Wnba 2014 season long hoops thread- picks, news, stats !

[CNOTES]

Preview: Mercury (5-2) at Mystics (4-4)

Date: June 10, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


Be it luck or otherwise, the Phoenix Mercury are off to a solid start after pulling out an unlikely victory their last time out.

The Washington Mystics could use some luck when it comes to making shots.

Phoenix makes another stop on its season-high five-game road trip Tuesday night as it looks to hand the Mystics a third straight defeat.

The Mercury (5-2) have split the first two games of the trip and have won three of four after beating San Antonio 91-79 in double overtime Saturday. Trailing by six with 13 seconds left in regulation, Diana Taurasi and DeWanna Bonner hit 3-pointers to send the game into OT.

Taurasi finished with 19 points and was named Western Conference player of the week after averaging 20.3 points, 5.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds over three games.

'Sometimes there's a little bit of luck involved,' coach Sandy Brondello said. 'DeWanna hadn't made a 3 the whole game, but I had no hesitation going to her because I know she's capable of doing that. They just made big plays.'

Candice Dupree had a season-high 26 points and Brittney Griner added 16 and 18 rebounds for the Mercury, who will play Connecticut on Thursday and Minnesota on Sunday to finish the trip.

Phoenix won both meetings with Washington last season as Taurasi totaled 57 points. She seeks another solid performance against the Mystics (4-4), who are looking to bounce back after dropping the final two during a stretch of three games in four days.

They shot 29.5 percent in a 64-61 defeat to Indiana on Friday before hitting 33.3 percent from the field in Sunday's 81-64 loss to New York. Leading scorer Ivory Latta took only three shots and hit one while finishing with five points against the Liberty.

"We're still struggling shooting the ball," coach Mike Thibault said. "We're just not making shots. Everybody tries to make basketball more complicated than it is. Either the ball goes in or it doesn't. Sometimes it's not any more complicated than that."

Kara Lawson hit 6 of 10 from the field and finished with 17 points off the bench after totaling 15 in her previous four games. Kia Vaughn hit 4 of 9 shots and scored eight.

"Kara got going a little bit," Thibault said. "Kia Vaughn had a decent game. Beyond that, I don't think we had a lot of positives."

Washington ranks 10th in the 12-team league in field-goal percentage (40.4) and scoring (72.5). Phoenix is first at 48.7 percent shooting and second with 83.6 points per game.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Liberty (3-5) at Shock (1-5)

Date: June 10, 2014 12:30 PM EDT


The Tulsa Shock have shed themselves of the label of the only WNBA team without a win. The New York Liberty have halted a three-game losing streak.

The teams will both try for their first winning streak of the season Tuesday in Tulsa, where the Shock will be going for a third straight home win in the series.

The Shock (1-5) began a four-game homestand with Friday's 94-78 victory over Phoenix.

"It's been a learning process and tonight it really kicked in for us," first-year coach Fred Williams said. "The guards really got after it defensively. That really set the tone for us up and down the floor."

The guards also got after it offensively, with rookie Odyssey Sims scoring a season-high 21 points while backcourt mate Skylar Diggins added 20, reaching that mark for the fourth time in six games after averaging 8.5 points as a rookie. She also had nine assists, matching her own Shock single-game record set on May 17 in San Antonio.

"I thought we had better spacing," Diggins said. "We have bigs like (Courtney Paris) and Glory (Johnson) who can finish. (Jennifer Lacy) came in and knocked a few (shots) down. It was a total team effort."

The Liberty (3-5) were similarly effective in Sunday's 81-64 home win over Washington, shooting 48.4 percent and going 7 for 11 from 3-point range while limiting the Mystics to 33.3 percent overall.

"I think after the last game we realized the energy level has to be better," coach Bill Laimbeer said. "We also had to open our offense more, which we did. We put a lot of stuff in the last couple of days. And I think they appreciated that and started to perform accordingly."

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Storm (3-6) at Sky (5-3)

Date: June 10, 2014 8:00 PM EDT


Storm coach Brian Agler opted to bench All-Stars Sue Bird and Crystal Langhorne in favor of a shutdown lineup for the fourth quarter of their previous game and the result was Seattle's biggest win of the season.

After his tactic worked with WNBA leading scorer Maya Moore, Agler could use a similar approach Tuesday night when the Storm open a four-game trip against high-scoring Elena Delle Donne and the Chicago Sky.

Trailing by seven entering the final quarter against the unbeaten and defending champion Minnesota Lynx on Friday, Agler went with a lineup focused on stopping Moore despite Bird's season-high 10 assists and Langhorne's 13 points after three quarters.

Moore came in averaging 27.6 points but had only two in the fourth against Seattle (3-6), which held on for a 65-62 win after Tanisha Wright hit two free throws with 10.3 seconds remaining. Moore finished with 12 points.

"That group out there just played so instinctual defensively," Agler said. "I thought our defensive efforts in the second half were really on task. They made a lot of good decisions. I'm proud of our players. Hopefully we can build on that."

Wright scored 13 points to help the Storm win for the second time in three games after dropping five of their first six.

"We've had a lot of close games where we didn't close it out, or we were in position to win and gave it away," said Camille Little, who added 12 points. "I think we really wanted to focus on closing the game."

The focus now shifts to carrying that defensive effort into this contest while trying to force Delle Donne into another off night.

After scoring a career-high 33 points in Friday's 102-88 loss to Los Angeles, Delle Donne had a season-low seven and shot just 3 of 10 from the field in Saturday's 97-59 loss to Atlanta. She ranks second to Moore with a 22.3 scoring average.

The Sky (5-3) dropped out of sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with the back-to-back losses and were held to a season low for points against the Dream. Allie Quigley scored a team-high 11 off the bench, while Jessica Breland added 10.

"We just never got out of the gate," coach Pokey Chatman said.

Epiphanny Prince, who took a sabbatical from the Sky citing fatigue, scored seven points in nine minutes off the bench in her first appearance of the season. The guard averaged 15.0 points last season, and she'll likely be eased into her normal starting role as she gets back into game shape.

Chatman has used the same starting lineup for all eight games this season - Delle Donne, Breland, Courtney Vandersloot, Sasha Goddlett and Tamera Young - and it's unclear who will be the odd woman out when Prince gets back into the first five.

These teams split two meetings last season, with each club winning on the road.

 

[CNOTES]

Tuesday, June 10

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Phoenix - 7:00 PM ET Phoenix -4.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Washington - Over 152.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY


Seattle - 8:00 PM ET Seattle +6 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Chicago - Under 145.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Storm (4-6) at Fever (4-4)

Date: June 11, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


The Indiana Fever are set to honor Lin Dunn, who will be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend.

Despite all the distractions, the legendary coach remains focused on beating her former team.

The Fever could come out extra motivated as they go for a sixth consecutive home win over the Seattle Storm on Wednesday night.

In her seventh and final season with Indiana (4-4), Dunn, who announced her retirement in May, will be feted during a pre-game ceremony. She is the winningest coach in franchise history with 123 victories.

"All I know really for sure is that (Wednesday) night we're celebrating diversity night, we're playing the Seattle Storm and we're trying to beat them," said Dunn, who served as Seattle's first coach from 2000-02. "The good news is by Thursday, that'll be behind us and we'll be focused on the Hall of Fame event on Saturday, and then Sunday everything will be behind us and we can really get focused on this team."

After its four-game winning streak was snapped with Saturday's 88-71 loss at Connecticut, Indiana is hoping to bounce back.

"To get a win over her (Dunn's) old team might be a little icing on the cake," said point guard Briann January, leading the Fever with 14.1 points per game. "Just play our basketball from start to finish. From the tip-off, we need to play Fever defense, we need to play together on offense and put each other in successful situations and just play hard for 40 minutes."

The Fever's last home loss to the Storm was a 65-59 defeat in 2008.

"Seattle's really tough," said Dunn, whose team continues to play without All-Star forward Tamika Catchings. "They're a scrappy little team. They're down a player or two, they remind me a lot of us. They defend hard, they play hard. I think the key for us is they're coming off (the first leg of) a back-to-back. We need to keep the tempo up, we need to attack, we need to run, we need to get to the free-throw line. We need to make it a real up-tempo game."

The Storm (4-6) are coming off consecutive wins for the first time after pulling out an 80-76 victory at Chicago on Tuesday. Guard Tanisha Wright led the way with 17 points while Sue Bird and Camille Little combined for 25 against the Sky, who were without superstar Elena Delle Donne.

Seattle, which beat defending WNBA champion Minnesota 65-62 on Friday, outscored Chicago 42-30 in the first half and led by as many as 17 before letting up a bit down the stretch.

"Defensively we've been playing better," coach Brian Agler said. "We didn't do real well in the second half or the fourth quarter."

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA
Dunkel

Seattle at Indiana
The Storm (4-6) head to Indiana tonight to face a Fever team that is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games versus a team with a losing SU record. Seattle is the pick (+6) according to Dunkel, which has the Storm favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+6). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11

Game 601-602: Seattle at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle 109.410; Indiana 108.471
Dunkel Line & Total: Seattle by 1; 146
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 6; 137
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+6); Over




WNBA

Wednesday, June 11

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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7:00 PM
SEATTLE vs. INDIANA
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Seattle's last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Seattle's last 6 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Indiana is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Seattle
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 6 games when playing at home against Seattle

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA Betting Recap - 6/2-6/8

June 8, 2014

League Betting Notes (from Monday, June 2 through Sunday, June 8)

-- Underdogs went 7-6 straight up
-- Underdogs went 7-6 against the spread (ATS)
-- Home teams posted a 7-6 SU record
-- Home teams posted a 7-6 ATS record
-- The 'over' went 8-5

Team Betting Notes

-- It was another high-scoring week in the WNBA, with the 'over' cashing in eight of 13 games. So far through 38 games, the over is 22-15-1 (59.5%).

-- Oddly enough, Minnesota (8-1) saw the under cash in each of its two games this past week after the over hit in six of their first seven outings. However, after starting out 1-3 ATS, the Lynx have posted a 4-1 ATS mark over its past five games.

-- Tulsa (1-5) 'shocked' visiting Phoenix (5-2) Friday for its first win of the season. Despite their awful overall record, the Shock have been competitive. Tulsa is an impressive 5-1 ATS so far through six games.

-- The Mercury was able to bounce back Saturday on road against San Antonio (4-5). Brittney Griner and company has now watched the over cash in four consecutive games.

-- Washington (4-4) lost back-to-back games for the first time this season Sunday in New York (3-5). It was a rare over for the Mystics, who entered Sunday's game with unders in five of the past six.

-- The Liberty halted a three-game losing streak which saw them go 0-3 ATS during the span. New York looks for back-to-back wins for the first time this season in Tuesday's afternoon game at Tulsa.

-- After starting the season both 4-0 SU and ATS, Chicago (5-3) has hit the skids a bit. Elena Delle Donne and company have managed just one straight-up win over the past four, and they're 1-3 ATS during the span.

 

[CNOTES]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

06/10/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
06/08/14 1-*3-*0 25.00% -*1150 Detail
06/07/14 0-*6-*0 0.00% -*3300 Detail
06/06/14 6-*2-*0 75.00% +*1900 Detail
06/05/14 3-*1-*0 75.00% +*950 Detail
06/03/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail
06/01/14 6-*2-*0 75.00% +*1900 Detail

Totals 22-*16-*0 57.89% +2200



Wednesday, June 11

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Seattle - 7:00 PM ET Seattle +6.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Indiana - Over 137 500 TRIPLE PLAY

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA
Dunkel

Phoenix at Connecticut
The Mercury head to Connecticut tonight where they are 6-0 in their last 6 games versus the Sun. Phoenix is the pick (-5 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Mercury favored by 7 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-5 1/2). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

THURSDAY, JUNE 12

Game 651-652: Phoenix at Connecticut (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 117.919; Connecticut 110.593
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 7 1/2; 163
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 5 1/2; 156 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-5 1/2); Over




WNBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, June 12

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PHOENIX (6 - 2) at CONNECTICUT (3 - 6) - 6/12/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 32-48 ATS (-20.8 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 10-26 ATS (-18.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CONNECTICUT is 2-2 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 3-1 straight up against CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




WNBA

Thursday, June 12

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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7:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. CONNECTICUT
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Phoenix's last 6 games when playing Connecticut
Phoenix is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Connecticut
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Connecticut's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Connecticut's last 8 games when playing at home against Phoenix

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Mercury (6-2) at Sun (3-6)

Date: June 12, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


With Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Candice Dupree playing at a high level, the Phoenix Mercury's up-tempo offense has played a key role in the franchise's best start in 16 years.

As the Connecticut Sun seek their fourth win in five home games, the Mercury will try to keep rolling with their third consecutive win on a five-game trip Thursday night.

Phoenix (6-2) broke open a tie game with a big second half in Tuesday's 81-66 victory at Washington, matching the best eight-game start in team history. The 1998 Mercury started 7-2 before eventually losing to Houston in the WNBA Finals

Griner finished with a season-high 20 points and seven rebounds Tuesday, while Dupree added 18 points and matched a season-high with nine boards. Taurasi scored 13 and came within one of her career high with 10 assists.

'These are games that when you look back on when you're in the playoffs, you can take something from the game when you're not playing well and you can find a way to turn it around and get going," said Taurasi, who averages team highs of 17.9 points and 5.5 assists.

Following a 94-78 loss at previously winless Tulsa in the opener of this trip, Phoenix has bounced back to win its last two to improve its road record to 3-1. Griner totaled 36 points and 25 rebounds, while Dupree scored 44 with 18 boards in the consecutive victories.

The Mercury rank second in the league with 83.3 points per game, but they've been even better of late, averaging 87.4 over the last five. Their 49.0 field-goal percentage leads the WNBA.

Although the Sun allow the highest shooting percentage in the Eastern Conference (46.0) and second-highest 3-point mark (36.1), they've won two of the first three on a four-game homestand that concludes Thursday.

Chiney Ogwumike was limited to 12 points and two rebounds in 18 minutes due to foul trouble Saturday, but Alex Bentley stepped up with a career-high 21 points to lead five players in double figures in an 88-71 win over Indiana.

Ogwumike, a rookie forward, leads the Sun with 16.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.

'It's basketball,' Bentley said following the team's third win in four home games. "You're going to hit some obstacles, some adversity throughout games."

The Sun (3-6), tied for the East's worst record, hope to avoid a third straight home loss to the Mercury. They'll have to pay close attention to DeWanna Bonner, who had 14 points Tuesday and is averaging 25.0 points in her last four meetings with Connecticut.

She finished with 35 points while hitting a career-best six 3-pointers in a 91-82 win at Mohegan Sun Arena on Sept. 7, 2012.

Phoenix took both meetings in 2013, including an 89-70 win at Connecticut on June 29.

 

[CNOTES]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

06/11/14 1-*1-*0 50.00% -*50 Detail
06/10/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
06/08/14 1-*3-*0 25.00% -*1150 Detail
06/07/14 0-*6-*0 0.00% -*3300 Detail
06/06/14 6-*2-*0 75.00% +*1900 Detail
06/05/14 3-*1-*0 75.00% +*950 Detail
06/03/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail
06/01/14 6-*2-*0 75.00% +*1900 Detail

Totals 23-*17-*0 57.50% +2150


Thursday, June 12

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Phoenix - 7:00 PM ET Phoenix -6.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Connecticut - Under 154.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Sky (5-4) at Mystics (4-5)

Date: June 13, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


After encouraging starts to their seasons, the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics are attempting to fight through trying times and get back in the win column.

Chicago's challenge may be more difficult if Elena Delle Donne has to sit again.

With the league's No. 2 scorer still day to day, each club will look to end a three-game losing streak Friday night in the nation's capital.

The Sky (5-4) have dropped four of five since a 4-0 start after falling 80-76 to Seattle on Tuesday. It was announced shortly before tipoff that Delle Donne, last year's rookie of the year who is averaging 22.3 points this season, wouldn't be available due a flareup of Lyme Disease. It's unclear if Delle Donne, who battled the ailment in college, will be able to play in this contest.

"(I'm) exhausted, kind of like how you feel when you have a fever. Really achy, tired," she said.

Jessica Breland also is questionable after sitting out against the Storm with a lower leg injury. Markeisha Gatling scored a career-high 15 points and added 10 rebounds, while Epiphanny Prince came off the bench again in her second game after returning from personal time off to score a game-high 18 points.

"I want to just come out and help win in any way I can," Prince said. "We just have to be more focused with the game plan and come out with a sense of urgency so that we can throw the first punch and not have to play catch-up."

The Mystics (4-5) are likely in a similar frame of mind after falling behind early in each of their last two contests, losing 81-64 to New York on Sunday before Tuesday's 81-66 defeat against Phoenix.

Washington fought back to tie its previous contest at halftime, but coach Mike Thibault called a timeout and substituted for all five players on the floor after the Mercury started the third quarter on a 10-0 run.

Emma Meesseman was the only Mystic in double figures with a career-high 14 points.

"Message delivered," Thibault said. "We'll see if it's received the right way."

The Mystics haven't done much on the positive side lately, especially at home. They've lost four of their six games at Verizon Center and are 2-1 on the road. Ivory Latta has totaled 13 points in her last two games after averaging 14.1 over her first seven.

"Fortunately we've been lucky to get some wins on the road," said Monique Currie, who scored nine points Tuesday. "But we've got to take care of home and we've got to figure out how to win in front of our fans."

Chicago, which has split its two road games, won four of five overall meetings with Washington last season. Delle Donne sat out one with a concussion, but she averaged 19.0 points in the others.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Sun (4-6) at Liberty (3-6)

Date: June 13, 2014 7:30 PM EDT


After finishing with the two worst records in the Eastern Conference in 2013, the New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun shook up their rosters by completing a blockbuster deal on draft night.

The teams, though, again occupy the last two spots in the conference heading into the opener of a home-and-home series Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

The Liberty went 11-23 and Connecticut finished a WNBA-worst 10-24 last year, leading to the Sun selecting Stanford's Chiney Ogwumike with the top overall pick April 14.

Minutes later, Connecticut sent franchise player Tina Charles to New York in exchange for No. 4 pick Alyssa Thomas and forward Kelsey Bone, the fifth overall selection in 2013.

Charles is having a solid season with 15.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, but New York is off to a 3-6 start. The Liberty lost for the fourth time in five games Tuesday, 72-57 at Tulsa, despite Charles' season-high 25 points.

She was the only player in double figures for the Liberty, who shot 35.4 percent and are second-to-last in the league with 70.1 points per game.

That lack of scoring could hinder New York with the Sun (4-6) riding a pair of strong offensive performances to consecutive victories. Connecticut set a season high for points in an 88-71 win over Indiana on Saturday and topped that mark with Thursday's 96-95 victory against Phoenix.

Katie Douglas had 16 points against the Mercury - including all of Connecticut's points during a late 9-2 run - after scoring 15 Saturday.

'As our veteran, she's been keeping us engaged and focused on getting these wins," second-year guard Alex Bentley said.

The Sun, who concluded a 3-1 homestand, haven't won three in a row since the end of the 2012 season.

Bentley, acquired from Washington on March 12, had a career-best 21 points against the Fever before scoring 22 on Thursday as the Sun opened a stretch of three games in four days.

Bentley was selected 13th overall by Atlanta and was named to the league's all-rookie team in 2013 before the Dream sent her to the Mystics in the offseason.

"I'm going to play whatever role (coach) Anne (Donovan) needs me to play," Bentley said. "We are a young team. We are a new team, so we are still finding our niche and doing things together. Whatever I need to do for the team to win is what I'm going to do."

The Liberty rolled to a 75-54 win at Connecticut in the season opener for both teams May 16 as Cappie Pondexter scored 17 and Charles added nine points and nine rebounds. Ogwumike led the Sun with 13 points in her WNBA debut.

Connecticut has lost 12 straight on the road since beating New York 88-66 in Newark, N.J., on Aug. 3. The Liberty played their home games there from 2011-13 as MSG was undergoing a $1 billion renovation.

These teams conclude the home-and-home set Sunday.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Lynx (8-1) at Dream (5-3)

Date: June 13, 2014 7:30 PM EDT


The Atlanta Dream aren't diminishing their accomplishment of appearing in three of the last four WNBA Finals, but coming away without a championship each time has them motivated to get over the hump this season.

Instead, the league's standard has been set by the Minnesota Lynx, who have made three straight Finals appearances and swept Atlanta in both 2011 and 2013.

The Dream look to get some measure of revenge for that most recent setback as they host the Lynx on Friday night.

Atlanta (5-3) has never won a game in the championship round despite winning three Eastern Conference titles. It finds itself in a familiar position atop the conference this season after routing Chicago 97-59 on Saturday for the most lopsided victory in franchise history.

Erika de Souza was named the conference's player of the week, scoring a career-high 27 points in a 93-85 win over Los Angeles on June 3 before finishing with 20 against the Sky.

The 6-foot-5 center ranks among the league leaders in points per game (18.5), rebounds per game (9.5) and field-goal percentage (67.0).

'Everybody plays together this year,' de Souza said. 'I think that step by step, we can win the finals, win the championship.'

Michael Cooper has gradually seen his team improve in his first season coaching the Dream and was pleased with the balanced effort against the Sky. Angel McCoughtry finished with 20 points and Sancho Lyttle added 15 and 12 rebounds.

'Our team is definitely getting better,' Cooper said. 'Slowly but surely you can see we're definitely starting to get to know each other.'

The Lynx are starting to become more familiar with trips to the White House, visiting for the second time in three years Thursday to celebrate last season's Finals victory over Atlanta.

"It's such a big honor," said Maya Moore, who leads the league in scoring at 24.1 points per game. "It's a moment for us to really celebrate and appreciate all the memories and all the things we accomplished last year."

Minnesota (8-1) got its title defense off to a strong start, winning its first seven games. The Lynx bounced back from their first loss Sunday, as Seimone Augustus scored 26 points while Moore added 12 and 13 rebounds in an 85-72 victory over Los Angeles.

The Lynx will be looking to go 3-1 on their road trip, but coach Cheryl Reeve figures the Dream will give them all they can handle.

"Atlanta has been sitting there all week waiting for us," Reeve said. "I suspect Michael Cooper reminded them what the Finals looked like. We've got to know that going in there. It's going to be hard."

Moore was named Finals MVP after averaging 20.0 points against the Dream, who got only 10.0 points per game from de Souza in the series.

Minnesota has won 12 of the last 13 meetings, including the two championship series.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Sparks (3-4) at Shock (2-5)

Date: June 13, 2014 8:00 PM EDT


Though hardly of their own volition, the Tulsa Shock got quite accustomed to losing some tight games during their 0-5 start.

They certainly could get used to the results of their last two.

After coasting to a pair of victories to open their four-game homestand, the suddenly surging Shock look to make it three in a row Friday night against the Los Angeles Sparks.

There was a 22-point rout in Phoenix that served as the outlier in Tulsa's frustrating start, but the other four losses came by a total of 10 points and provided hope that the Shock were on the cusp of turning it around.

They were, though the ensuing results have been anything but down-to-the-wire finishes. Tulsa never trailed after the 9:41 mark of the second quarter in last Friday's 94-78 win over Phoenix, and led wire-to-wire in beating New York 72-57 on Tuesday.

'We really want to make sure we protect home court,' said guard Skylar Diggins, who led the way with 21 points - her fifth 20-point game this season after averaging 8.5 as a rookie. "Basketball is a game of runs. We had ours, and we knew they would have theirs with so many veterans. We were able to sustain it. That shows the effort of this team, the fight that we have."

Courtney Paris' effort inside is also giving the Shock a big boost. Paris had 12 points and a career-high 16 rebounds Tuesday, helping Tulsa win the battle of the boards for a third straight game.

Paris is averaging 9.4 points and 10.6 rebounds while shooting 68.1 percent in nearly 28 minutes a game. She averaged 3.8 points and 12 minutes last season.

"This is the Courtney I saw at (the University of Oklahoma) and in high school," coach Fred Williams said. "She's playing with a lot of confidence. She's very comfortable in what we are trying to do. She's doing a good job around the rim.'

Defense has been a big issue for the Sparks (3-4) in losing three of four. Los Angeles has allowed an average of 89.5 points in that stretch, falling 85-72 at home Sunday to defending champion Minnesota.

The Sparks were outscored 49-27 in the first and fourth quarters.

'You have to start the game and finish the game,' coach Carol Ross said. 'In the first quarter we automatically put ourselves in a position where you have to fight back and it takes a lot more energy to fight from behind than it does to hold the lead. Not a great start at all and not a great finish.'

Los Angeles won four of five meetings with Tulsa last season behind Candace Parker's 23.3 points per game and 56.9 percent shooting. She sat out the Shock's lone victory with a wrist injury.

Tulsa guard Riquna Williams is expected to play despite missing the fourth quarter Tuesday after bruising her knee, while it's unclear if Sparks guard Samantha Prahalis will make her debut after signing a free-agent deal Wednesday.

 

[CNOTES]

Storm-Stars Preview


The Seattle Storm rank as one of the worst shooting teams in the league, and their struggles in the second half their last time out let a potential victory slip away.

In the San Antonio Stars' latest game, an uncharacteristic shooting performance led to their downfall.

Both clubs will look to rebound from particularly discouraging losses when the Stars host the Storm on Friday night.

Seattle (4-7) is shooting 40.9 percent on the season, but its solid start Wednesday against Indiana led to a nine-point second-quarter edge. That lead dissipated, though, and the Storm were outscored by 12 in the fourth of a 76-68 loss.

Camille Little scored 17 points and Tanisha Wright added 15 for Seattle, which shot 46.9 percent.

"(In the first half) we were really focused, really on task with what we really needed to do in order to stop them from doing what they wanted to do," Wright said. "The second half we kind of lost that focus and intensity. We just didn't do as good of a job and down the stretch they took advantage."

Crystal Langhorne and Sue Bird were held in check. Langhorne is averaging 13.5 points but finished with only eight, while Bird went 2 for 8 from the field and hit one of her six 3-point attempts to finish with five points.

"We will learn from that and go on," coach Brian Agler said.

The Stars (4-5) are feeling similarly after falling apart down the stretch of a 91-79 double-overtime loss to Phoenix on Saturday. They hit 50.8 percent from the field in an 87-75 win over New York on June 5 before slipping to 27.8 percent against the Mercury.

Danielle Robinson scored 17 points but hit only 4 of 15 from the field, while Jia Perkins shot 3 of 13 off the bench and scored 11. Kayla McBride, who missed a driving layup as time expired in regulation, finished 3 of 17 from the floor.

"We just didn't shoot well," said guard Becky Hammon, who shot 1 of 10 and missed seven of her eight 3-point attempts. "We shot terrible all game. It wasn't just fatigue. The ball just wasn't going in the hole. It happens."

Coach Dan Hughes tried not to be discouraged after taking one of the Western Conference's top teams down to the wire despite the Stars' shooting woes. They were outscored 14-2 in the second overtime.

"Our effort was good," Hughes said. "Our play wasn't always crisp, and offensively we really struggled."

The Storm won last year's season series 3-2 despite Bird missing each meeting because of knee surgery.

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA
Long Sheet

Friday, June 13

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO (5 - 4) at WASHINGTON (4 - 5) - 6/13/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 249-303 ATS (-84.3 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 45-67 ATS (-28.7 Units) when playing with 2 days rest since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 157-197 ATS (-59.7 Units) vs. division opponents since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 68-95 ATS (-36.5 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 5-4 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 7-2 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MINNESOTA (8 - 1) at ATLANTA (5 - 3) - 6/13/2014, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 0-11 ATS (-12.1 Units) in road games after playing 3 consecutive road games since 1997.
ATLANTA is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in home games in June games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) on Friday over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 11-0 ATS (+11.0 Units) in home games after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 30-15 ATS (+13.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 58-36 ATS (+18.4 Units) in road games against Eastern conference opponents since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 58-36 ATS (+18.4 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 5-2 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 6-1 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONNECTICUT (3 - 6) at NEW YORK (3 - 6) - 6/13/2014, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 100-67 ATS (+26.3 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CONNECTICUT is 7-5 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 8-4 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SEATTLE (4 - 7) at SAN ANTONIO (4 - 5) - 6/13/2014, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 86-56 ATS (+24.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.
SAN ANTONIO is 31-53 ATS (-27.3 Units) in home games after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 5-4 against the spread versus SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
SEATTLE is 5-4 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LOS ANGELES (3 - 4) at TULSA (2 - 5) - 6/13/2014, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 14-24 ATS (-12.4 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) in June games over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 23-41 ATS (-22.1 Units) in road games when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 111-143 ATS (-46.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
TULSA is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in home games in June games over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TULSA is 7-1 against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 6-3 straight up against TULSA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




WNBA

Friday, June 13

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chicago's last 7 games on the road
Chicago is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Washington's last 8 games
Washington is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing at home against Chicago

7:30 PM
CONNECTICUT vs. NEW YORK
Connecticut is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Connecticut's last 7 games when playing New York
New York is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing Connecticut
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 7 games when playing Connecticut

7:30 PM
MINNESOTA vs. ATLANTA
Minnesota is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 2-11 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Minnesota
Atlanta is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota

8:00 PM
SEATTLE vs. SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seattle's last 5 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
Seattle is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games
San Antonio is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
San Antonio is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

8:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. TULSA
Los Angeles is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Los Angeles is 1-14-2 ATS in its last 17 games when playing Tulsa
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tulsa's last 5 games when playing at home against Los Angeles
Tulsa is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Los Angeles

 

[CNOTES]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

06/12/14 0-*2-*0 0.00% -*1100 Detail
06/11/14 1-*1-*0 50.00% -*50 Detail
06/10/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
06/08/14 1-*3-*0 25.00% -*1150 Detail
06/07/14 0-*6-*0 0.00% -*3300 Detail
06/06/14 6-*2-*0 75.00% +*1900 Detail
06/05/14 3-*1-*0 75.00% +*950 Detail
06/03/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail
06/01/14 6-*2-*0 75.00% +*1900 Detail

Totals 23-*19-*0 54.76% +1050


Friday, June 13

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Chicago - 7:00 PM ET Chicago +7 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Washington - Over 147.5 500

Connecticut - 7:30 PM ET Connecticut +6 500 *****
New York - Under 151 500

Minnesota - 7:30 PM ET Atlanta +1 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Atlanta - Over 163 500

Seattle - 8:00 PM ET Seattle +5.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
San Antonio - Under 144 500

Los Angeles - 8:00 PM ET Tulsa +4 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Tulsa - Over 156 500

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA
Dunkel

Los Angeles at San Antonio
The Sparks head to San Antonio tonight and come into the contest with a 4-0 ATS record in their last 4 games versus the Stars. Los Angeles is the pick (-2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Sparks favored by 5. Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-2 1/2). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

SATURDAY, JUNE 14

Game 651-652: Los Angeles at San Antonio (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 118.361; San Antonio 113.608
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 5; 147
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles by 2 1/2; 154 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-2 1/2); Under




WNBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, June 14

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LOS ANGELES (3 - 5) at SAN ANTONIO (4 - 6) - 6/14/2014, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 17-28 ATS (-13.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 14-25 ATS (-13.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) in June games over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 8-20 ATS (-14.0 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 6-4 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 7-4 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




WNBA

Saturday, June 14

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. SAN ANTONIO
Los Angeles is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Los Angeles is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing San Antonio
San Antonio is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Los Angeles
San Antonio is 1-6-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Los Angeles

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, June 15

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PHOENIX (6 - 3) at MINNESOTA (8 - 2) - 6/15/2014, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 32-49 ATS (-21.9 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 20-35 ATS (-18.5 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 33-18 ATS (+13.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 30-15 ATS (+13.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 44-27 ATS (+14.3 Units) in home games in June games since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 8-3 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 11-0 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW YORK (3 - 7) at CONNECTICUT (5 - 6) - 6/15/2014, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 16-32 ATS (-19.2 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 16-31 ATS (-18.1 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CONNECTICUT is 8-5 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 9-4 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
8 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLANTA (6 - 3) at WASHINGTON (5 - 5) - 6/15/2014, 4:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in road games on Sunday games over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in road games after scoring 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 250-303 ATS (-83.3 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 156-199 ATS (-62.9 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 158-197 ATS (-58.7 Units) vs. division opponents since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 151-190 ATS (-58.0 Units) after a division game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 8-4 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 9-3 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SEATTLE (5 - 7) at TULSA (3 - 5) - 6/15/2014, 4:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 61-87 ATS (-34.7 Units) in road games after a division game since 1997.
SEATTLE is 28-47 ATS (-23.7 Units) off an upset win as an underdog since 1997.
TULSA is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in all games this season.
TULSA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in June games over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in May, June, or July games this season.
TULSA is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 6-4 against the spread versus TULSA over the last 3 seasons
SEATTLE is 7-3 straight up against TULSA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




WNBA

Sunday, June 15

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. CONNECTICUT
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 6 games when playing on the road against Connecticut
New York is 6-12 ATS in its last 18 games when playing Connecticut
Connecticut is 8-16-1 ATS in its last 25 games when playing at home against New York
Connecticut is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

1:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Phoenix's last 17 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Phoenix's last 10 games on the road
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 9 games at home

4:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. WASHINGTON
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing Washington
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games

4:30 PM
SEATTLE vs. TULSA
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Seattle's last 7 games when playing on the road against Tulsa
Seattle is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Tulsa's last 7 games when playing at home against Seattle
Tulsa is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Seattle