Liberty vs Aces WNBA Prediction & Expert Picks (8/17): Who Will Win This Clash of Contenders?

On Thursday night, the New York Liberty returned to action by destroying the hapless Sparks by 35 in Los Angeles. Today, they will face a much more trying task, as they visit the Las Vegas Aces in a potential WNBA Finals preview (4:00 pm ET, CBS).

For the Liberty (22-4), this afternoon's matchup at Michelob Ultra Arena is an opportunity to put more space between themselves and the Aces (16-8) in the WNBA standings, as well as make another statement about their championship credentials.

For the Aces, who are playing their first post-Olympics game, this is an opportunity to hit the ground running in a big way and boost their hopes of a top-two seed.

Current WNBA Standings

• New York Liberty 22-4
• Connecticut Sun 19-6
• Minnesota Lynx 18-8
• Las Vegas Aces 16-8
• Seattle Storm 17-9
• Phoenix Mercury 14-13
• Indiana Fever 12-15
• Chicago Sky 10-15
• Atlanta Dream 8-17
• Los Angeles Sparks 6-19
• Washington Mystics 6-20
• Dallas Wings 6-20

This is the second regular season matchup of three between last season's WNBA finalists, with the third and final matchup slated for September 8 at Barclays Center (4:00 pm ET, ESPN). The Liberty already own a win in Sin City, a 90-82 victory on June 15. Will they make it two for two this afternoon?

Liberty vs Aces Betting Analysis

As per the latest WNBA championship odds at BetOnline, the Aces and Liberty are in a dead heat as the top two title favorites. They both sit at +160, with the Lynx (+700), Sun (+800), Fever (+1200), and Storm (+1400) rounding out the top six.

How will those odds look after this matchup?

Thus far this season, the Liberty have largely excelled in these kinds of games, even with Breanna Stewart's season-long struggles with her shot. Against the Sun, Lynx, Storm, and Aces, the Liberty are 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS.

That includes 3-1 SU and ATS marks on the road, with the lone loss an 84-67 loss at Minnesota on May 25.

There's a lot to like about that, but there is also a lot to like about the timing of this matchup for the Aces. After going 6-6 SU and 3-9 ATS without her, the Aces are 10-2 SU and 7-5 ATS since Chelsea Gray made her season debut. And after going 1-3 SU and ATS against fellow contenders without Gray, they are 3-0 SU and ATS in those games with her.

Liberty vs Aces Prediction & Expert Picks

Will it make a difference that the Liberty already have played a game, whereas this is the first game back for the Aces?

It's entirely possible, but the Aces' core got quite a bit of competitive action recently, as Gray, A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young were all a part of Team USA's Olympic gold medal run, as were Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.

It was a different environment, sure, but they didn't exactly spend the last month with their feet up.

Also, they are a much better team with Gray, who wasn't quite ready to come back when the Liberty last visited Michelob Ultra Arena.

This is a must-see matchup, and these are the kinds of games I typically rather watch as a fan without placing any bets. But I do really like the Aces to hit the ground running and bring their championship best against the biggest challenger for their crown, led by another stellar performance by Wilson.

Liberty vs Aces Prediction: Aces to win

Liberty vs Aces Expert Picks: Aces -3 & A'ja Wilson over 39.5 points + rebounds + assists (-114 at BetOnline)

Other WNBA Betting Information

Where to Bet on the WNBA This Season

Thanks to the growing popularity of the WNBA and women's basketball, WNBA odds are available far and wide this season.

In addition to offering odds on each game on the schedule, many sportsbooks also offer a variety of WNBA futures odds, such as championship winner odds, WNBA MVP odds, WNBA Rookie of the Year odds, win total odds, and more.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for WNBA betting. Including BetOnline, here are several books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetOnline Sportsbook Review
• Betwhale Sportsbook Review
• Bovada Sportsbook Review
• MyBookie Sportsbook Review
• Sportsbetting.ag Sportsbook Review

What if you don't have an account at a book on this list? Check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Interested in Learning More About WNBA Betting?

Looking to learn more about the ins and outs of betting on the WNBA? Check out our WNBA betting guide. Also, we now offer WNBA computer picks for every game. And if you'd like to learn more about betting on WNBA player prop bets, our NBA player props guide is a handy resource to utilize.

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