Valkyries vs Liberty WNBA Pick: Will Golden State Remain Hot Against Defending Champs? (Sep 2)

• The Valkyries are 21-18 and are slotted in the No. 6 spot in the league playoff race.
• New York is 24-16 and occupies the fifth spot by two and a half games.
• These teams previously squared off on Jun. 25, with the Liberty winning that game 81-78.

One of the games on Tuesday’s WNBA slate features the Golden State Valkyries hosting the New York Liberty. Who has the edge in our Valkyries vs Liberty pick?

Valkyries Look To Secure Fourth Straight Win

Golden State is surging, having won its last three contets, including a 75-63 victory against Indiana on Sunday.

The Valkyries held a 12-point advantage at the break before the Fever trimmed the deficit to five points (55-50) with 7:36 left to play in regulation. Fortunately, thanks to the home team converting eight of its 12 attempts in the final frame, Golden State went on to win the game by a double-digit margin.

Illana Rupert led the way with 21 points on an efficient 5-for-8 from beyond the arc. Janelle Salaun and Kate Martin contributed 10 points each.

New York Seeks Its Third Win In Four Games

The Liberty saw their two-game win streak end with an 80-63 setback against Phoenix on Saturday night.

New York led by a slim 39-37 margin through the game’s first 20 minutes. However, the Mercury pulled away in the second half, outscring the road team by a decisive 43-24 margin. This included a 25-14 advantage in the fourth quarter.

Emma Meesseman was one of three starters who reached double figures. She scored a team-high 17 points, along with four rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Breanna Stewart registered 14 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Valkyries vs Liberty WNBA Pick

Golden State is not a great scoring team (ranked 10th), but does have the best scoring defense in the association, allowing 76.8 points per contest. Meanwhile, New York has the third-best offensive rating and ranks sixth in defensive efficiency.

True, the Valkyries enter this contest riding a three-game win streak. On the other side, New York has won all three head-to-head matchups this season. Given that trend, the edge goes to the defending champs.