Taurasi helps Mercury advance to semifinals, beat Liberty
September 24, 2016
NEW YORK (AP) Diana Taurasi tends to play her best when the most is on the line.
The star guard scored 30 points and Brittney Griner added 22 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks to help the eighth-seeded Phoenix Mercury beat the No. 3 New York Liberty 101-94 on Saturday night. Taurasi is 13-3 in WNBA elimination games in her storied career, including a 6-0 mark on the road.
''I'm not afraid of it. It's a challenge. It's fun,'' she said. ''When you go on the road, especially here at the Garden. These fans are so thirsty they want a championship so bad. We came in the underdog. Today was a whole lot of fun.''
The Mercury will head to Minnesota for the semifinals, which is a five-game series as opposed to the single elimination games that Phoenix won in the opening two rounds of the postseason.
''It's going to be hard. They are the best in the league right now,'' Taurasi said. ''They are the defending champs. We know what they do. They know what we do. It's going to be a battle of wills more than anything. Right now we're finding our groove. Finding who we are.''
Just as they did during their first-round playoff game, Phoenix players Mistie Bass and Kelsey Bone kneeled during the playing of the national anthem . Liberty guard Brittany Boyd sat on the bench with her head bowed. She also said she did that in the final few games of the regular season.
''I don't want to stand up. I choose not to stand up and I sit down and pray,'' said Boyd, who wore a Colin Kaepernick jersey into the arena and had it hanging in her locker. ''Colin (Kaepernick) and his message about social injustice going on in this country today is something I believe needs change. This wasn't the first game I sat down for the national anthem. I don't agree with some of the stuff that's going on. This is me using my platform.''
With Phoenix clinging to a two-point lead early in the fourth quarter Taurasi scored five straight points in a 10-2 run that gave them an 84-76 advantage. New York refused to quit, hitting back-to-back 3s to get within 84-82. But that's as close as the Liberty could get as they came up empty on the next few possessions. New York trailed 90-86 with 1:29 left before Taurasi hit a 3-pointer from the wing, pumping her fists at midcourt after it swished through the net that virtually sealed the victory.
Phoenix was in control in the first half as the Mercury led by 15 points in the second quarter thanks to the play of Penny Taylor, who finished with 20 points. Trailing 52-41 at the break, the Liberty opened the second half on a 13-2 run capped by Tina Charles' 3-pointer to tie it at 54. They trailed 68-67 after three quarters and the game was tied at 74 after Epiphanny Prince's 3-pointer with 7:23 left in the final period.
Tanisha Wright scored 21 points and Tina Charles added 19 to lead New York. The loss also marked the end of Swin Cash's career. The 15-year WNBA player announced during the season that she would retire after the Liberty's season ended.
''It's tough to completely reflect right now, but I'm really proud of this team,'' Cash said. ''Took some bumps along the way, injuries. We set a really solid foundation on how hard you have to work and what it takes to get to that next level.''
September 24, 2016
NEW YORK (AP) Diana Taurasi tends to play her best when the most is on the line.
The star guard scored 30 points and Brittney Griner added 22 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks to help the eighth-seeded Phoenix Mercury beat the No. 3 New York Liberty 101-94 on Saturday night. Taurasi is 13-3 in WNBA elimination games in her storied career, including a 6-0 mark on the road.
''I'm not afraid of it. It's a challenge. It's fun,'' she said. ''When you go on the road, especially here at the Garden. These fans are so thirsty they want a championship so bad. We came in the underdog. Today was a whole lot of fun.''
The Mercury will head to Minnesota for the semifinals, which is a five-game series as opposed to the single elimination games that Phoenix won in the opening two rounds of the postseason.
''It's going to be hard. They are the best in the league right now,'' Taurasi said. ''They are the defending champs. We know what they do. They know what we do. It's going to be a battle of wills more than anything. Right now we're finding our groove. Finding who we are.''
Just as they did during their first-round playoff game, Phoenix players Mistie Bass and Kelsey Bone kneeled during the playing of the national anthem . Liberty guard Brittany Boyd sat on the bench with her head bowed. She also said she did that in the final few games of the regular season.
''I don't want to stand up. I choose not to stand up and I sit down and pray,'' said Boyd, who wore a Colin Kaepernick jersey into the arena and had it hanging in her locker. ''Colin (Kaepernick) and his message about social injustice going on in this country today is something I believe needs change. This wasn't the first game I sat down for the national anthem. I don't agree with some of the stuff that's going on. This is me using my platform.''
With Phoenix clinging to a two-point lead early in the fourth quarter Taurasi scored five straight points in a 10-2 run that gave them an 84-76 advantage. New York refused to quit, hitting back-to-back 3s to get within 84-82. But that's as close as the Liberty could get as they came up empty on the next few possessions. New York trailed 90-86 with 1:29 left before Taurasi hit a 3-pointer from the wing, pumping her fists at midcourt after it swished through the net that virtually sealed the victory.
Phoenix was in control in the first half as the Mercury led by 15 points in the second quarter thanks to the play of Penny Taylor, who finished with 20 points. Trailing 52-41 at the break, the Liberty opened the second half on a 13-2 run capped by Tina Charles' 3-pointer to tie it at 54. They trailed 68-67 after three quarters and the game was tied at 74 after Epiphanny Prince's 3-pointer with 7:23 left in the final period.
Tanisha Wright scored 21 points and Tina Charles added 19 to lead New York. The loss also marked the end of Swin Cash's career. The 15-year WNBA player announced during the season that she would retire after the Liberty's season ended.
''It's tough to completely reflect right now, but I'm really proud of this team,'' Cash said. ''Took some bumps along the way, injuries. We set a really solid foundation on how hard you have to work and what it takes to get to that next level.''
Preview: Dream (17-17) at Sky (18-16)
Date: September 25, 2016 1:00 PM EDT
The mission for Chicago is clear: stop Angel McCoughtry.
McCoughtry scored 37 points in Atlanta's first-round playoff win over Seattle on Wednesday. The win set up a second-round, single-elimination game between the Dream and the Sky on Sunday. Tipoff is at 1 p.m. EDT at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill.
No player in the WNBA has been as dominant on the offensive end as McCoughtry since the Summer Olympics break. She's leading the league in scoring at 23.4 points per game. And she already holds the WNBA playoff record scoring a game-high 42 points.
Chicago, which earned a first-round bye, will have to find a way to contain McCoughtry, and they have to do it without 2015 WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne, who was ruled out of Sunday's game after having thumb surgery last week.
Delle Donne is averaging 21.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. She was hurt on Sept. 7 against Washington and had surgery six days later.
Atlanta advanced to the second round of the playoffs thanks to a fourth-quarter surge that secured a 94-85 home win over the Seattle Storm on Wednesday night.
With the score tied 66-66, McCoughtry and Bria Holmes fueled a 24-6 run.
The Sky watched intently as McCoughtry worked her magic against the Storm. Holmes added 21 points, giving the Dream another solid option on offense as well as another player for the Sky to worry about.
Atlanta was without its second-leading scorer, Tiffany Hayes (15.0 points per game), who was suspended for the first round after picking up her seventh technical foul in the final regular-season game.
Chicago earned a first-round bye despite losing Delle Donne and going 3-2 in their final five games.
Delle Donne resumed practicing this week after having surgery. She was limited and finally ruled out of Sunday's game.
In Delle Donne's place, the Sky will lean on Cappie Pondexter for scoring and leadership. Pondexter's 19.8 points per game in the playoffs is the fifth highest in league history.
Maybe more important, Pondexter averaged 13.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in three games this season against Atlanta.
Also having to step up in Delle Donne's absence will be Courtney Vandersloot, who was averaging 15.0 points per game in her last five games.
When the two teams last met, the Sky hung on for a 90-82 win on Aug. 26 in Chicago. Atlanta won the previous two meetings between the two.
WNBA HEAD TO HEAD
Aug 26, 2016 Score ATS Results
ATL 82 Over: 172
CHI « 90 Cover: 3
Tools: Recaps
Jun 17, 2016 Score ATS Results
CHI 97 Over: 198
ATL « 101 Cover: 8.5
Tools: Recaps
May 22, 2016 Score ATS Results
CHI 81 Under: 168
ATL « 87 Cover: 10.5
Tools: Recaps
Date: September 25, 2016 1:00 PM EDT
The mission for Chicago is clear: stop Angel McCoughtry.
McCoughtry scored 37 points in Atlanta's first-round playoff win over Seattle on Wednesday. The win set up a second-round, single-elimination game between the Dream and the Sky on Sunday. Tipoff is at 1 p.m. EDT at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill.
No player in the WNBA has been as dominant on the offensive end as McCoughtry since the Summer Olympics break. She's leading the league in scoring at 23.4 points per game. And she already holds the WNBA playoff record scoring a game-high 42 points.
Chicago, which earned a first-round bye, will have to find a way to contain McCoughtry, and they have to do it without 2015 WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne, who was ruled out of Sunday's game after having thumb surgery last week.
Delle Donne is averaging 21.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. She was hurt on Sept. 7 against Washington and had surgery six days later.
Atlanta advanced to the second round of the playoffs thanks to a fourth-quarter surge that secured a 94-85 home win over the Seattle Storm on Wednesday night.
With the score tied 66-66, McCoughtry and Bria Holmes fueled a 24-6 run.
The Sky watched intently as McCoughtry worked her magic against the Storm. Holmes added 21 points, giving the Dream another solid option on offense as well as another player for the Sky to worry about.
Atlanta was without its second-leading scorer, Tiffany Hayes (15.0 points per game), who was suspended for the first round after picking up her seventh technical foul in the final regular-season game.
Chicago earned a first-round bye despite losing Delle Donne and going 3-2 in their final five games.
Delle Donne resumed practicing this week after having surgery. She was limited and finally ruled out of Sunday's game.
In Delle Donne's place, the Sky will lean on Cappie Pondexter for scoring and leadership. Pondexter's 19.8 points per game in the playoffs is the fifth highest in league history.
Maybe more important, Pondexter averaged 13.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in three games this season against Atlanta.
Also having to step up in Delle Donne's absence will be Courtney Vandersloot, who was averaging 15.0 points per game in her last five games.
When the two teams last met, the Sky hung on for a 90-82 win on Aug. 26 in Chicago. Atlanta won the previous two meetings between the two.
WNBA HEAD TO HEAD
Aug 26, 2016 Score ATS Results
ATL 82 Over: 172
CHI « 90 Cover: 3
Tools: Recaps
Jun 17, 2016 Score ATS Results
CHI 97 Over: 198
ATL « 101 Cover: 8.5
Tools: Recaps
May 22, 2016 Score ATS Results
CHI 81 Under: 168
ATL « 87 Cover: 10.5
Tools: Recaps
Sky slow Dream, reaches WNBA semis
September 25, 2016
ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) Courtney Vandersloot scored 21 points with 13 assists, Jessica Breland had 20 points and 16 rebounds, and the Chicago Sky beat the Atlanta Dream 108-98 on Sunday to advance to the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs.
The Sky broke it open in the first five minutes of the third quarter. Tamera Young made fast-break layups on consecutive possessions during Chicago's 10-2 run to start the quarter for a 66-52 lead. Atlanta was outscored 31-20 in the quarter.
Chicago cruised in the fourth - setting a season-high for total points - and will face Los Angeles in a best-of-five series.
Reigning MVP Elena Delle Donne missed her sixth straight game with a thumb injury for Chicago but it didn't seem to faze the Sky on the offensive end. Chicago had 26 assists, made 55 percent of its shots, and Young and Cappie Pondexter each scored 16 points.
Chicago set a WNBA record for the most points in the first quarter of a playoff game when the Sky built a 37-25 lead. But Angel McCoughtry kept the Dream within 56-50 at halftime after scoring 21 points, including 10 of Atlanta's first 14 points.
Tiffany Hayes, who didn't play in the first round due to a one-game suspension for accrued technical in the regular season, scored 30 points for Atlanta. McCoughtry finished with 27 points, six rebounds and nine assists.
Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler was in attendance wearing a Cubs jersey.
September 25, 2016
ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) Courtney Vandersloot scored 21 points with 13 assists, Jessica Breland had 20 points and 16 rebounds, and the Chicago Sky beat the Atlanta Dream 108-98 on Sunday to advance to the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs.
The Sky broke it open in the first five minutes of the third quarter. Tamera Young made fast-break layups on consecutive possessions during Chicago's 10-2 run to start the quarter for a 66-52 lead. Atlanta was outscored 31-20 in the quarter.
Chicago cruised in the fourth - setting a season-high for total points - and will face Los Angeles in a best-of-five series.
Reigning MVP Elena Delle Donne missed her sixth straight game with a thumb injury for Chicago but it didn't seem to faze the Sky on the offensive end. Chicago had 26 assists, made 55 percent of its shots, and Young and Cappie Pondexter each scored 16 points.
Chicago set a WNBA record for the most points in the first quarter of a playoff game when the Sky built a 37-25 lead. But Angel McCoughtry kept the Dream within 56-50 at halftime after scoring 21 points, including 10 of Atlanta's first 14 points.
Tiffany Hayes, who didn't play in the first round due to a one-game suspension for accrued technical in the regular season, scored 30 points for Atlanta. McCoughtry finished with 27 points, six rebounds and nine assists.
Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler was in attendance wearing a Cubs jersey.
Semifinal Preview: (1) Minnesota Lynx vs. (8) Phoenix Mercury
Brian Martin
September 25, 2016
The playoff format may have changed, but some things apparently never will. For the fourth straight year and fifth time in six years, the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx will square off with the winner advancing to the WNBA Finals.
While the previous editions of this rivalry came in the Western Conference Finals and were a best-of-three series, this year’s Semifinals will be a best-of-five, tipping off in Minnesota on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Series Schedule
Game Date Location Time Broadcast
1 Wednesday, Sept. 28 Phoenix at Minnesota 8 PM ET ESPN2
2 Friday, Sept. 30 Phoenix at Minnesota 8 PM ET ESPNews
3 Sunday, Oct. 2 Minnesota at Phoenix 5 PM ET ESPN
4* Tuesday, Oct. 4 Minnesota at Phoenix TBD ESPN2
5* Thursday, Oct. 6 Phoenix at Minnesota TBD ESPN2
*If Necessary
How They Got Here
This will be the playoff debut for the 2016 Lynx, who received a double-bye to the Semifinals as the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. Meanwhile, No. 8 seed Phoenix comes in having won two straight single-elimination games on the road against Indiana and New York.
Entering the playoffs, three of the WNBA’s all-time greats — Tamika Catchings, Swin Cash and Penny Taylor — announced that they would retire at the end of the season. In the first two rounds of the playoffs, Phoenix delivered the AARP cards to Catchings and Cash and postponed Taylor’s retirement for at least one more round.
“She’s a legend,” said Taurasi after Taylor’s 20-point, five-rebound effort against New York. “She’s 35 out here playing like a 21-year-old. I mean, she’s just a monster. She just plays with so much grit. She means so much to our team, to our franchise [and] we want to get another one for her.”
Championship Pedigree
In order to get a shot at another title, the Mercury will have to knock off the defending champion Lynx, who are looking to become the first repeat WNBA champions since the L.A. Sparks in 2001 and 2002. And adding a championship for either team would put their franchise in the elite company of the Houston Comets with four WNBA championships.
One of these two teams has won the WNBA title in each of the last three years, in five of the last seven years and six of the past nine seasons, dating back to the Mercury’s first title run in 2007. Phoenix also won the title in 2009 and 2014, while the Lynx have won the title every other year since capturing their first one in 2011.
Setting The Stage
Under the new playoff format, which seeds teams regardless of conference, these two Western Conference teams could have met in the WNBA Finals for the first time. But no one expected the Mercury to struggle as much as they did during the regular season, finishing the year at 16-18 and claiming the final playoff spot in the field.
In fact, the Mercury were tabbed the preseason title favorites, getting Taurasi and Taylor back on the roster after both missed last season. The Mercury were a playoff team a year ago without Diana and Penny, so just imagine how good they would be with them back. It would be like 2014 all over again, and with young center Brittney Griner having even more experience.
While that sounded good on paper, it didn’t translate so easily on the court, as Phoenix struggled from the start back in May. They would show flashes of their incredible potential, but didn’t have the consistency to keep up with the Western Conference juggernauts in Minnesota and Los Angeles.
“That’s going to be the challenge, especially against the best team in the league,” said Taurasi. “They’re the defending champs, but to be the best you have to beat the best and that’s what they are.
“They do so many things well. When you have Maya, ‘Mone, Syl, Brunson, Whay, Renee, they just have so much talent and beyond the talent they play hard every possession, so we’re going to have to be able to match that if we want to compete with them.”
Although the Mercury didn’t compete for a top seed with the Lynx and Sparks during the regular season, here they are alongside the top two seeds in the final four of the new playoff tournament. This is a dangerous eighth seed that has the talent and ability to knock off any team in this field.
“We’ve had a long year, so many ups and downs, but we’ve got a lot of people on this team that have been through it so we’re a confident group,” said Taurasi.”
Regular Season Series
May 14 at Minnesota: Lynx 95, Mercury 76
May 25 at Phoenix: Lynx 85, Mercury 78
June 7 at Minnesota: Lynx 89, Mercury 81
The Lynx swept the season series, 3-0, with all three games coming in the first quarter of the regular season. The highly anticipated matchup of the last two WNBA champions was tabbed for the season opener in Minnesota on ESPN, with the Lynx winning handily, 95-76, behind a brilliant 27-point, 10-assist performance from Maya Moore.
When the teams met 11 days later in Phoenix, the game was much tighter, but the Lynx still came out on top, 85-78, thanks to another big game from Moore (34 points). The final meeting came back in Minnesota on June 7 and was another single-digit win for the Lynx.
All three of these games came during Minnesota’s record-setting undefeated run to open the season; they were 13-0 before suffering their first loss on June 24 to the L.A. Sparks. And as hot as Minnesota was to open the season, Phoenix was just as cold, with the Mercury dropping their first four games and going just 5-9 by the time the Lynx lost their first game.
The fact that these two teams haven’t seen each other in over three months adds more intrigue to this series. Sure, the Lynx swept the season series and were the better team throughout the regular season, but the Mercury played some of their best basketball down the stretch and have survived two win-or-go-home games just to make it to the semifinals. Meanwhile, the Lynx will enter Game 1 of the series having not played in 11 days. The Mercury will have to steal a game on the road to win this series, and the opener on Wednesday may be their best opportunity if the Lynx are a bit rusty and out of rhythm.
Playoff History
This is the fourth straight year – and fifth time in the last six years – that these two teams are meeting with a Finals berth on the line. And in each of those five meetings, the winner of this series went on to claim the WNBA championship.
2011 West Finals: Minnesota 2, Phoenix 0
2013 West Finals: Minnesota 2, Phoenix 0
2014 West Finals: Phoenix 2, Minnesota 1
2015 West Finals: Minnesota 2, Phoenix 0
2016 Semifinals: Best-of-five tips on Wednesday
Matchup To Watch: Griner vs. Fowles
Not only has this series produced the three most recent WNBA champions, it also features the winners of the last three WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards with Sylvia Fowles claiming her second honor in 2013 and Brittney Griner winning the past two in 2014 and 2015.
And while Griner once again leads the league in blocks at 3.1 per game (Fowles is fourth at 1.8), the Mercury did not possess a top-tier team defense this season as they did in each of the past two seasons. In fact, the Mercury’s 103.7 defensive rating ranked ninth in the league during regular season, while Minnesota led the league by holding teams to 96.4 points per 100 possessions.
But Griner and Fowles are not just defensive anchors, they are also the second-leading scorers on their teams at 14.5 and 13.9 points per game, respectively. Griner’s role in the Mercury offense continues to grow as she upped her scoring considerably following the Olympic break and once again during Phoenix’s first two playoff games.
Brittney Griner’s Statistical Splits
Time Period GP PTS REB AST STL BLK FG% FT%
Pre-Break 24 13.5 6.1 1.0 0.3 3.0 52.7% 80.7%
Post-Break 10 17.0 7.6 1.2 0.6 3.4 59.0% 88.5%
Playoffs 2 20.0 9.5 3.0 1.0 3.5 64.0% 88.9%
“I don’t know what’s gotten into her but she’s playing like the best post player in the world and that’s what we need from her,” said Taurasi. “She’s in her prime right now. We need that every night. There’s no excuse for her and that’s what we tell her, we’re going to give you all the tools to be the best in the world, go do it. And [Saturday] was another example of how well she can play and how much she means to our team.”
Watching the 6-8 Griner and the 6-6 Fowles clash in the paint over the next five games should be fun, and whichever big can impose their will on the other will give her team an edge in what should be a tight series.
Matchup To Watch: Taurasi vs. Moore
Moore and Taurasi won’t find themselves matched up against each other very often, but both are the catalyst for their team’s offense, with Moore finishing the season as the fifth-ranked scorer in the WNBA (19.3 points per game) and Taurasi just below her in seventh (17.8).
Taurasi is coming off a 30-point effort in leading the Mercury past the Liberty in the second-round single-elimination game on Saturday. During that game she passed Lisa Leslie to climb to second on the WNBA’s all-time playoff scoring list and did so in eight fewer games than the Hall of Famer.
All-Time Playoff Scoring Leaders
Rank Player Games Points
1 Tamika Catchings 68 1,141
2 Diana Taurasi 44 927
3 Lisa Leslie 52 908
Taurasi is among the all-time leaders in playoff scoring average, trailing only Cynthia Cooper and Angel McCoughtry, with Moore not too far behind.
All-Time Playoff Scoring Average (min. 5 games played)
Rank Player Games Points/Game
1 Cynthia Cooper 19 23.3
2 Angel McCoughtry 32 22.6
3 Diana Taurasi 44 21.1
4 Candace Parker 24 20.9
5 Cappie Pondexter 33 19.8
6 Maya Moore 39 18.9
And there is Moore, just 2.2 points behind Taurasi’s average and just five games behind Taurasi in terms of playoff experience. Moore is exactly seven years younger than Taurasi (they share the same birth date on June 11) and has only half of Taurasi’s 12 seasons of WNBA experience, but has been a playoff mainstay since joining the Lynx as the top overall pick in 2011.
They’ve both won three WNBA titles and multiple NCAA titles at UConn, with Taurasi holding a 3-2 edge at the college level. Which one of these two trophy collectors will add a fourth WNBA title to her resume first?
Brian Martin
September 25, 2016
The playoff format may have changed, but some things apparently never will. For the fourth straight year and fifth time in six years, the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx will square off with the winner advancing to the WNBA Finals.
While the previous editions of this rivalry came in the Western Conference Finals and were a best-of-three series, this year’s Semifinals will be a best-of-five, tipping off in Minnesota on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Series Schedule
Game Date Location Time Broadcast
1 Wednesday, Sept. 28 Phoenix at Minnesota 8 PM ET ESPN2
2 Friday, Sept. 30 Phoenix at Minnesota 8 PM ET ESPNews
3 Sunday, Oct. 2 Minnesota at Phoenix 5 PM ET ESPN
4* Tuesday, Oct. 4 Minnesota at Phoenix TBD ESPN2
5* Thursday, Oct. 6 Phoenix at Minnesota TBD ESPN2
*If Necessary
How They Got Here
This will be the playoff debut for the 2016 Lynx, who received a double-bye to the Semifinals as the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. Meanwhile, No. 8 seed Phoenix comes in having won two straight single-elimination games on the road against Indiana and New York.
Entering the playoffs, three of the WNBA’s all-time greats — Tamika Catchings, Swin Cash and Penny Taylor — announced that they would retire at the end of the season. In the first two rounds of the playoffs, Phoenix delivered the AARP cards to Catchings and Cash and postponed Taylor’s retirement for at least one more round.
“She’s a legend,” said Taurasi after Taylor’s 20-point, five-rebound effort against New York. “She’s 35 out here playing like a 21-year-old. I mean, she’s just a monster. She just plays with so much grit. She means so much to our team, to our franchise [and] we want to get another one for her.”
Championship Pedigree
In order to get a shot at another title, the Mercury will have to knock off the defending champion Lynx, who are looking to become the first repeat WNBA champions since the L.A. Sparks in 2001 and 2002. And adding a championship for either team would put their franchise in the elite company of the Houston Comets with four WNBA championships.
One of these two teams has won the WNBA title in each of the last three years, in five of the last seven years and six of the past nine seasons, dating back to the Mercury’s first title run in 2007. Phoenix also won the title in 2009 and 2014, while the Lynx have won the title every other year since capturing their first one in 2011.
Setting The Stage
Under the new playoff format, which seeds teams regardless of conference, these two Western Conference teams could have met in the WNBA Finals for the first time. But no one expected the Mercury to struggle as much as they did during the regular season, finishing the year at 16-18 and claiming the final playoff spot in the field.
In fact, the Mercury were tabbed the preseason title favorites, getting Taurasi and Taylor back on the roster after both missed last season. The Mercury were a playoff team a year ago without Diana and Penny, so just imagine how good they would be with them back. It would be like 2014 all over again, and with young center Brittney Griner having even more experience.
While that sounded good on paper, it didn’t translate so easily on the court, as Phoenix struggled from the start back in May. They would show flashes of their incredible potential, but didn’t have the consistency to keep up with the Western Conference juggernauts in Minnesota and Los Angeles.
“That’s going to be the challenge, especially against the best team in the league,” said Taurasi. “They’re the defending champs, but to be the best you have to beat the best and that’s what they are.
“They do so many things well. When you have Maya, ‘Mone, Syl, Brunson, Whay, Renee, they just have so much talent and beyond the talent they play hard every possession, so we’re going to have to be able to match that if we want to compete with them.”
Although the Mercury didn’t compete for a top seed with the Lynx and Sparks during the regular season, here they are alongside the top two seeds in the final four of the new playoff tournament. This is a dangerous eighth seed that has the talent and ability to knock off any team in this field.
“We’ve had a long year, so many ups and downs, but we’ve got a lot of people on this team that have been through it so we’re a confident group,” said Taurasi.”
Regular Season Series
May 14 at Minnesota: Lynx 95, Mercury 76
May 25 at Phoenix: Lynx 85, Mercury 78
June 7 at Minnesota: Lynx 89, Mercury 81
The Lynx swept the season series, 3-0, with all three games coming in the first quarter of the regular season. The highly anticipated matchup of the last two WNBA champions was tabbed for the season opener in Minnesota on ESPN, with the Lynx winning handily, 95-76, behind a brilliant 27-point, 10-assist performance from Maya Moore.
When the teams met 11 days later in Phoenix, the game was much tighter, but the Lynx still came out on top, 85-78, thanks to another big game from Moore (34 points). The final meeting came back in Minnesota on June 7 and was another single-digit win for the Lynx.
All three of these games came during Minnesota’s record-setting undefeated run to open the season; they were 13-0 before suffering their first loss on June 24 to the L.A. Sparks. And as hot as Minnesota was to open the season, Phoenix was just as cold, with the Mercury dropping their first four games and going just 5-9 by the time the Lynx lost their first game.
The fact that these two teams haven’t seen each other in over three months adds more intrigue to this series. Sure, the Lynx swept the season series and were the better team throughout the regular season, but the Mercury played some of their best basketball down the stretch and have survived two win-or-go-home games just to make it to the semifinals. Meanwhile, the Lynx will enter Game 1 of the series having not played in 11 days. The Mercury will have to steal a game on the road to win this series, and the opener on Wednesday may be their best opportunity if the Lynx are a bit rusty and out of rhythm.
Playoff History
This is the fourth straight year – and fifth time in the last six years – that these two teams are meeting with a Finals berth on the line. And in each of those five meetings, the winner of this series went on to claim the WNBA championship.
2011 West Finals: Minnesota 2, Phoenix 0
2013 West Finals: Minnesota 2, Phoenix 0
2014 West Finals: Phoenix 2, Minnesota 1
2015 West Finals: Minnesota 2, Phoenix 0
2016 Semifinals: Best-of-five tips on Wednesday
Matchup To Watch: Griner vs. Fowles
Not only has this series produced the three most recent WNBA champions, it also features the winners of the last three WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards with Sylvia Fowles claiming her second honor in 2013 and Brittney Griner winning the past two in 2014 and 2015.
And while Griner once again leads the league in blocks at 3.1 per game (Fowles is fourth at 1.8), the Mercury did not possess a top-tier team defense this season as they did in each of the past two seasons. In fact, the Mercury’s 103.7 defensive rating ranked ninth in the league during regular season, while Minnesota led the league by holding teams to 96.4 points per 100 possessions.
But Griner and Fowles are not just defensive anchors, they are also the second-leading scorers on their teams at 14.5 and 13.9 points per game, respectively. Griner’s role in the Mercury offense continues to grow as she upped her scoring considerably following the Olympic break and once again during Phoenix’s first two playoff games.
Brittney Griner’s Statistical Splits
Time Period GP PTS REB AST STL BLK FG% FT%
Pre-Break 24 13.5 6.1 1.0 0.3 3.0 52.7% 80.7%
Post-Break 10 17.0 7.6 1.2 0.6 3.4 59.0% 88.5%
Playoffs 2 20.0 9.5 3.0 1.0 3.5 64.0% 88.9%
“I don’t know what’s gotten into her but she’s playing like the best post player in the world and that’s what we need from her,” said Taurasi. “She’s in her prime right now. We need that every night. There’s no excuse for her and that’s what we tell her, we’re going to give you all the tools to be the best in the world, go do it. And [Saturday] was another example of how well she can play and how much she means to our team.”
Watching the 6-8 Griner and the 6-6 Fowles clash in the paint over the next five games should be fun, and whichever big can impose their will on the other will give her team an edge in what should be a tight series.
Matchup To Watch: Taurasi vs. Moore
Moore and Taurasi won’t find themselves matched up against each other very often, but both are the catalyst for their team’s offense, with Moore finishing the season as the fifth-ranked scorer in the WNBA (19.3 points per game) and Taurasi just below her in seventh (17.8).
Taurasi is coming off a 30-point effort in leading the Mercury past the Liberty in the second-round single-elimination game on Saturday. During that game she passed Lisa Leslie to climb to second on the WNBA’s all-time playoff scoring list and did so in eight fewer games than the Hall of Famer.
All-Time Playoff Scoring Leaders
Rank Player Games Points
1 Tamika Catchings 68 1,141
2 Diana Taurasi 44 927
3 Lisa Leslie 52 908
Taurasi is among the all-time leaders in playoff scoring average, trailing only Cynthia Cooper and Angel McCoughtry, with Moore not too far behind.
All-Time Playoff Scoring Average (min. 5 games played)
Rank Player Games Points/Game
1 Cynthia Cooper 19 23.3
2 Angel McCoughtry 32 22.6
3 Diana Taurasi 44 21.1
4 Candace Parker 24 20.9
5 Cappie Pondexter 33 19.8
6 Maya Moore 39 18.9
And there is Moore, just 2.2 points behind Taurasi’s average and just five games behind Taurasi in terms of playoff experience. Moore is exactly seven years younger than Taurasi (they share the same birth date on June 11) and has only half of Taurasi’s 12 seasons of WNBA experience, but has been a playoff mainstay since joining the Lynx as the top overall pick in 2011.
They’ve both won three WNBA titles and multiple NCAA titles at UConn, with Taurasi holding a 3-2 edge at the college level. Which one of these two trophy collectors will add a fourth WNBA title to her resume first?
Preview: Mercury (16-18) at Lynx (28-6)
Date: September 28, 2016 8:00 PM EDT
The defending champion Minnesota Lynx will face the Phoenix Mercury in a rematch of last year's Western Conference finals on Wednesday in the opener of a best-of-five semifinal series at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
Minnesota and Phoenix are meeting with a trip to the WNBA Finals on the line for the fourth year in a row and the fifth time in six years. The Lynx swept the Mercury last season under the old playoff format and went on to defeat the Indiana Fever in five games to win their third WNBA championship in five years.
Minnesota went 28-6 during the regular season to win the Western Conference with the best record in the WNBA. Under the league's new playoff format, the Lynx secured the No. 1 seed and received a double-bye to the semifinals. They won seven of their last eight games but have not played since defeating the Atlanta Dream 95-87 in the regular season finale on Sept. 17.
Phoenix went 16-18 during the regular season to claim the WNBA's eighth and final playoff berth. The Mercury went 10-14 before the month-long Olympic break, but won eight of their next 12.
Phoenix has won four in a row and five of its last six, including road victories over fifth-seeded Indiana and the third-seeded New York Liberty in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Diana Taurasi scored 20 points and DeWanna Bonner had 18 in an 89-78 victory over the Fever. Taurasi scored 30 points in a 101-94 victory over New York.
The Lynx swept the three-game season series against the Mercury, winning 95-76, 85-78 and 89-81. All three contests were played in the first month of the season.
Minnesota and Phoenix have been two of the most successful franchises in the history of the WNBA. Both have won three league championships and can join the now-defunct Houston Comets as the only teams with four titles.
Minnesota is trying to become the first team to win back-to-back WNBA championships since the Los Angeles Sparks accomplished the feat in 2001 and 2002.
WNBA HEAD TO HEAD
Jun 7, 2016 Score ATS Results
PHO 81 Cover: 2.5
MIN « 89 Over: 170
Tools: Recaps
May 25, 2016 Score ATS Results
MIN « 85 Cover: 3
PHO 78 Under: 163
Tools: Recaps
May 14, 2016 Score ATS Results
PHO 76 Over: 171
MIN « 95 Cover: 15
Tools: Recaps
Date: September 28, 2016 8:00 PM EDT
The defending champion Minnesota Lynx will face the Phoenix Mercury in a rematch of last year's Western Conference finals on Wednesday in the opener of a best-of-five semifinal series at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
Minnesota and Phoenix are meeting with a trip to the WNBA Finals on the line for the fourth year in a row and the fifth time in six years. The Lynx swept the Mercury last season under the old playoff format and went on to defeat the Indiana Fever in five games to win their third WNBA championship in five years.
Minnesota went 28-6 during the regular season to win the Western Conference with the best record in the WNBA. Under the league's new playoff format, the Lynx secured the No. 1 seed and received a double-bye to the semifinals. They won seven of their last eight games but have not played since defeating the Atlanta Dream 95-87 in the regular season finale on Sept. 17.
Phoenix went 16-18 during the regular season to claim the WNBA's eighth and final playoff berth. The Mercury went 10-14 before the month-long Olympic break, but won eight of their next 12.
Phoenix has won four in a row and five of its last six, including road victories over fifth-seeded Indiana and the third-seeded New York Liberty in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Diana Taurasi scored 20 points and DeWanna Bonner had 18 in an 89-78 victory over the Fever. Taurasi scored 30 points in a 101-94 victory over New York.
The Lynx swept the three-game season series against the Mercury, winning 95-76, 85-78 and 89-81. All three contests were played in the first month of the season.
Minnesota and Phoenix have been two of the most successful franchises in the history of the WNBA. Both have won three league championships and can join the now-defunct Houston Comets as the only teams with four titles.
Minnesota is trying to become the first team to win back-to-back WNBA championships since the Los Angeles Sparks accomplished the feat in 2001 and 2002.
WNBA HEAD TO HEAD
Jun 7, 2016 Score ATS Results
PHO 81 Cover: 2.5
MIN « 89 Over: 170
Tools: Recaps
May 25, 2016 Score ATS Results
MIN « 85 Cover: 3
PHO 78 Under: 163
Tools: Recaps
May 14, 2016 Score ATS Results
PHO 76 Over: 171
MIN « 95 Cover: 15
Tools: Recaps
Preview: Sky (18-16) at Sparks (26-8)
Date: September 28, 2016 10:00 PM EDT
The post-Olympics run to the WNBA playoffs was anything but kind to Los Angeles, but those struggles easily could be forgotten it the team achieves success in the postseason.
The Sparks begin the playoffs Wednesday at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, Calif., with the opener a best-of-five semifinal series against the soaring Chicago Sky.
The Sparks, the No. 2 overall seed in the postseason after a 26-8 regular season, went 5-5 after the league took a month-long break for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro but won their final two games.
"I think Coach (Brian Agler) understands we have to get better but also prepare our bodies physically," said Los Angeles forward Nneka Ogwumike, who on Tuesday was selected the WNBA's Most Valuable Player. "There's more focus on small things, and I wouldn't say that we're going as hard as we were before."
Ogwumike shot a WNBA-best 66.5 percent from the field this season, the second-highest mark of all time, and ranked third in the league in scoring (a career-high 19.7 points per game) and rebounding (9.1 boards per game, also a career high).
She recorded the second-most double-doubles in the league (18) and set WNBA records for consecutive field goals made (23) and most field goals in a game without a miss (12, against the Dallas Wings on June 11).
The Sparks won their first 11 games, the second-longest winning streak to open a season in WNBA history, and began 20-1 to equal the best-ever start.
Los Angeles hasn't played a game since posting a regular-season-ending victory over the San Antonio Stars on Sept. 16. The Sparks received a double bye into the semifinals.
"It's real strange, real strange," Agler said about the layoff in the playoffs. "But we'll be ready this time around. We have to be."
Conversely, Chicago, by way of the No. 4 seed, had only a first-round bye, then beat the Atlanta Dream 108-98 in a single-game elimination playoff round on Sunday to reach the semifinals.
The availability of Chicago forward Elena Delle Donne, who has been sidelined since Sept. 12 after undergoing thumb surgery, could be a huge factor in this series. The Sky hopes to have Delle Donne back for at least some of the series to help counter the Sparks' dynamic frontcourt tandem of Ogwumike and former MVP Candace Parker.
Chicago is 4-2 without Delle Donne, surprising many who thought the team would fade without its star in the lineup.
"Everybody has written us off, and I don't think anybody believed that we were going to be able win games without her except us," Sky point guard Courtney Vandersloot said after the win over Atlanta. "The biggest factor is we believe that we can do it and we all know that we had to step up. We have enough on this team to get it done."
The Sky went 7-3 over their final 10 regular-season games. Chicago led the league in scoring at 90.1 points per contest despite playing its final five games without Delle Donne.
Chicago beat Atlanta in the second round of the playoffs thanks to a balanced attack in which seven players scored at least eight points.
Los Angeles swept the three-game regular-season series with the Sky, winning twice in the Chicago.
WNBA HEAD TO HEAD
Jul 13, 2016 Score ATS Results
LOS « 77 Cover: 4
CHI 67 Under: 144
Tools: Recaps
Jun 14, 2016 Score ATS Results
CHI 85 Over: 183
LOS « 98 Cover: 5
Tools: Recaps
May 24, 2016 Score ATS Results
LOS « 93 Cover: 10
CHI 80 Over: 173
Tools: Recaps
Date: September 28, 2016 10:00 PM EDT
The post-Olympics run to the WNBA playoffs was anything but kind to Los Angeles, but those struggles easily could be forgotten it the team achieves success in the postseason.
The Sparks begin the playoffs Wednesday at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, Calif., with the opener a best-of-five semifinal series against the soaring Chicago Sky.
The Sparks, the No. 2 overall seed in the postseason after a 26-8 regular season, went 5-5 after the league took a month-long break for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro but won their final two games.
"I think Coach (Brian Agler) understands we have to get better but also prepare our bodies physically," said Los Angeles forward Nneka Ogwumike, who on Tuesday was selected the WNBA's Most Valuable Player. "There's more focus on small things, and I wouldn't say that we're going as hard as we were before."
Ogwumike shot a WNBA-best 66.5 percent from the field this season, the second-highest mark of all time, and ranked third in the league in scoring (a career-high 19.7 points per game) and rebounding (9.1 boards per game, also a career high).
She recorded the second-most double-doubles in the league (18) and set WNBA records for consecutive field goals made (23) and most field goals in a game without a miss (12, against the Dallas Wings on June 11).
The Sparks won their first 11 games, the second-longest winning streak to open a season in WNBA history, and began 20-1 to equal the best-ever start.
Los Angeles hasn't played a game since posting a regular-season-ending victory over the San Antonio Stars on Sept. 16. The Sparks received a double bye into the semifinals.
"It's real strange, real strange," Agler said about the layoff in the playoffs. "But we'll be ready this time around. We have to be."
Conversely, Chicago, by way of the No. 4 seed, had only a first-round bye, then beat the Atlanta Dream 108-98 in a single-game elimination playoff round on Sunday to reach the semifinals.
The availability of Chicago forward Elena Delle Donne, who has been sidelined since Sept. 12 after undergoing thumb surgery, could be a huge factor in this series. The Sky hopes to have Delle Donne back for at least some of the series to help counter the Sparks' dynamic frontcourt tandem of Ogwumike and former MVP Candace Parker.
Chicago is 4-2 without Delle Donne, surprising many who thought the team would fade without its star in the lineup.
"Everybody has written us off, and I don't think anybody believed that we were going to be able win games without her except us," Sky point guard Courtney Vandersloot said after the win over Atlanta. "The biggest factor is we believe that we can do it and we all know that we had to step up. We have enough on this team to get it done."
The Sky went 7-3 over their final 10 regular-season games. Chicago led the league in scoring at 90.1 points per contest despite playing its final five games without Delle Donne.
Chicago beat Atlanta in the second round of the playoffs thanks to a balanced attack in which seven players scored at least eight points.
Los Angeles swept the three-game regular-season series with the Sky, winning twice in the Chicago.
WNBA HEAD TO HEAD
Jul 13, 2016 Score ATS Results
LOS « 77 Cover: 4
CHI 67 Under: 144
Tools: Recaps
Jun 14, 2016 Score ATS Results
CHI 85 Over: 183
LOS « 98 Cover: 5
Tools: Recaps
May 24, 2016 Score ATS Results
LOS « 93 Cover: 10
CHI 80 Over: 173
Tools: Recaps
WNBA
Long Sheet
Wednesday, September 28
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX (18 - 18) at MINNESOTA (28 - 6) - 9/28/2016, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 9-8 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 9-8 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
12 of 17 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHICAGO (19 - 16) at LOS ANGELES (26 - 8) - 9/28/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in road games after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 29-46 ATS (-21.6 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 19-31 ATS (-15.1 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 17-36 ATS (-22.6 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 14-27 ATS (-15.7 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in August or September games this season.
LOS ANGELES is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in home games against Eastern conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 6-13 ATS (-8.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game after 15+ games this season.
LOS ANGELES is 8-15 ATS (-8.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 6-1 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 6-1 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WNBA
Wednesday, September 28
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. MINNESOTA
Phoenix is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Phoenix is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Minnesota's last 11 games when playing at home against Phoenix
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 12 games at home
10:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. LOS ANGELES
Chicago is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Chicago's last 11 games when playing Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Los Angeles's last 11 games when playing Chicago
Los Angeles is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
WNBA
Dunkel
Wednesday, September 28
Phoenix @ Minnesota
Game 651-652
September 28, 2016 @ 8:00 pm
Dunkel Rating:
Phoenix
111.137
Minnesota
119.504
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 8 1/2
160
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
by 5 1/2
166
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(-5 1/2); Under
Long Sheet
Wednesday, September 28
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX (18 - 18) at MINNESOTA (28 - 6) - 9/28/2016, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 9-8 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 9-8 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
12 of 17 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHICAGO (19 - 16) at LOS ANGELES (26 - 8) - 9/28/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in road games after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 29-46 ATS (-21.6 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 19-31 ATS (-15.1 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 17-36 ATS (-22.6 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 14-27 ATS (-15.7 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in August or September games this season.
LOS ANGELES is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in home games against Eastern conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 6-13 ATS (-8.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game after 15+ games this season.
LOS ANGELES is 8-15 ATS (-8.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 6-1 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 6-1 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WNBA
Wednesday, September 28
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. MINNESOTA
Phoenix is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Phoenix is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Minnesota's last 11 games when playing at home against Phoenix
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 12 games at home
10:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. LOS ANGELES
Chicago is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Chicago's last 11 games when playing Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Los Angeles's last 11 games when playing Chicago
Los Angeles is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
WNBA
Dunkel
Wednesday, September 28
Phoenix @ Minnesota
Game 651-652
September 28, 2016 @ 8:00 pm
Dunkel Rating:
Phoenix
111.137
Minnesota
119.504
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 8 1/2
160
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
by 5 1/2
166
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(-5 1/2); Under
Armadillo: Friday's six-pack
NFL trends to ponder with Week 4 already underway……..
— Dallas is 3-7-1 in last 11 games outside its division.
— Raiders covered eight of their last ten road games.
— Texans are 9-3 in last 12 games as a home favorite.
— Washington is 16-31-2 in its last 49 games as a favorite.
— New Orleans is 8-3-1 in last 12 games as an underdog.
— Colts covered three of last ten tries as a favorite.
**********
Armadillo:Friday's List of 13: Things I’m looking for this weekend……..
13) Stanford-Washington is big game in Pac-12 North; Huskies needed OT to win at Arizona last week. Cardinal beat USC/UCLA last two weeks; they’re due for a letdown.
12) How healthy is Russell Wilson? Seattle has its bye next week; Wilson has already hurt an ankle and a knee in three games. If Wilson can’t go, TCU rookie Boykin would get his first NFL start in unfriendly Swamp Stadium, against a Jet squad that is 15-10 vs spread at home the last 3+ seasons. Jets had eight turnovers in an awful loss at Arrowhead last week.
11) Memphis-Ole Miss is regional rivalry, of sorts; they do some recruiting against one another. Tigers have been unable to get into a Power 5 league; games like this against an SEC opponent are important to them.
10) Falcons are averaging 7.0 yards per play, best in NFL; they can go up two games on defending NFC champ Carolina in NFC South with win here.
9) USC is 1-3 but is a 10-point home favorite over an Arizona State team that plays wild games- they’ve been lousy on defense but are still 4-0. Trojan Nation is not used to being 1-3.
8) Whats the deal with 9:30am ET NFL games from England? Colts-Jaguars is not something I’m anxious to set my alarm for. Rams play the Giants in three weeks, also a 9:30 kickoff, so it can be a day game in England. When is a person supposed to sleep?
7) Field for the baseball playoffs should be set by Sunday night; will they need playoff game(s) to figure out who the Wild Cards are?
6) Ed Orgeron is the interim coach for LSU, which is a 13-point favorite over Missouri. Curious to see if he has changed their offense in the six days since Les Miles was fired- he said he wants them to run the spread. Oregon was once the interim coach at USC and the head coach at Ole Miss. How much can you change in six days?
5) How good are the 3-0 Ravens? They’ve played Bills-Browns-Jaguars, none of whom bear any resemblance to the ’72 Dolphins, but you are what you are and they’re 3-0. Oakland comes to town with a high scoring offense— this is an interesting game.
4) Oklahoma-TCU should be a good game; Horned Frogs have one of the youngest teams in country, but they’re still very talented. Sooners are 1-2, play Texas next week. Tense times in Norman.
3) Drew Brees plays his first game as a visitor in San Diego, 11 years after his last season for the Chargers. New Orleans is traveling on a short week; their defense is terrible, but Chargers have had a hard time holding leads in their two losses so far.
2) Disappointed that Oregon-Washington State is on Pac-12 Network, since DirecTV doesn’t carry it. Just got my DirecTV bill a few minutes ago; for what I’m paying, they should throw in the Pac-12 Network for free. But thats not how rich people get rich.
1) I really like James Winston as a prospect but he panicked on the last play against the Rams LW, losing track of where the line of scrimmage was. Very interested in how he does against this strong Denver defense.
NFL trends to ponder with Week 4 already underway……..
— Dallas is 3-7-1 in last 11 games outside its division.
— Raiders covered eight of their last ten road games.
— Texans are 9-3 in last 12 games as a home favorite.
— Washington is 16-31-2 in its last 49 games as a favorite.
— New Orleans is 8-3-1 in last 12 games as an underdog.
— Colts covered three of last ten tries as a favorite.
**********
Armadillo:Friday's List of 13: Things I’m looking for this weekend……..
13) Stanford-Washington is big game in Pac-12 North; Huskies needed OT to win at Arizona last week. Cardinal beat USC/UCLA last two weeks; they’re due for a letdown.
12) How healthy is Russell Wilson? Seattle has its bye next week; Wilson has already hurt an ankle and a knee in three games. If Wilson can’t go, TCU rookie Boykin would get his first NFL start in unfriendly Swamp Stadium, against a Jet squad that is 15-10 vs spread at home the last 3+ seasons. Jets had eight turnovers in an awful loss at Arrowhead last week.
11) Memphis-Ole Miss is regional rivalry, of sorts; they do some recruiting against one another. Tigers have been unable to get into a Power 5 league; games like this against an SEC opponent are important to them.
10) Falcons are averaging 7.0 yards per play, best in NFL; they can go up two games on defending NFC champ Carolina in NFC South with win here.
9) USC is 1-3 but is a 10-point home favorite over an Arizona State team that plays wild games- they’ve been lousy on defense but are still 4-0. Trojan Nation is not used to being 1-3.
8) Whats the deal with 9:30am ET NFL games from England? Colts-Jaguars is not something I’m anxious to set my alarm for. Rams play the Giants in three weeks, also a 9:30 kickoff, so it can be a day game in England. When is a person supposed to sleep?
7) Field for the baseball playoffs should be set by Sunday night; will they need playoff game(s) to figure out who the Wild Cards are?
6) Ed Orgeron is the interim coach for LSU, which is a 13-point favorite over Missouri. Curious to see if he has changed their offense in the six days since Les Miles was fired- he said he wants them to run the spread. Oregon was once the interim coach at USC and the head coach at Ole Miss. How much can you change in six days?
5) How good are the 3-0 Ravens? They’ve played Bills-Browns-Jaguars, none of whom bear any resemblance to the ’72 Dolphins, but you are what you are and they’re 3-0. Oakland comes to town with a high scoring offense— this is an interesting game.
4) Oklahoma-TCU should be a good game; Horned Frogs have one of the youngest teams in country, but they’re still very talented. Sooners are 1-2, play Texas next week. Tense times in Norman.
3) Drew Brees plays his first game as a visitor in San Diego, 11 years after his last season for the Chargers. New Orleans is traveling on a short week; their defense is terrible, but Chargers have had a hard time holding leads in their two losses so far.
2) Disappointed that Oregon-Washington State is on Pac-12 Network, since DirecTV doesn’t carry it. Just got my DirecTV bill a few minutes ago; for what I’m paying, they should throw in the Pac-12 Network for free. But thats not how rich people get rich.
1) I really like James Winston as a prospect but he panicked on the last play against the Rams LW, losing track of where the line of scrimmage was. Very interested in how he does against this strong Denver defense.
WNBA
Long Sheet
Friday, September 30
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX (18 - 19) at MINNESOTA (29 - 6) - 9/30/2016, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 10-8 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 10-8 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
12 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHICAGO (19 - 17) at LOS ANGELES (27 - 8) - 9/30/2016, 10:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 7-1 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 7-1 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WNBA
Friday, September 30
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Phoenix's last 12 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Phoenix is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games on the road
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games at home
10:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. LOS ANGELES
Chicago is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Chicago is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago
Los Angeles is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
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DUNKEL'S HIGHLIGHTED GAME
Chicago at Los Angeles - Friday September 30, 2016
The Sky look to bounce back from their 95-75 loss in Game 1 and come into tonight’s contest with a 4-0-1 ATS record in their last 5 games following a SU defeat. Chicago is the pick (+11 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Sparks favored by only 8. Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+11 1/2). To get all of today’s WNBA picks, click on the date below.
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2016
Chicago
@
Los Angeles
Game 657-658
September 30, 2016 @ 10:00 pm
Dunkel Rating: Chicago
109.295
Los Angeles
117.237
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Los Angeles
by 8
174
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Los Angeles
by 11 1/2
168
Dunkel Pick: Chicago
(+11 1/2); Over
Phoenix
@
Minnesota
Game 655-656
September 30, 2016 @ 8:00 pm
Dunkel Rating: Phoenix
112.573
Minnesota
121.167
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Minnesota
by 8 1/2
174
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Minnesota
by 6 1/2
169
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota
(-6 1/2); Over
Long Sheet
Friday, September 30
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PHOENIX (18 - 19) at MINNESOTA (29 - 6) - 9/30/2016, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 10-8 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 10-8 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
12 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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CHICAGO (19 - 17) at LOS ANGELES (27 - 8) - 9/30/2016, 10:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 7-1 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 7-1 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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WNBA
Friday, September 30
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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Phoenix's last 12 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Phoenix is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games on the road
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games at home
10:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. LOS ANGELES
Chicago is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Chicago is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago
Los Angeles is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
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DUNKEL'S HIGHLIGHTED GAME
Chicago at Los Angeles - Friday September 30, 2016
The Sky look to bounce back from their 95-75 loss in Game 1 and come into tonight’s contest with a 4-0-1 ATS record in their last 5 games following a SU defeat. Chicago is the pick (+11 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Sparks favored by only 8. Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+11 1/2). To get all of today’s WNBA picks, click on the date below.
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2016
Chicago
@
Los Angeles
Game 657-658
September 30, 2016 @ 10:00 pm
Dunkel Rating: Chicago
109.295
Los Angeles
117.237
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Los Angeles
by 8
174
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Los Angeles
by 11 1/2
168
Dunkel Pick: Chicago
(+11 1/2); Over
Phoenix
@
Minnesota
Game 655-656
September 30, 2016 @ 8:00 pm
Dunkel Rating: Phoenix
112.573
Minnesota
121.167
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Minnesota
by 8 1/2
174
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Minnesota
by 6 1/2
169
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota
(-6 1/2); Over
WNBA Playoff Capsules
October 1, 2016
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Maya Moore scored 26 points and the defending WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx beat the Phoenix Mercury 96-86 on Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in the semifinal series.
Lindsay Whalen scored 12 of her 16 points in the fourth quarter for Minnesota, playing at the Xcel Energy Center - home of the NHL's Minnesota Wild - for the second straight game because of a scheduling conflict at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Rebekkah Brunson added 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Sylvia Fowles had 14 points and nine rebounds for the top-seeded Lynx. Earlier Friday, Fowles was honored as the league's defensive player of the year and Cheryl Reeve as the coach of the year.
Diana Taurasi had 31 points for the eighth-seeded Mercury. Penny Taylor added 16.
SPARKS 99, SKY 84
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Candace Parker had 20 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists to help the Los Angeles rout Chicago for a 2-0 series lead.
League sixth woman of the year Jantel Lavender added 20 points, league MVP Nneka Ogwumike had 18, and Kristi Toliver 17 in the Sparks' return to their home court at Staples Center. They won Game 1 by 20 points in Long Beach on Wednesday night.
Reserve Clarissa Dos Santos scored 15 points and Jamierra Faulkner added 14 for the Sky. Elena Delle Donne watched in street clothes again because of a right thumb injury. She shared the league scoring title with New York's Tina Charles, averaging 21.5 points.
October 1, 2016
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Maya Moore scored 26 points and the defending WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx beat the Phoenix Mercury 96-86 on Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in the semifinal series.
Lindsay Whalen scored 12 of her 16 points in the fourth quarter for Minnesota, playing at the Xcel Energy Center - home of the NHL's Minnesota Wild - for the second straight game because of a scheduling conflict at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Rebekkah Brunson added 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Sylvia Fowles had 14 points and nine rebounds for the top-seeded Lynx. Earlier Friday, Fowles was honored as the league's defensive player of the year and Cheryl Reeve as the coach of the year.
Diana Taurasi had 31 points for the eighth-seeded Mercury. Penny Taylor added 16.
SPARKS 99, SKY 84
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Candace Parker had 20 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists to help the Los Angeles rout Chicago for a 2-0 series lead.
League sixth woman of the year Jantel Lavender added 20 points, league MVP Nneka Ogwumike had 18, and Kristi Toliver 17 in the Sparks' return to their home court at Staples Center. They won Game 1 by 20 points in Long Beach on Wednesday night.
Reserve Clarissa Dos Santos scored 15 points and Jamierra Faulkner added 14 for the Sky. Elena Delle Donne watched in street clothes again because of a right thumb injury. She shared the league scoring title with New York's Tina Charles, averaging 21.5 points.
Semifinals
(Best of 5)
Wednesday, Sept. 28
Game 1: Minnesota 113, Phoenix 95 — GAME INFO
Game 1: Los Angeles 95, Chicago 75 — GAME INFO
Friday, Sept. 30
Game 2: Minnesota 96, Phoenix 86 — GAME INFO
Game 2: (4) Chicago at (2) Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET (ESPNews)
Sunday, Oct. 2
Game 3: (2) Los Angeles at (4) Chicago, 3 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 3: (1) Minnesota at (8) Phoenix, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Tuesday, Oct. 4
Game 4*: (1) Minnesota at (8) Phoenix, TBD (ESPN2)
Game 4*: (2) Los Angeles at (4) Chicago, TBD (ESPN2)
Thursday, Oct. 6
Game 5*: (8) Phoenix at (1) Minnesota, TBD (ESPN2)
Game 5*: (4) Chicago at (2) Los Angeles, TBD (ESPN2)
*If necessary
(Best of 5)
Wednesday, Sept. 28
Game 1: Minnesota 113, Phoenix 95 — GAME INFO
Game 1: Los Angeles 95, Chicago 75 — GAME INFO
Friday, Sept. 30
Game 2: Minnesota 96, Phoenix 86 — GAME INFO
Game 2: (4) Chicago at (2) Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET (ESPNews)
Sunday, Oct. 2
Game 3: (2) Los Angeles at (4) Chicago, 3 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 3: (1) Minnesota at (8) Phoenix, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Tuesday, Oct. 4
Game 4*: (1) Minnesota at (8) Phoenix, TBD (ESPN2)
Game 4*: (2) Los Angeles at (4) Chicago, TBD (ESPN2)
Thursday, Oct. 6
Game 5*: (8) Phoenix at (1) Minnesota, TBD (ESPN2)
Game 5*: (4) Chicago at (2) Los Angeles, TBD (ESPN2)
*If necessary
SEMIFINALS
#1 LYNX LEAD #8 MERCURY 2-0
Game 2 (Lynx 96, Mercury 86) — Minnesota’s star power once again proved too much for the Mercury, and Maya Moore once again led the charge with 26 points. The Lynx took command in a dominating first quarter, outscoring Phoenix 35-24 in the opening frame. The teams combined for a WNBA Playoff record 62 free throws. Box Score | Olympians Lead Lynx | Brunson 2nd in Playoff Rebounding
Game 1 (Lynx 113, Mercury 95) — Behind 31 points from Maya Moore — including 15 in the first quarter — and with five more Lynx players scoring in double-figures, Minnesota set the WNBA regulation playoff scoring record with 113 points in their victory over Phoenix in Game 1 of their Semifinal matchup. Diana Taurasi poured in 25 points in the loss. Box Score | Moore Pours in 31 | Moore vs. Taurasi Duel
#2 SPARKS LEAD #4 SKY, 2-0
Game 2 (Sparks 99, Sky 84) — Candace Parker and Jantel Lavender scored 20 points each to lead all scorers, and Nneka Ogwumike added 18 of her own as the Sparks cruised to a Game 2 victory. They knocked down 10 three-pointers on the evening, and held the Sky to just 38.5 percent shooting from the field. Box Score | Sparks Sink 10 Threes | Parker, Ogwumike Combine for 38
Game 1 (Sparks 95, Sky 75) — Fresh off Nneka’s MVP award and Jantel Lavender taking home Sixth Woman of the Year, the Sparks looked like a force to be reckoned with in their 20-point victory over the Sky. Ogwumike and Candace Parker combined for 57 points in the victory. Elena Delle Donne was ruled out for Chicago as she recovers from thumb surgery. Box Score | Parker Drops 30 Points | Ogwumike’s Double-Double
#1 LYNX LEAD #8 MERCURY 2-0
Game 2 (Lynx 96, Mercury 86) — Minnesota’s star power once again proved too much for the Mercury, and Maya Moore once again led the charge with 26 points. The Lynx took command in a dominating first quarter, outscoring Phoenix 35-24 in the opening frame. The teams combined for a WNBA Playoff record 62 free throws. Box Score | Olympians Lead Lynx | Brunson 2nd in Playoff Rebounding
Game 1 (Lynx 113, Mercury 95) — Behind 31 points from Maya Moore — including 15 in the first quarter — and with five more Lynx players scoring in double-figures, Minnesota set the WNBA regulation playoff scoring record with 113 points in their victory over Phoenix in Game 1 of their Semifinal matchup. Diana Taurasi poured in 25 points in the loss. Box Score | Moore Pours in 31 | Moore vs. Taurasi Duel
#2 SPARKS LEAD #4 SKY, 2-0
Game 2 (Sparks 99, Sky 84) — Candace Parker and Jantel Lavender scored 20 points each to lead all scorers, and Nneka Ogwumike added 18 of her own as the Sparks cruised to a Game 2 victory. They knocked down 10 three-pointers on the evening, and held the Sky to just 38.5 percent shooting from the field. Box Score | Sparks Sink 10 Threes | Parker, Ogwumike Combine for 38
Game 1 (Sparks 95, Sky 75) — Fresh off Nneka’s MVP award and Jantel Lavender taking home Sixth Woman of the Year, the Sparks looked like a force to be reckoned with in their 20-point victory over the Sky. Ogwumike and Candace Parker combined for 57 points in the victory. Elena Delle Donne was ruled out for Chicago as she recovers from thumb surgery. Box Score | Parker Drops 30 Points | Ogwumike’s Double-Double
WNBA
Long Sheet
Sunday, October 2
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MINNESOTA (30 - 6) at PHOENIX (18 - 20) - 10/2/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 13-30 ATS (-20.0 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games since 1997.
PHOENIX is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) on Sunday games this season.
MINNESOTA is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in the conference finals since 1997.
PHOENIX is 31-43 ATS (-16.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 11-8 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 11-8 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
12 of 19 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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LOS ANGELES (28 - 8) at CHICAGO (19 - 18) - 10/2/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 31-46 ATS (-19.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 87-116 ATS (-40.6 Units) after a win by 10 points or more since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 163-209 ATS (-66.9 Units) after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 13-23 ATS (-12.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 17-30 ATS (-16.0 Units) against Western conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 17-30 ATS (-16.0 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) in home games after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 23-34 ATS (-14.4 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 8-1 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 8-1 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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WNBA
Sunday, October 2
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Trend Report
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3:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. CHICAGO
Los Angeles is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Los Angeles's last 7 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Los Angeles
Chicago is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
5:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Minnesota is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Phoenix is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Minnesota
Phoenix is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Long Sheet
Sunday, October 2
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MINNESOTA (30 - 6) at PHOENIX (18 - 20) - 10/2/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 13-30 ATS (-20.0 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games since 1997.
PHOENIX is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) on Sunday games this season.
MINNESOTA is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in the conference finals since 1997.
PHOENIX is 31-43 ATS (-16.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 11-8 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 11-8 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
12 of 19 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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LOS ANGELES (28 - 8) at CHICAGO (19 - 18) - 10/2/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 31-46 ATS (-19.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 87-116 ATS (-40.6 Units) after a win by 10 points or more since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 163-209 ATS (-66.9 Units) after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 13-23 ATS (-12.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 17-30 ATS (-16.0 Units) against Western conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 17-30 ATS (-16.0 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) in home games after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 23-34 ATS (-14.4 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 8-1 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 8-1 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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WNBA
Sunday, October 2
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Trend Report
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3:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. CHICAGO
Los Angeles is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Los Angeles's last 7 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Los Angeles
Chicago is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
5:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Minnesota is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Phoenix is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Minnesota
Phoenix is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
WNBA Playoff Capsules
October 2, 2016
PHOENIX (AP) Maya Moore scored 20 points and Natasha Howard added 17 to help the defending WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx beat the Phoenix Mercury 82-67 on Sunday, completing a three-game sweep of the semifinal series.
The top-seeded Lynx, who also eliminated the Mercury in the penultimate round a year ago, await the winner of Los Angeles-Chicago in their return trip to the WNBA finals.
Diana Taurasi had 12 points, after averaging 26.5 in her first four playoff games this year, as the eighth-seeded Mercury again had trouble with turnovers (15) and shot just 41 percent from the field. Taurasi was held to just one point in the second half, missing her three attempts from the field, all from 3-point range.
Howard had six points during a key third quarter run that saw the Lynx pull away.
SKY 70, SPARKS 66
ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) - Courtney Vandersloot scored 17 points and the Sky held off the Sparks to force a Game 4 in the WNBA semifinals.
Imani Boyette added 13 points and Clarissa Dos Santos had 10 for the fourth-seeded Sky, who have been playing without leading scorer and rebounder Elena Delle Donne. The 2015 league MVP underwent right thumb surgery on Sept. 13.
League MVP Nneka Ogwumike had 16 of her 22 points in the first half and Kristi Toliver added 13 for the second-seeded Sparks, who won the first two games of the series at home by double digits.
Two-time MVP Candace Parker shot 3 for 14 from the field for nine points and league sixth woman of the year Jantel Lavender finished with six points for the Sparks.
Game 4 is back here Tuesday night.
October 2, 2016
PHOENIX (AP) Maya Moore scored 20 points and Natasha Howard added 17 to help the defending WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx beat the Phoenix Mercury 82-67 on Sunday, completing a three-game sweep of the semifinal series.
The top-seeded Lynx, who also eliminated the Mercury in the penultimate round a year ago, await the winner of Los Angeles-Chicago in their return trip to the WNBA finals.
Diana Taurasi had 12 points, after averaging 26.5 in her first four playoff games this year, as the eighth-seeded Mercury again had trouble with turnovers (15) and shot just 41 percent from the field. Taurasi was held to just one point in the second half, missing her three attempts from the field, all from 3-point range.
Howard had six points during a key third quarter run that saw the Lynx pull away.
SKY 70, SPARKS 66
ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) - Courtney Vandersloot scored 17 points and the Sky held off the Sparks to force a Game 4 in the WNBA semifinals.
Imani Boyette added 13 points and Clarissa Dos Santos had 10 for the fourth-seeded Sky, who have been playing without leading scorer and rebounder Elena Delle Donne. The 2015 league MVP underwent right thumb surgery on Sept. 13.
League MVP Nneka Ogwumike had 16 of her 22 points in the first half and Kristi Toliver added 13 for the second-seeded Sparks, who won the first two games of the series at home by double digits.
Two-time MVP Candace Parker shot 3 for 14 from the field for nine points and league sixth woman of the year Jantel Lavender finished with six points for the Sparks.
Game 4 is back here Tuesday night.
