New York Liberty vs Los Angeles Sparks prediction & game preview - September 7, 2023 | WNBA

On Thursday, September 7, the New York Liberty face off against the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA, with both teams looking to build momentum ahead of the playoffs.

The Liberty sit first in the Eastern Conference, while the Sparks are fourth in the West. On paper, the Liberty should steamroll their way through, but they could have their task cut out.

In the last meeting between the two teams on Aug. 2, the Liberty secured a 76-69 win and will feel confident of producing a repeat performance. New York is one of the best inside-out scoring teams in the WNBA and will put enormous pressure on the Sparks defense.

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New York Liberty vs Los Angeles Sparks prediction

New York will be heavily favored to secure their 32nd win of the season. That's because Breanna Stewart is a genuine MVP candidate, while Sabrina Ionescu has enjoyed a stellar year.

The Sparks have won almost 50% fewer games than New York this year. While capable of winning, the ywill likely be outmatched across the court. As such, the Liberty should take the win.

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New York Liberty Roster

PLAYER	POS	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	DOB	EXP	FROM
Stefanie Dolson	C	6-5 ft	235 lbs	JANUARY 8, 1992	9 yrs	CONNECTICUT/USA
Sabrina Ionescu	G	5-11 ft	165 lbs	DECEMBER 6, 1997	3 yrs	OREGON/USA
Marine Johannès	G	5-10 ft	134 lbs	JANUARY 21, 1995	2 yrs	FRANCE/FRANCE
Jonquel Jones	F	6-6 ft	215 lbs	JANUARY 5, 1994	6 yrs	GEORGE WASHINGTON/BAHAMAS
Betnijah Laney	F	6-0 ft	166 lbs	OCTOBER 29, 1993	7 yrs	RUTGERS/USA
Epiphanny Prince	G	5-9 ft	179 lbs	JANUARY 11, 1988	13 yrs	RUTGERS/USA
Nyara Sabally	F	6-5 ft	204 lbs	FEBRUARY 26, 2000	R	OREGON/GERMANY
Breanna Stewart	F	6-4 ft	170 lbs	AUGUST 27, 1994	6 yrs	CONNECTICUT/USA
Kayla Thornton	F	6-1 ft	190 lbs	OCTOBER 20, 1992	7 yrs	TEXAS-EL PASO/USA
Courtney Vandersloot	G	5-8 ft	137 lbs	FEBRUARY 8, 1989	12 yrs	GONZAGA/USA
Jocelyn Willoughby	G	6-0 ft	180 lbs	MARCH 25, 1998	2 yrs	VIRGINIA/USA
Han Xu	C	6-11 ft	203 lbs	OCTOBER 31, 1999	2 yrs	CHINA/CHINA

Los Angeles Sparks roster

PLAYER	POS	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	DOB	EXP	FROM
Lexie Brown	G	5-9 ft	162 lbs	OCTOBER 27, 1994	5 yrs	DUKE/USA
Rae Burrell	G-F	6-2 ft	168 lbs	JUNE 21, 2000	1 yrs	TENNESSEE/USA
Jordin Canada	G	5-6 ft	135 lbs	AUGUST 11, 1995	5 yrs	UCLA/USA
Layshia Clarendon	G	5-9 ft	158 lbs	MAY 2, 1991	9 yrs	CALIFORNIA/USA
Nia Clouden	G	5-9 ft	139 lbs	MAY 17, 2000	1 yrs	MICHIGAN STATE/USA
Zia Cooke	G	5-9 ft	163 lbs	JANUARY 9, 2001	R	SOUTH CAROLINA/USA
Dearica Hamby	F	6-3 ft	189 lbs	NOVEMBER 6, 1993	8 yrs	WAKE FOREST/USA
Nneka Ogwumike	F	6-2 ft	174 lbs	JULY 2, 1990	11 yrs	STANFORD/USA
Chiney Ogwumike	F-C	6-3 ft	183 lbs	MARCH 21, 1992	6 yrs	STANFORD/USA
Karlie Samuelson	G	6-0 ft	160 lbs	MAY 10, 1995	4 yrs	STANFORD/USA
Katie Lou Samuelson	F	6-3 ft	163 lbs	JUNE 13, 1997	4 yrs	CONNECTICUT/USA
Azurá Stevens	C	6-6 ft	180 lbs	FEBRUARY 1, 1996	5 yrs	CONNECTICUT/USA
Jasmine Thomas	G	5-9 ft	143 lbs	SEPTEMBER 30, 1989	12 yrs	DUKE/USA

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New York Liberty vs Los Angeles Sparks: Where to watch

You can watch the contest on WNBA League Pass and FUBO. The game will be played at the Barclays Center and is set to tip off at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

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New York Liberty vs Los Angeles Sparks: Players to watch

The Sparks will be without Chiney Ogwumike and Nia Clouden, while Nneka Ogwumike and Karlie Samuelson are listed as day-to-day. As such, they will look toward Lexie Brown and Jordin Canada to lead their offense.

Of course, Azura Stevens will look to play a big role for the Sparks as she looks to set the tone on the interior and control the glass throughout the game.

The Liberty, meanwhile, have a clean bill of health. Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney will likely be the three players tasked with deconstruction Los Angeles' defensive system.

Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot could also be big contributors across multiple aspects of the game.