New York Liberty vs Chicago Sky Final Score & Over/Under Result — Aug 18, 2026

Natasha Cloud's 35-point barrage powered Chicago to a 93-86 victory over New York, but the game's offensive arc told the real story: a first half that soared past expectations gave way to a defensive grind that sent the combined total spiraling downward. The Sky and Liberty combined for 97 points through two quarters, putting them on pace for a night well above the 180.5 market total. Yet the second half collapsed into a defensive struggle, yielding just 82 combined points across the final 24 minutes. The Q2 burst of 49 combined points proved the high-water mark; Q3 dropped to 43, and Q4 bottomed out at just 39, ultimately landing the game at 179 and delivering an UNDER by 1.5.

Cloud's dominance—supported by Kamilla Cardoso's 17 points and 12 rebounds for the hosts—proved decisive in a matchup where New York had actually scored more efficiently in recent weeks (95.8 per game) than Chicago's season average (88.6). Breanna Stewart led the Liberty with 22 points and 7 rebounds, while Sabrina Ionescu added 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 12 assists. The head-to-head pattern held: both prior meetings this season had finished north of 189, making this under-total finish a notable departure. DAGGER's pregame lean toward the under cashed cleanly, while the live adjustment missed the mark.