Liberty vs. Fever Prediction: Caitlin Clark, Fever Look to Bounce Back in Regular Season Home Opener

Caitlin Clark’s first regular-season game in the WNBA did not go as fans had hoped, with the Fever losing to the Connecticut Sun. It certainly will not get easier in their home debut Thursday night when they take on last year’s runner-up, the New York Liberty.

Indiana leads the all-time series vs. New York, 49-32. But the Liberty have dominated the Fever in recent years, winning three of four games last season (3-1 ATS) and eight of the last ten.

The Fever did not look great in their season opener against the Connecticut Sun. While the Liberty walked away with a win in their opener against the Washington Mystics, they did not look like a team coming off a 32-8 regular season record and a trip to the WNBA Finals. 

Growing pains are expected this early in the season, so fans should expect better from both teams. But Clark and the Fever will need to make some significant strides just to compete with a perennial contender like the Liberty.

Liberty vs. Fever Betting Odds for Thursday, May 16

New York made a pretty big jump last season, going from a team that went 12-20 in the 2022 regular season and lost in the first round of the playoffs to 32-8 and a trip to the WNBA Finals in 2023. They were actually a little better on the road (17-3) than at home (15-5). 

Including the postseason, the Liberty were 11-14 ATS on the road and at home.

Indiana also fared a little better on the road than at home last year, going 6-14 (8-11-1 ATS) at home but 7-13 (11-8-1 ATS) on the road. 

Here’s the betting line for Liberty vs. Fever with odds from DraftKings Sportsbook where new users can get $200 in bonus bets instantly.

For more betting opportunities on the Liberty vs. Fever game, check out our WNBA Player Props and Best Bets for Thursday, May 16.

Liberty vs. Fever Prediction

New York Liberty Preview

The Liberty walked away with a win in their season opener vs. Washington, but they did not look like the team that went 32-8 last season and played in the Finals. While they did not necessarily play poorly throughout the game, they entered the fourth quarter down by eight, 67-59.

But things appeared to get on track in the final quarter as they outscored the Mystics 26-13 to secure a five-point victory. 

They were not bad defensively, holding the Mystics to under 40% shooting from the floor and 31.3% from three-point range, but Washington won the rebound battle 36-34. On the offensive end, Jonquel Jones led the way with 25 points, followed by Betnijah Laney-Hamilton with 20, 

Sabrina Ionescu chipped in 15 points, along with eight assists and seven rebounds. Breanna Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot both had off nights, shooting 3-9 from the field and scoring eight and six points.

While it was not a statement win, it showed that they can win ugly when they need to. But fans shouldn’t worry. Even the best teams need a game or two to get everyone on the same page and clicking.

Bet on New York Liberty at DraftKings

Indiana Fever Preview

Caitlin Clark did not have a great night from the floor (5-15; 4-11 from three-point range) despite leading the team in scoring with 20 points. She had almost as many turnovers as points at the half (five turnovers to seven points).

Things did get better for Clark in the second half, but she still managed to set a WNBA record she’d rather not have with the most turnovers in a WNBA debut (ten).

But Indiana’s struggles were not all on Clark. She didn’t get much help on the offensive end of the court. Last year’s Rookie of the Year,  Aliyah Boston, only chipped in four, and the leading scorer from 2023, Kelsey Mitchell, only had eight.

The struggles were just as bad on the defensive end as the Sun shot nearly 50% from the floor and 42.9% from the three-point line.

Bet on Indiana Fever at DraftKings

Liberty vs. Fever Betting - My Pick

The Liberty did not bring their 'A' game in their season opener, but with how Indiana looked against Connecticut, they will not need it to beat the Fever. The Fever played like a team that went 13-27 last year in their opener and could do it again this season.

Indiana will need to play better in every aspect of the game just to make this one entertaining. While they probably will play better, they will not win.

• My Pick: Liberty Spread -6 (-110) at DraftKings Sportsbook

How to Watch Liberty vs. Fever

• Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN

• Game Time & Date: 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 16, 2024

• TV Network: N/A

• Streaming: Prime Video