New York at Minnesota

New York walked into Tuesday's game as favorites over Dallas and left with an ugly 88-77 loss, the kind of letdown spot that tends to sharpen a team rather than linger. The good news for the Liberty: they've already solved this Minnesota puzzle once this month, blowing past the Lynx by 13 points. Minnesota is still working without Napheesa Collier, who remains out recovering from ankle surgery, and the committee approach around Alanna Smith and Courtney Williams has papered over that absence well enough to sit at 16-6, but it's not the same ceiling New York already cracked open. We backed Connecticut plus the points against this Minnesota team on Wednesday and cashed, a reminder that the Lynx are still finding their margins thin without their best player. The sharp money agrees tonight, too, already lining up on the Liberty side. New York gets a full week's rest and a number that gives a real cushion after one bad shooting night. Take the Liberty with the points this afternoon.