenix.
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