New York Liberty vs. Washington Mystics Round 1, Game 1 prediction and game preview - September 15, 2023 / WNBA playoffs

The second seed New York Liberty will face the seventh-seeded Washington Mystics in the opening round of the 2023 WNBA playoffs.

The Liberty comes in as huge favorites over the Mystics after finishing the regular season with a 32-8 record. Washington, on the other hand, ended up with a sub .500 record of 19-21.

But while the Mystics are the underdogs, they are on a high, having defeated the Liberty in their final game of the regular season, 90-88. The win allowed them to tie their season head-to-head matchup at two games apiece.

New York Liberty vs. Washington Mystics WNBA prediction

Despite losing in their last encounter, New York remains formidable in its best-of-three series as the defeat was only one of two in their final 10 games. It has been solid as well on its home turf, winning 15 of 20 games.

Washington, meanwhile, went 5-5 in their last 10 games. It also struggled on the road all season long, finishing with a 7-13 record in away games.

Thus, New York is expected to edge out Washington in the first game of the playoffs.

New York Liberty roster

Stefanie Dolson (Center)

Sabrina Ionescu (Guard)

Marine Johannes (Guard)

Jonquel Jones (Forward)

Betnijah Laney (Guard-Forward)

Nyara Sabally (Forward)

Breanna Stewart (Forward)

Kayla Thornton (Forward)

Courtney Vandersloot (Guard)

Jocelyn Willoughby (Forward-Guard)

Han Xu (Center)

Washington Mystics roster

Ariel Atkins (Guard)

Shakira Austin (Center-Forward)

Natasha Cloud (Guard)

Elena Delle Donne (Forward-Guard)

Queen Egbo (Forward-Center)

Tianna Hawkins (Forward)

Myisha Hines-Allen (Forward)

Li Men (Guard)

Brittney Sykes (Guard)

Kristi Toliver (Guard)

Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (Guard)

New York Liberty vs. Washington Mystics: Where to watch

Game 1 between the New York Liberty and Washington Mystics will be played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Friday, September 15, 7:30 p.m. ET. Fans will be able to watch it on ESPN2 and WNBA League Pass.

New York Liberty vs. Washington Mystics: Players to watch

The New York Liberty will be led by All-Star forward Breanna Stewart, who played all 40 games in the regular season and posted solid numbers of 23 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.5 steals. She will be playing her first playoffs with the Liberty but her extensive postseason experience with the Seattle Storm should serve her in good stead.

Another Liberty to watch is Sabrina Ionescu, who has been money from three-point land this season, connecting 44.8% of her shots from beyond the arc. In the regular season, she averaged 17 points a game.

Veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot also has the ability to create shots not only for herself but also for her teammates. She has averages of 10.5 points and 8.1 assists in the regular season.

Over at Washington, its cause is helped by the return of Elena Della Donne, who missed significant time because of injuries. In the 23 games she played, she averaged 16.9 points and 5.5 rebounds. Her veteran presence should come into play in the series for the Mystics.