Liberty face do-or-die showdown in Phoenix as WNBA playoff series with Mercury heads to Game 3
Breanna Stewart's status looms large as New York aims to survive Friday; Fanatics Sportsbook rolls out promo for new bettors ahead of the decisive game.
The Liberty travel to Phoenix for a must-win Game 3 on Friday night, as their best-of-3 playoff series with the Phoenix Mercury sits at 1-1. A victory on the road would keep New York's title defense alive and set up a matchup with the Minnesota Lynx, the league’s No. 1 seed, in the next round. A loss would end the Liberty’s championship bid in what has already been a tight, closely contested series.
Breanna Stewart’s status has been a central storyline heading into Game 3. She was cleared to play ahead of Game 2, providing a boost for New York, but the Liberty were thoroughly dismantled by Phoenix in that game, underscoring how dependent they are on a healthy Stewart. Friday’s line has the Mercury as a 2.5-point favorite, though that could move as teams and bettors receive more clarity on Stewart’s condition and potential impact for the decisive contest.
Fanatics Sportsbook has rolled out a promotional offer for new users ahead of Friday’s matchup. New bettors who place a $50 wager can receive $250 in FanCash to use on future bets or Fanatics merchandise. The offer is available to new customers in a broad list of states including Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming. To participate, bettors must opt in, select the bonus offer, choose their state, complete login details, enter a promo code, and make a deposit. In addition, Fanatics runs a separate FanCash promotion for new accounts: new customers who opt in and place a qualifying wager of $10 or more on any market with odds of -500 or longer receive $50 in FanCash each day for the first five days, issued when the qualifying wager settles. The five-day period starts on the day the account is opened, and full terms are available in the Fanatics Sportsbook app.
The article’s Betting desk notes that the Liberty’s odds and the competitive balance of the series remain fluid, especially with Stewart’s status pending updates. Michael Leboff, who contributes to New York Post Betting, has emphasized that Stewart’s health is a major determinant of New York’s prospects. His return gave the Liberty a lift before Game 2, but Phoenix’s performance in that game highlighted the risk of overreliance on one star. As Friday approaches, bettors will be watching any official injury updates and line movement closely, since even a small change in Stewart’s availability could shift the balance in what’s expected to be a tight, playoff-tightened affair.
Should the Liberty pull off a win in Friday’s game, they would advance to face the Lynx in the next round, a matchup that pits New York against the league’s top seed in a conference-shaping continuation of the 2025 playoffs. The coming hours will also determine how the series narrative unfolds for a team trying to defend a title in an increasingly competitive landscape, where seeding and path to the finals can hinge on a single late-game stop.