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

[CNOTES]

WNBA
Dunkel

San Antonio at Seattle
The Stars head to Seattle tonight to face the Storm (5-8) and come into the contest with a 10-4 ATS record in their last 14 games against a team with a losing SU record. San Antonio is the pick (+3) according to Dunkel, which has the Stars favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (+3). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

THURSDAY, JUNE 19

Game 651-652: San Antonio at Seattle (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 111.348; Seattle 110.405
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 1; 138
Vegas Line & Total: Seattle by 3; 146 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (+3); Under

Game 653-654: Tulsa at Los Angeles (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tulsa 110.577; Los Angeles 114.288
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 3 1/2; 163
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles by 7; 157
Dunkel Pick: Tulsa (+7); Over




WNBA

Thursday, June 19

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Trend Report
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10:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. SEATTLE
The total has gone OVER in 7 of San Antonio's last 10 games when playing Seattle
San Antonio is 5-16 SU in its last 21 games when playing Seattle
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Seattle's last 7 games when playing at home against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Seattle's last 6 games

10:30 PM
TULSA vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Tulsa's last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Tulsa's last 9 games when playing Los Angeles
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Los Angeles's last 7 games at home
Los Angeles is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, June 19

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SAN ANTONIO (5 - 6) at SEATTLE (5 - 8) - 6/19/2014, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 101-68 ATS (+26.2 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1997.
SEATTLE is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 5-5 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SEATTLE is 6-4 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TULSA (4 - 5) at LOS ANGELES (3 - 7) - 6/19/2014, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TULSA is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 17-30 ATS (-16.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 14-26 ATS (-14.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 40-62 ATS (-28.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in June games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 8-22 ATS (-16.2 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 139-176 ATS (-54.6 Units) after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 111-145 ATS (-48.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 25-44 ATS (-23.4 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
TULSA is 8-1 against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 6-4 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

 

[CNOTES]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

06/18/14 3-*3-*0 50.00% -*150 Detail
06/17/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
06/15/14 5-*3-*0 62.50% +*850 Detail
06/13/14 5-*5-*0 50.00% -*250 Detail
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 38-*32-*0 54.29% +1400



Thursday, June 19

Game Score Status Pick Amount

San Antonio - 10:00 PM ET San Antonio +4 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Seattle - Under 145.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Tulsa - 10:30 PM ET Tulsa +5.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Los Angeles - Over 158.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA rookies already making an impact


NEW YORK (AP) - Chiney Ogwumike keeps an eye on games around the WNBA. Not just to see how her sister Nneka is doing, but also to check out her fellow rookies.

Sitting on the bus to the WNBA draft this April, Ogwumike and the other first-year players really bonded. Then again, most of them have known each other for years competing as teammates and opponents in high school, AAU and college.

''Our class, we've known each other for a long time,'' said Ogwumike, who was selected No. 1 overall by Connecticut. ''We definitely have personality in our class. We talked about leading our teams, and we give each other advice. I do root for them.''

So much hype surrounded the 2013 rookie class led by Brittney Griner, Elena Delle Donne and Skylar Diggins that it would have been nearly impossible for that group to live up to expectations in its first season. This year's crop of first-year players faces the same challenge.

''Not having the big name helps,'' said Ogwumike, who is averaging 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds - most among rookies. ''That's different, we don't have that. There's no pressure on me per se. I'm at an organization that I feel really comfortable with. Failure is helping you learn. That makes you sort of fearless.''

Ogwumike and fellow rookie Alyssa Thomas have the Sun on a roll lately with wins in four straight games.

So far this season, 23 rookies have played in a game, that's the sixth most over the last decade according to STATS and the season is only a third of the way done.

''It's been fun to watch everyone go out there and show what they can do,'' said Atlanta's Shoni Schimmel, who is averaging 5.4 assists - fifth best in the league. ''We did some impressive things in college and we're all trying to adjust to being professional basketball players.''

General managers and coaches throughout the league saw this year's class as a talented group that could supplement teams, but didn't expect many players to make immediate impacts.

''I'm pleasantly surprised by the way they've played so far across the league,'' San Antonio Stars coach and general manager Dan Hughes said. ''We've seen a few of them already and they've been difference makers.''

Hughes has his own young star in Kayla McBride, whom the Stars took with the third pick in the draft. She's averaging 11.8 points and already had a 30-point effort this season. McBride, who starred at Notre Dame, became the 18th rookie to reach that scoring mark. Only Candace Parker did it earlier in her rookie season.

''It's really been great so far and I'm blessed by having great people to learn from here,'' McBride said.

Washington has its own pair of rookies who already have made a difference, former UConn teammates Stefanie Dolson and Bria Hartley.

''It's a talented group of girls who came in this year as rookies so we definitely have that connection with each other and we're just trying to play as hard as we can,'' Dolson said.

Hartley added that the group had more in mind than just playing in the league. They want to help it grow.

''We want this league to be more competitive,'' she said. ''We want you to come out and watch our game. We're going to compete as hard as we can every night and we're going to try to give everyone the game to watch.''

 

[CNOTES]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

06/22/14 5-*5-*0 50.00% -*250 Detail
06/20/14 6-*2-*0 75.00% +*1900 Detail
06/19/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
06/18/14 3-*3-*0 50.00% -*150 Detail
06/17/14 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
06/15/14 5-*3-*0 62.50% +*850 Detail
06/13/14 5-*5-*0 50.00% -*250 Detail
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 51-*41-*0 55.43% +2950

 

[JakeT.]

Nice work thus far.

 

[CNOTES]

Mystics-Stars Preview

Danielle Robinson is proving how much she is developing as the San Antonio Stars' top scorer.

Now she has a chance to demonstrate her improvement against a Washington Mystics club she struggled to score against last season.

Robinson will try to help the Stars post a fourth straight victory Tuesday when they look to hand the stumbling Mystics a fifth consecutive defeat.

Washington (5-9) won last season's two meetings by an average of 16.0 points thanks to balanced scoring, as no player scored more than 14 points in either contest.

San Antonio (7-6) was led by Jia Perkins' 17.0 scoring average in those games as Robinson struggled to total 12 points on 6-of-18 shooting, although the playmaking guard had 17 assists.

Robinson figures to fare better from the floor now since she is averaging a career-high 14.1 points while ranking third in the WNBA with 5.8 assists per game. She led the league with 6.7 assists per game in 2013 but has become more of a scoring threat in her fourth season.

"She's always had great quickness, and she was very well-coached in college," coach Dan Hughes said. "But now she's learning to make the right basketball play, and she's increased her ability to shoot the basketball. So this is just not a quick player that penetrates and dishes and dumps."

Robinson came through in the clutch Sunday in a 72-69 win over Los Angeles. She tied the game with 40 seconds left and added a driving layup with 8.4 to go that proved to be the difference.

San Antonio will also have Becky Hammon available Tuesday after the veteran guard did not play in either meeting with the Mystics last year.

The 37-year-old Hammon is nearing the end of her career, but she's scored in double figures in every game of this win streak with 11 points Sunday.

"Obviously Becky's a vet," Robinson said. "To have her presence out there is really nice."

San Antonio will get its first look at a young Washington team in which rookie Bria Hartley has emerged as the leading scorer with 11.1 points per game. The UConn product scored a season-high 26 points in Sunday's 89-86 overtime loss to Seattle.

"She's fantastic," veteran Mystics guard Kara Lawson said. "Forget that she's a rookie. She really doesn't have many weaknesses and is really good at every phase of the game."

The Mystics could use a change in fortunes from Hartley's backcourt mate. Ivory Latta is averaging 6.7 points in her last seven games after averaging 14.1 in her first seven.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Storm (6-9) at Sparks (4-8)

Date: June 24, 2014 3:30 PM EDT


After finding a measure of redemption in overtime, the Seattle Storm look to avenge a season-opening defeat.

Seattle seeks just its second win in its last eight road matchups with the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday in a meeting of the West's worst teams.

The Storm (6-9) defeated Washington 89-86 at home in overtime Sunday, three days after an 87-82 overtime loss to San Antonio.

"What happened Thursday night helped us tonight," coach Brian Agler said Sunday. "I could just see a little bit more grit and determination and persistence down the stretch."

Sue Bird finished with 21 points and forced overtime with a 3-pointer with 1:17 remaining, while Camille Little scored nine of her 22 points in the extra period. Little was 3 for 4 in overtime after missing all seven of her second-half shots.

Seattle hit a season high 12 3-pointers on 24 attempts. Bird was 3 for 7 while Shekinna Stricklen hit 4 of 6 and is 12 for 18 over her last four contests.

The Sparks (4-8) are shooting a league-worst 27.7 percent from 3-point range and are the only team below the Storm in the West, though they did claim an 80-69 victory in Seattle on May 16.

The Storm committed 19 turnovers in that matchup, but it's been Los Angeles struggling with giveaways lately. The Sparks had a season-high 23 turnovers in Sunday's 72-69 loss to the Stars and are averaging 16.2 while losing five of six.

Candace Parker had 17 points but accounted for seven of those turnovers Sunday after committing no more than four in a game this season.

"Way too many of them," coach Carol Ross said. "I thought when San Antonio went in their zone, it's that old basic fake-a-pass to make-a-pass. We were staring our targets down. We weren't getting hands on balls, and then we were trying to jam it in when people weren't open. We were just forcing. If it don't fit, don't force it. It's just basic basketball. I don't care what level it is. We just weren't very good with decision making in those instances."

Nneka Ogwumike had a season-high 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting with 11 rebounds. Jantel Lavender added 14 points and 13 rebounds but missed a shot after Danielle Robinson's go-ahead layup with eight seconds left for San Antonio.

Parker and Alana Beard combined for 35 points on 15-for-25 shooting for Los Angeles in the first matchup with Seattle while Little was held to eight points. Bird shot 2 for 8 with five turnovers and four assists.

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA
Dunkel

Seattle at Los Angeles
The Storm head to LA today where they are 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 games versus the Sparks. Los Angeles is the pick (-8) according to Dunkel, which has the Sparks favored by 10 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-8). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

TUESDAY, JUNE 24

Game 601-602: Washington at San Antonio (12:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 106.755; San Antonio 114.911
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 8; 146
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 5 1/2; 151
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-5 1/2); Under

Game 603-604: Seattle at Los Angeles (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle 106.322; Los Angeles 116.968
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 10 1/2; 144
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles by 8; 149
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-8); Under




WNBA

Tuesday, June 24

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Trend Report
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2:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Washington's last 12 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
Washington is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 8 of San Antonio's last 12 games when playing at home against Washington
San Antonio is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

3:30 PM
SEATTLE vs. LOS ANGELES
Seattle is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Seattle's last 9 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing Seattle
Los Angeles is 4-13 ATS in its last 17 games at home

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA
Dunkel

Chicago at Connecticut
The Sun play host to a Chicago team that is 7-0 ATS in the last 7 games between the two teams. Chicago is the pick (+2) according to Dunkel, which has the Sky favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+2). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25

Game 651-652: Tulsa at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tulsa 109.975; Indiana 111.579
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 1 1/2; 159
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 4 1/2; 153 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tulsa (+4 1/2); Over

Game 653-654: Chicago at Connecticut (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 110.369; Connecticut 108.752
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1 1/2; 160
Vegas Line & Total: Connecticut by 2; 156 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+2); Over




WNBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, June 25

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TULSA (5 - 7) at INDIANA (6 - 6) - 6/25/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TULSA is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
TULSA is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in June games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 3-1 against the spread versus TULSA over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 4-0 straight up against TULSA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CHICAGO (6 - 7) at CONNECTICUT (7 - 6) - 6/25/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) as a home favorite of 3 points or less since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 102-67 ATS (+28.3 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 18-32 ATS (-17.2 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 9-1 against the spread versus CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 7-3 straight up against CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




WNBA

Wednesday, June 25

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

7:00 PM
TULSA vs. INDIANA
Tulsa is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Tulsa is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Indiana's last 10 games at home
Indiana is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games

7:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. CONNECTICUT
Chicago is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Chicago is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Connecticut is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
Connecticut is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Chicago

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Shock (5-7) at Fever (6-6)

Date: June 25, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


While they've been inconsistent this month, the Indiana Fever have proved steady in recent home games. They just haven't had many, but that's about to change.

They'll open a three-game homestand seeking a fourth consecutive win on their own floor Wednesday night against the Tulsa Shock, who are eager to build on their first road victory with help from Indiana native Skylar Diggins.

The Fever (6-6) have alternated wins and losses in six games in June, with only one coming at home. However, eight of their 11 contests before the All-Star break are in Indianapolis.

They fell 83-77 in a competitive visit to Minnesota on Sunday. The game featured seven ties in an 8:17 span bridging the third and fourth quarters, but Indiana was done in by 18 turnovers which led to 25 points for the Lynx.

"Down the stretch, we have to find ways to execute and get scores rather than turnovers," said Karima Christmas, who had a season-high 18 points.

Christmas, averaging 6.0 points, has a combined 32 in the last two games. Leading scorer Briann January (12.0 points per game) had 16 points after averaging 5.3 in her prior four contests.

The Fever, who haven't played at home since beating Seattle on June 11, also play Phoenix and Atlanta on this homestand. To start it, they have a chance to record their longest home win streak since 2012, when they won their final seven regular-season games in Indianapolis en route to the WNBA title.

Indiana, though, will face a Shock team seeking its sixth win in eight games.

Tulsa (5-7), closing a four-game trip, was 0-6 on the road before outlasting Chicago 105-99 in overtime Sunday.

Diggins led the way with a career-high 33 points in front of a number of family and friends who traveled from her hometown of South Bend, Ind.

"I wasn't really thinking of the career game. I'm happy we won on the road," the former Notre Dame star said.

Glory Johnson matched a season high with 22 points and rookie Odyssey Sims contributed 18.

Diggins, among the league leaders with 19.5 points per game, seeks her first win over the Fever after Tulsa was swept in last year's two-game series. She had a combined nine points on 4-of-16 shooting in those games as a rookie, including just two points in an 80-69 defeat at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Indiana's Tamika Catchings totaled 51 points in the two games but hasn't played this season because of an ailing back.

The Fever have won seven in a row over Tulsa and have claimed the last eight home matchups, including the postseason, since a 2008 playoff defeat to the then-Detroit Shock.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Sky (6-7) at Sun (7-6)

Date: June 25, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


The Connecticut Sun are enjoying their longest winning streak in nearly two years.

But with Elena Delle Donne expected to return, the Chicago Sky should be a worthy opponent for the WNBA's hottest club.

Connecticut seeks a sixth straight victory Wednesday night when it hosts Chicago.

The Sun (7-6) have won five in a row for the first time since July 6-13, 2012, and are seeking their first seven-game run since July 20-Sept. 5, 2008.

Coach Anne Donovan's club was last in the Eastern Conference at the beginning of the month, but has since climbed to second place. The Sun were a league-worst 10-24 last season.

"I like the progress we've made. We're gaining confidence," Donovan said. "They stayed confident when we were in the hole and continued to work through it. Every day in practice they worked they prepared and refused to look at the one and whatever our record was (1-5). I like the team I'm seeing out there quite a bit."

While the Sun are 6-2 at home, they've dropped three of their last four meetings there with Chicago. Connecticut also lost twice in Chicago earlier this season, 78-68 on May 21 and 101-82 on May 30.

Delle Donne is expected to return after a five-game absence due to symptoms from her Lyme disease. Chicago (6-7) is 1-4 without her and has dropped six of seven overall.

The league's reigning Rookie of the Year is averaging 22.3 points in eight games but hasn't played since scoring seven in a 97-59 loss at Atlanta on June 7.

However, the Sky may be missing Delle Donne more on defense. They're allowing 89.4 points per game without her after giving up 79.1 in eight games with her. The No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft averages 1.8 blocks and tallied six in Chicago's two wins over Connecticut while averaging 24.5 points.

The Sky are also missing 2013 Defensive Player of the Year Sylvia Fowles, who has yet to play due to a hip injury but could return this week.

Connecticut is coming off an 89-67 home win over Indiana on Tuesday, with Chiney Ogwumike scoring all 18 of her points in the second half. She leads all rookies with 16.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, though she was 11 for 27 with 29 points in the losses to Chicago.

 

[CNOTES]

Wednesday, June 25

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Chicago - 7:00 PM ET Connecticut -2.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Connecticut - Over 156 500 DOUBLE PLAY


Tulsa - 7:00 PM ET Tulsa +3.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Indiana - Under 153.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA

Dunkel

Connecticut at Washington
The Sun head to Washington tonight and come into the contest with a 6-0 ATS record in their last 6 games. Connecticut is the pick (+4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Mystics favored by only 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Connecticut (+4 1/2). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

FRIDAY, JUNE 27

Game 651-652: Connecticut at Washington (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 111.686; Washington 113.281
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1 1/2; 144
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 4 1/2; 148
Dunkel Pick: Connecticut (+4 1/2); Under

Game 653-654: Phoenix at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 116.773; Indiana 115.027
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1 1/2; 162
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 4; 157 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+4); Over

Game 655-656: Chicago at New York (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 116.975; New York 111.266
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 5 1/2; 158
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 1 1/2; 153
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-1 1/2); Over

Game 657-658: Minnesota at Seattle (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 113.321; Seattle 111.579
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 2; 143
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 4 1/2; 148
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+4 1/2); Under




WNBA
Long Sheet

Friday, June 27

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CONNECTICUT (8 - 6) at WASHINGTON (6 - 9) - 6/27/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 19-32 ATS (-16.2 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
CONNECTICUT is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in June games this season.
CONNECTICUT is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after a division game this season.
CONNECTICUT is 103-67 ATS (+29.3 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 252-306 ATS (-84.6 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 46-68 ATS (-28.8 Units) when playing with 2 days rest since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 158-199 ATS (-60.9 Units) vs. division opponents since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 8-2 against the spread versus CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 6-4 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
8 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (9 - 3) at INDIANA (6 - 7) - 6/27/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 34-50 ATS (-21.0 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 10-28 ATS (-20.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 98-134 ATS (-49.4 Units) as an underdog since 1997.

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

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CHICAGO (6 - 8) at NEW YORK (4 - 10) - 6/27/2014, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in June games this season.
NEW YORK is 34-49 ATS (-19.9 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
NEW YORK is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 8-3 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 9-2 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

MINNESOTA (11 - 4) at SEATTLE (6 - 10) - 6/27/2014, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 101-69 ATS (+25.1 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1997.
SEATTLE is 88-58 ATS (+24.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 35-21 ATS (+11.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 32-17 ATS (+13.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 8-6 against the spread versus SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 11-3 straight up against SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Friday, June 27

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
CONNECTICUT vs. WASHINGTON
Connecticut is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington
Connecticut is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Washington's last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Connecticut

7:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. INDIANA
Phoenix is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Phoenix's last 9 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games at home
Indiana is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix

7:30 PM
CHICAGO vs. NEW YORK
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing New York
Chicago is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing Chicago
New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago

10:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. SEATTLE
Minnesota is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Minnesota is 6-17 SU in its last 23 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Seattle's last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Sun (8-6) at Mystics (6-9)

Date: June 27, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


The Connecticut Sun are the WNBA's hottest team.

The Sun have won six straight since they last met the Washington Mystics and will try to avenge that defeat Friday night on the road.

Connecticut (8-6) wasn't considered a contender after finishing last in the WNBA a year ago and trading disgruntled former league MVP Tina Charles to New York in the offseason. A 2-6 start seemed to indicate another losing season was on its way.

Now the Sun are enjoying a surge that has moved them into second place in the Eastern Conference. They can match their longest win streak since a seven-game run July 20-Sept. 5, 2008.

Connecticut is doing it with four new starters since Allison Hightower is out with a sprained knee. The player starting for Hightower is rookie Alyssa Thomas, who had season highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds in her eighth start in Wednesday's 79-69 home win over Chicago.

'I'm definitely a lot more confident,' Thomas said. 'The more we play, the more confident I get. Credit my teammates for helping me to be comfortable out there.'

Thomas was the No. 4 pick in the draft by the Liberty, who traded her and Kelsey Bone to the Sun in order to obtain Charles. While New York is languishing in last place in the conference, Connecticut's new-look team is on the rise.

Coach Anne Donovan credited the play of Thomas and Bone for Wednesday's win.

'I thought her (Thomas) and Bone really changed things,' Donovan said. 'They found each other. They played off each other really well."

Thomas wasn't starting when Connecticut fell 74-66 to Washington on June 5. Veterans Kia Vaughn, Monique Currie and Ivory Latta combined for 40 points for the Mystics.

Washington (6-9) then dropped seven of its next eight before ending a four-game slide Tuesday with an 81-70 victory at San Antonio to cap a four-game trip.

Tierra Ruffin-Pratt and Latta each had 15 points and rookie Stefanie Dolson scored all 10 of her points in a fourth quarter in which the Mystics outscored the Stars 21-14.

'We're pretty desperate,' coach Mike Thibault said. 'We lost four in a row, we had played well for most of those games, but just didn't finish. So, today, we finally finished one.'

Dolson was questionable after spraining her right knee Sunday, but made 5 of 7 shots and had four blocks in 16 minutes.

'Going in at first, I was a little nervous,' Dolson said. 'I didn't know how I would feel, but then after playing the first half I felt more comfortable in the second half."

The Sun are 1-4 on the road. They dropped both visits to Washington last year after winning their previous five contests there.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Mercury (9-3) at Fever (6-7)

Date: June 27, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


The Phoenix Mercury own the WNBA's best record. With Brittney Griner's continued improvement, they may have the makings of a championship club.

High-scoring Phoenix will look to knock off the defensively-inept Indiana Fever for a third straight meeting Friday night.

The Mercury (9-3) have won three in a row and five of six while averaging 88.3 points. They're also averaging a league-best 85.3 points on the season.

Griner's recent surge has provided quite the boost. She scored a career-high 28 points in a 91-80 home win over Tulsa on Friday, going 12 of 14 from the field. Griner was coming off a 27-point performance in a June 18 win over Minnesota and is averaging 21.4 points over her last five contests.

The second-year pro also matched a career best with six blocks and leads the league with 3.3 per game.

"This is what she does, she's a game-changer," coach Sandy Brondello said. "In the middle, she anticipates shot blocking so well. She's playing great. We need everyone gunning but she has that dominant presence inside it just helps our team function on all levels."

Griner's teammates are benefiting by way of getting better looks on the perimeter. With Tulsa bearing down in the paint on Griner, Penny Taylor and Diana Taurasi were each 2 for 3 from 3-point range. Taurasi, who leads all players with 6.6 assists per game, tallied a career-high 12 to go along with 14 points.

The Fever (6-7) have lost three of four and are surrendering 88.5 points per game in that stretch. They had allowed 74.2 points through their first nine contests.

They gave up 32 points to Skylar Diggins in Wednesday's 107-102 overtime home loss to Tulsa.

Indiana, however, led by as many as 17 in the third quarter.

Shavonte Zellous scored a career-high 33 points, but missed the first of a pair of free throws with a two-point edge with 7.8 seconds left in regulation. Diggins forced the extra period with a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession.

"We had the game. We just let them take it right from us," said Zellous, who had totaled 38 points over her three previous contests. "We weren't as aggressive as we should have been and we allowed them to play comfortable."

Phoenix took both matchups last year, though Griner missed one win due to injury. Taurasi scored 26 in an 82-67 victory on June 8, 2013.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Sky (6-8) at Liberty (4-10)

Date: June 27, 2014 7:30 PM EDT


The last-place New York Liberty are hoping they can get back into playoff contention after starting a five-game homestand off on the right foot.

They could be facing the wrong opponent given their problems against the Chicago Sky.

The Liberty have dropped eight straight against the Sky, who will have star center Sylvia Fowles available in this season series for the first time Friday night.

New York (4-10) ended a five-game slide Sunday with an 85-78 home win over East-leading Atlanta. Cappie Pondexter had 23 points and eight assists as the Liberty took control after trailing by 11 points in the second quarter.

'It's great that we beat the top team in the East,' she said. 'I like having the ball in my hands whether it's scoring or getting my teammates involved.'

The Liberty are hoping to make a push. They are two games behind Chicago, which holds the fourth and final playoff spot in the conference.

'Hopefully this will be the start of a roll for us,' Pondexter said. 'We have five straight home games to get back into this.'

The Sky (6-8) have proven to be a formidable opponent. Their last loss to New York was a 77-67 defeat Aug. 21, 2012.

Chicago has captured both meetings this season without Fowles, who had 17 points and nine rebounds Wednesday in her season debut in a 79-69 loss to Connecticut. She missed the first 13 games after having arthroscopic surgery to repair a hip injury.

Star forward Elena Delle Donne scored 13 points for Chicago in that contest after she missed the previous five games because of Lyme disease.

The Sky led by six at halftime before they allowed the Sun to open the second half on a 22-2 run.

'You always have to give the opposition credit,' coach Pokey Chatman said. 'I thought we played a little bit slow in that third quarter, especially when you're coming off I think a really nice first quarter in which we put up 30."

Delle Donne was also out the last time these teams met, a thrilling 105-100 overtime victory June 18. Epiphanny Prince scored a season-high 30 points in her first game of 2014 against New York after she missed the season's first seven contests for personal reasons.

Former league MVP Tina Charles is averaging 20.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in the season series for the Liberty as she prepares to renew her rivalry at center with Fowles

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Lynx (11-4) at Storm (6-10)

Date: June 27, 2014 10:00 PM EDT


After slumping earlier this month, the Minnesota Lynx appear to be back on track despite a sloppy performance in their last victory.

They'd sure like to get a win back against the Western Conference's worst club.

On Friday night, Minnesota looks to avenge a loss from three weeks ago when it visits the last-place Seattle Storm.

The Lynx (11-4) claimed an 83-77 home win over Indiana Sunday, their third in four games after they followed 7-0 start with a 1-3 stretch.

That slump started with a 65-62 loss in Seattle on June 6. Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus combined for just 24 points on 11-of-26 shooting and were 0 for 6 from 3-point range as Minnesota went 1 for 13 from beyond the arc overall.

Moore scored 11 of her 25 Sunday in the fourth quarter, helping the Lynx rally from a seven-point third-quarter deficit.

"Sometimes it's not going to be as pretty," said Moore, who is averaging a career-best 23.5 points. "We always believe that as long as we're on the court there's a chance so we just kept going."

Minnesota committed 19 turnovers, with Indiana scoring 11 on 13 first-half turnovers.

"We just did some things that just kind of shot ourselves in the foot and made the game harder to win than it should have been," coach Cheryl Reeve said.

The Storm (6-10) have dropped four of six following Tuesday's 65-57 loss at Los Angeles. They trailed by just one after the third quarter before being held to 10 points in the final period, finishing with their fewest points in a regular-season game since a 77-56 loss to San Antonio on Aug. 9.

Leading scorer Camille Little - who averages 12.2 points - scored eight on 3-of-9 shooting. Crystal Langhorne, the club's No. 2 scorer with 11.5 points per game, was 2 for 9 with four points and three turnovers. Meanwhile, third-leading scorer Tanisha Wright missed her third straight contest with a bruised knee.

Seattle was 21 of 58 (36.2 percent) from the floor and had seven shots blocked.

"I just thought, for the most part, they played with a lot more urgency, toughness, and focus than we did," coach Brian Agler said.

Minnesota had won six straight meetings, including a two-game sweep of last year's Western Conference semifinals, before losing earlier this month.

These teams meet again Sunday night in Minneapolis.

 

[CNOTES]

Friday, June 27

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Connecticut - 7:00 PM ET Connecticut +4 500
Washington - Under 149 500

Phoenix - 7:00 PM ET Phoenix -5 500
Indiana - Under 157 500

Chicago - 7:30 PM ET Chicago -2.5 500
New York - Over 153 500

Minnesota - 10:00 PM ET Seattle +6 500
Seattle - Under 150 500

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Sparks (5-8) at Shock (6-7)

Date: June 28, 2014 6:00 PM EDT


Not long ago, many regarded Candace Parker as the face of the WNBA.

Putting a disappointing rookie campaign behind her, Skylar Diggins could soon be making a claim to that distinction.

Saturday features a matchup between two of the league's top scorers as Diggins looks to lead the Tulsa Shock to a seventh win in nine games when they host Parker and the Los Angeles Sparks.

Diggins is scoring 20.5 points per game on 46.1 percent shooting after averaging 8.5 and shooting 32.8 percent as a rookie last year. She has 65 points over her last two games, including a 32-point performance in her native state of Indiana in a 107-102 overtime win over the Fever on Wednesday.

Her 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left forced the extra period, helping Tulsa (6-7) battle back from what had been a 17-point deficit in the third quarter.

"They're very aggressive and tough and they make it tough to get to the basket," said Diggins, who totaled 38 points as Tulsa split two meetings with Los Angeles earlier this month. "I was just finally able to get some things going, get some baskets in transition and some shots finally started falling down."

Diggins is the league's only player among the top five in scoring and assists, averaging 5.2 per game.

The Shock, who are 4-1 at home, have won six of eight while averaging 86.1 points per game after averaging 77.2 during an 0-5 start.

Parker, a two-time MVP and the Rookie of the Year in 2008, is right behind Diggins with 20.2 points per game - the second-highest average in her career behind a 20.6 mark in 2010.

The seventh-year forward tallied 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in Tuesday's 65-57 home win over Seattle as Los Angeles (5-8) held the Storm to their fewest points, including 10 in the fourth quarter. The Sparks had been outscored 21-16 in the third.

Parker blocked a season-high four shots for Los Angeles, which had dropped five of six.

"I think we played good defense for the most part, and that's been the trend this season is just playing defense, and certain plays escape us," said Parker, who averages 1.2 blocks. "But this game we were able to kind of correct our problems and make plays down the stretch and do what works for us."

The Sparks have also dropped four of five away from home, which includes a 69-67 loss in Tulsa on June 13. Diggins hit a tiebreaking jumper with 1.9 seconds left in that one.

Parker has totaled 42 points in the two meetings but was just 12 for 30 from the field.