Ionescu leads New York against Los Angeles after 30-point showing
New York Liberty (21-4, 15-2 Eastern Conference) at Los Angeles Sparks (6-18, 4-10 Western Conference)
Los Angeles; Thursday, 9 p.m. EDT
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Liberty -11.5; over/under is 166
BOTTOM LINE: New York Liberty takes on the Los Angeles Sparks after Sabrina Ionescu scored 30 points in the Liberty’s 82-74 win against the Connecticut Sun.
The Sparks have gone 4-8 at home. Los Angeles is sixth in the WNBA with 20.2 assists per game. Aari McDonald leads the Sparks averaging 4.0.
The Liberty are 9-3 on the road. New York is fifth in the Eastern Conference with 7.1 offensive rebounds per game led by Jonquel Jones averaging 1.6.
Los Angeles’ average of 7.5 made 3-pointers per game this season is only 0.3 more made shots on average than the 7.2 per game New York allows. New York averages 10.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.0 more made shots on average than the 8.3 per game Los Angeles allows.
The teams meet for the third time this season. In the last matchup on June 22 the Liberty won 98-88 led by 33 points from Breanna Stewart, while Dearica Hamby scored 20 points for the Sparks.
TOP PERFORMERS: Hamby is averaging 19.2 points, 10 rebounds and 3.5 assists for the Sparks.
Ionescu is averaging 19.8 points and 6.1 assists for the Liberty.
LAST 10 GAMES: Sparks: 2-8, averaging 80.9 points, 30.5 rebounds, 21.4 assists, 7.1 steals and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 43.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 87.3 points per game.
Liberty: 9-1, averaging 84.7 points, 32.9 rebounds, 23.4 assists, 7.3 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.3 points.
INJURIES: Sparks: Julie Allemand: out for season (ankle), Cameron Brink: out for season (acl), Lexie Brown: out (chron’s disease).
Liberty: Betnijah Laney-Hamilton: out (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
By The Associated Press
