2016 wnba thread news notes picks !

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Long Sheet

Friday, July 15

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LOS ANGELES (19 - 1) at CONNECTICUT (6 - 14) - 7/15/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 161-202 ATS (-61.2 Units) after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 128-168 ATS (-56.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 13-25 ATS (-14.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) against Western conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 31-18 ATS (+11.2 Units) after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 124-89 ATS (+26.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games this season.
LOS ANGELES is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games in May, June, or July games this season.
LOS ANGELES is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games on Friday over the last 3 seasons.

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

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ATLANTA (11 - 10) at INDIANA (9 - 12) - 7/15/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 37-23 ATS (+11.7 Units) after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 31-16 ATS (+13.4 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 27-15 ATS (+10.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 7-4 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 6-5 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW YORK (16 - 6) at MINNESOTA (17 - 4) - 7/15/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 36-24 ATS (+9.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in road games this season.
NEW YORK is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in road games in May, June, or July games this season.
NEW YORK is 44-26 ATS (+15.4 Units) in road games on Friday since 1997.
NEW YORK is 78-51 ATS (+21.9 Units) in road games against Western conference opponents since 1997.
NEW YORK is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 78-51 ATS (+21.9 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1997.
NEW YORK is 17-5 ATS (+11.5 Units) in road games after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 60-38 ATS (+18.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games since 1997.
NEW YORK is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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DALLAS (9 - 12) at CHICAGO (8 - 12) - 7/15/2016, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in home games this season.
CHICAGO is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 this season.
CHICAGO is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in home games in May, June, or July games this season.
CHICAGO is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) against Western conference opponents this season.
CHICAGO is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in non-conference games this season.
CHICAGO is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in home games after allowing 75 points or more this season.
CHICAGO is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

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

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WASHINGTON (9 - 12) at SEATTLE (7 - 13) - 7/15/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 290-343 ATS (-87.3 Units) in all games since 1997.
SEATTLE is 53-34 ATS (+15.6 Units) in home games after a non-conference game since 1997.
SEATTLE is 55-33 ATS (+18.7 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest over the last 3 seasons.

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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Sparks (19-1) at Sun (6-14)
Date: July 15, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Sparks will be seeking their ninth consecutive victory when they visit the Connecticut Sun on Friday night at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

Los Angeles (19-1) sits atop the Western Conference with the WNBA's best record. The Sparks have won eight in a row since suffering a 72-69 loss to the then-unbeaten Minnesota Lynx, who are second in the Western Conference with a 17-4 record.

Connecticut (6-14) is last in the Eastern Conference, nine games behind the first-place New York Liberty. The Sun have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, winning three of their last four games.

The Sparks are in the early stages of a nine-game road trip that will be broken up by a monthlong league shutdown for the Summer Olympics. They will not play another home game until Sept. 4.

Los Angeles began the road trip with a 77-67 victory over the Chicago Sky on Wednesday. Nneka Ogwumike had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Kristi Toliver scored 13 points, Jantel Lavender had 12 points, and Candace Parker added 11 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.

The Sparks shot 55 percent from the field and held the Sky to 39.2 percent shooting.

Connecticut is coming off an 86-64 victory over the Indiana Fever on Wednesday. Chiney Ogwumike had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Sun. Alyssa Thomas had 14 points and seven rebounds.

Connecticut lost six in a row and 12 of 13 while sliding to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings early in the season. The Sun have won three of four since then, beating the Dallas Wings, Minnesota and Indiana.

Los Angeles is paced by Nneka Ogwumike, who leads the WNBA in field-goal percentage, shooting 71.2 percent from the field. She is seventh in scoring and fifth in rebounding, averaging 19.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

Toliver is third in 3-point shooting (.461) and teammate Essence Carson is fourth (.459).

Alex Bentley leads Connecticut in scoring at 14.2 points per game. Jasmine Thomas is fourth in the WNBA in assists, averaging 4.8 per game.


WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

Jun 26, 2016 Score ATS Results
CONN 73 Cover: 9
LOS « 80 Under: 153
Tools: Recaps

May 26, 2016 Score ATS Results
LOS « 77 Under: 149
CONN 72 Cover: 6
Tools: Recaps

Jun 26, 2015 Score ATS Results
LOS 76 Cover: 3
CONN « 80 Over: 156
Tools: Recaps

Jun 21, 2015 Score ATS Results
CONN « 76 Cover: 4
LOS 68 Over: 144
Tools: Recaps

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Preview: Dream (11-10) at Fever (9-12)
Date: July 15, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Atlanta Dream will try to get back on track when they visit the Indiana Fever on Friday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Atlanta (11-10) is second in the WNBA Eastern Conference, 4 1/2 games behind the New York Liberty. The Dream had won three in a row and had an opportunity to gain more ground on the Liberty when they met Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, but New York handed Atlanta an 86-62 loss.

Tiffany Hayes scored 12 points and Bria Holmes added 11 in the loss to New York. The Liberty shot 44.7 percent from the field and held the Dream to 29.9 percent shooting. Atlanta's starters combined to make only 12 of 37 shots from the floor.

Indiana (9-12) is tied for third in the Eastern Conference, 6 1/2 games behind New York. The Fever had won two in a row before losing 86-64 to the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday.

Lynetta Kizer scored 18 points in the loss to the Sun. She was the only Indiana player who scored in double figures. The Sun shot 47.7 percent from the field and held the Fever to 36.2 percent shooting.

Atlanta is led by Angel McCoughtry, who is fifth in the WNBA in scoring at 19.4 points per game. Hayes is the team's second leading scorer at 15.8 points per game. Sancho Lyttle is third in the WNBA in rebounding, averaging 8.9 per game.

Earlier this week, McCoughtry was named the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week. She averaged 23.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists in victories over the Seattle Storm, Dallas Wings and Sun.

Tamika Catchings leads Indiana in scoring at 13.3 points per game. Tiffany Mitchell averages 11.2 points.

Indiana's Erlana Larkins is second in the WNBA in field-goal percentage (.654) and eighth in rebounding (8.0 rpg).


WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

May 29, 2016 Score ATS Results
IND 76 Under: 161
ATL « 85 Cover: 4
Tools: Recaps

May 20, 2016 Score ATS Results
ATL 85 Over: 179
IND « 94 Cover: 2
Tools: Recaps

Sep 11, 2015 Score ATS Results
IND « 75 Cover: 13.5
ATL 67 Under: 142
Tools: Recaps

Aug 28, 2015 Score ATS Results
ATL « 90 Cover: 14
IND 84 Over: 174
Tools: Recaps

Aug 7, 2015 Score ATS Results
ATL 77 Over: 183
IND « 106 Cover: 20.5
Tools: Recaps

Jun 16, 2015 Score ATS Results
IND « 90 Cover: 16
ATL 79 Over: 169
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Liberty (16-6) at Lynx (17-4)
Date: July 15, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Minnesota Lynx find themselves in the middle of a controversy as the New York Liberty, the Eastern Conference's best team, visit Target Center on Friday.

Last Saturday, four off-duty Minnesota police officers who were working security during a Lynx game against Dallas walked off the job in protest of the team wearing "Black Lives Matter" shirts during warm-ups.

Lt. Bob Kroll, president of the Minnesota Police Federation, Minneapolis mayor Betsy Hodges and NBA commissioner Adam Silver have since made public comments on the issue. And the group "Black Lives Matter" is asking Lynx fans to come out in support at Friday's game.

The Liberty also have been speaking out against the recent gun violence in the United States and wore "Black Lives Matter" warm-up shirts the past two games.

New York (16-6) has won four straight and is 12-2 since a June 7 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. During the surge, the Liberty have opened a 4 1/2-game lead over the Atlanta Dream in the Eastern Conference. Star forward Tina Charles leads the WNBA in points (22.2) and is third in rebounding (9.3).

The Lynx (17-4) are coming off back-to-back blowout wins. Minnesota dominated San Antonio 81-57 on Tuesday, outrebounding the Stars 43-26, leading to a 26-1 advantage in second-chance points. Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen combined for 46 points in the win.

Moore is averaging 20.2 points per game, third in the league.

"Our mind-set is just to be disruptive, try to slow people's flow and slow their roll by being physical, being aggressive, being aware and connected and just trying to outwork the team that we're playing," Moore told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune after the win over San Antonio.

Moore scored 25 points in Minnesota's 79-69 road win over New York on June 4.

The victory was part of the Lynx's record 13-game win streak to open the season.

New York got revenge on June 29, nipping Minnesota 95-92 in overtime. Liberty guard Sugar Rogers had a career-high 30 points in New York's fourth victory in its last five meetings with the Lynx.


WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

Jun 29, 2016 Score ATS Results
NEW « 95 Cover: 16.5
MIN 92 Over: 187
Tools: Recaps

May 31, 2016 Score ATS Results
MIN « 79 Cover: 4.5
NEW 69 Under: 148
Tools: Recaps

Sep 6, 2015 Score ATS Results
NEW « 75 Cover: 6.5
MIN 71 Over: 146
Tools: Recaps

Aug 28, 2015 Score ATS Results
MIN 68 Over: 149
NEW « 81 Cover: 9.5
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Wings (9-12) at Sky (8-12)
Date: July 15, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

Two teams looking to find the consistency needed for a playoff push collide in Chicago on Friday when the Sky play host to the Dallas Wings at Allstate Arena.

Dallas will be without star forward Glory Johnson, who is sidelined for a month with a broken toe. She is the Wings' leading rebounder and top defender and was coming off a 20-point, 20-rebound performance before suffering the injury last week in a loss at Atlanta.

Without Johnson, the Wings (9-12) have lost two straight and five of seven overall. They were blown out by the defending WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx 93-56 on Saturday. Dallas was outrebounded 43-26 and outscored 26-1 in second-chance points by Minnesota.

The Wings have struggled on both ends of the court. They are surrendering the most points per game in the WNBA (87.5) and not moving the ball effectively on offense.

Odyssey Sims leads the Wings in scoring with 14.8 points. Johnson, Karima Christmas, Skylar Diggins, Plenette Pierson and Aerial Powers also are averaging double figures.

Yet despite the balanced attack, Dallas is second-to-last in the league assists at 15.4 per game. No Dallas player scored in double figures in the loss to Minnesota and Diggins was shut out.

The Sky (8-12) have not won back-to-back games since early June. They are coming off a 77-67 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday and are ninth in the league standings. The top eight teams qualify for the playoffs.

Reigning league MVP Elena Delle Donne is having another big season and is second in the league in scoring, averaging 20.6 points and also shooting 42.1 percent on 3-pointers. She had 14 points, behind Cappie Pondexter's 18, in the Sky's 92-87 win over Dallas on May 29 in the teams' only previous meeting this season.

Pondexter is averaging 11.4 points and Allie Quigley is at 10.8 points per game for the Sky, who are third in the league in rebounding and should have an edge on the boards against the undermanned Wings.

This is the Wings franchise's first season in Dallas after moving to Texas from Tulsa, Okla., in the offseason.

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Preview: Mystics (9-12) at Storm (7-13)
Date: July 15, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

The Seattle Storm will celebrate the career of retired star Lauren Jackson in a jersey retirement ceremony on Friday when it hosts the reeling Washington Mystics at Key Arena.

But the Storm can't allow themselves to get distracted by all the pomp and circumstance as they need to get back to winning after losing four of their five games.

Maybe the presence of Jackson, who led Seattle to a pair of NBA titles in her 12 seasons with the team, will help elevate the Storm's game. Seattle already features one of the league's top young players in rookie forward Breanna Stewart but has struggled this season, winning just seven times in 20 games and forging a 4-6 record at home.

Seattle has had five days off after a 93-92 home loss to the Indiana Fever on Sunday. Stewart scored 32 points but the rest of starters combined for the same amount in a game that was the Storm's fourth in six days.

"We ran out of gas," Seattle coach Jenny Boucek said. "We had four games in six nights in four cities and had a six-hour delay (July 9) where we didn't get in until 10 o'clock or so. It's a tough time for us."

The Mystics (9-12) have endured a disastrous road trip, losing the first four games of a season-long five-game trip.

The latest was a 78-74 loss to Phoenix on Wednesday when Emma Meesseman (22 points) and Tayler Hill (17) combined to produce half of Washington's output.

Either Meesseman or Hill has been the Mystics leading scorer in 19 of their 21 games.

In the previous meeting, the Mystics stopped a 10-game losing streak in Seattle with an 84-82 victory on May 26. Meesseman had 19 points and 13 rebounds in Washington's first win in Seattle since July 13, 2005.


WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

May 26, 2016 Score ATS Results
WAS « 84 Cover: 7
SEA 82 Over: 166
Tools: Recaps

Score ATS Results
WAS 59 Under: 128
SEA « 69 Cover: 14.5
Tools: Recaps

Jul 29, 2015 Score ATS Results
SEA 74 Over: 161
WAS « 87 Cover: 4.5
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Standings

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

New York Liberty 16 6 0.727 0 7-4 9-2 8-1 8-2 W-4

Atlanta Dream 11 10 0.524 4 6-4 5-6 7-5 3-7 L-1

Washington Mystics 9 12 0.429 6 4-6 5-6 5-4 5-5 L-4

Indiana Fever 9 12 0.429 6 3-6 6-6 3-6 5-5 L-1

Chicago Sky 8 12 0.400 7 5-5 3-7 5-5 3-7 L-1

Connecticut Sun 6 14 0.300 9 3-7 3-7 1-8 4-6 W-1



WESTERN CONFERENCE

Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

Los Angeles Sparks 19 1 0.950 0 11-1 8-0 7-1 9-1 W-8

Minnesota Lynx 17 4 0.810 2 8-2 9-2 10-1 6-4 W-2

Dallas Wings 9 12 0.429 10 5-6 4-6 7-4 5-5 L-2

Phoenix Mercury 9 13 0.409 11 6-5 3-8 1-9 5-5 W-1

Seattle Storm 7 13 0.350 12 4-6 3-7 3-6 3-7 L-1

San Antonio Stars 5 16 0.238 14 4-7 1-9 1-8 3-7 L-3



Updated Fri Jul 15 2:37 PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

7/12 - Tuesday's Results: 0 - 2

July's Total: 21 - 29 42.00 % %

Overall : WLT PCT UNITS RANK

ATS Picks 50-55-3 47.62% -5250

O/U Picks 54-54-0 50.00% -2700

[StarDust Bum]

FRIDAY, JULY 15

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

LA at CONN 07:00 PM

LA -9.0

U 158.5


ATL at IND 07:00 PM

IND -4.5

O 158.5


NY at MIN 08:00 PM

NY +9.0

O 157.5


DAL at CHI 08:30 PM

CHI -6.0

O 171.5


WAS at SEA 10:00 PM

SEA +1.5

O 157.5

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA Capsules
July 16, 2016

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) Jantel Lavender scored a career-high 25 points and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Connecticut Sun 98-92 in overtime Friday night to tie the 1998 Houston Comets for the best start in WNBA history.

Lavender added a season-high 10 rebounds, and Kristi Tolliver scored eight of her 24 points in overtime for the Sparks (20-1). They've won nine in a row and are 9-0 on the road.

Tolliver made the last of her four 3s to give the Sparks a 93-92 lead with 1:31 left in overtime and ignite an 8-0 run to close the game.

Connecticut (6-15) missed its final three field-goal attempts and committed turnovers on three consecutive possessions after Tolliver's clinching 3-pointer.

Nneka Ogwumike added 22 points and 10 rebounds for Los Angeles.

Thomas had 17 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for the Sun. Chiney Ogwumike, Nneka's sister, had 16 points and a season-high 13 rebounds.

LYNX 88, LIBERTY 70

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Seimone Augustus had 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting in her return from a knee injury, and Maya Moore added 15 to help Minnesota cruise past New York.

Augustus, who missed three games due to a sore left knee, grabbed a season-high seven rebounds and had four assists. Janel McCarville scored a season-best 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting for Minnesota (18-4).

Tina Charles had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Zellous added 11 points for the Liberty (16-7).

STORM 80, MYSTICS 51

SEATTLE (AP) - Jewell Loyd scored 26 points, and Breanna Stewart had 10 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and two blocked shots in Seattle's victory over Washington.

After the game, the Storm retired three-time WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson's No. 15 jersey. The seven-time All-Star helped Seattle win two WNBA titles, earning Finals MVP honors in 2010.

Sue Bird and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis added 12 points apiece for the Storm (8-13). Mosqueda-Lewis hit a career-high four 3-pointers, and Bird had seven assists.

Emma Meesseman had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Washington (9-13).

FEVER 78, DREAM 72

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Tamika Catchings and Lynetta Kizer scored 18 points apiece, Briann January keyed a fourth-quarter run and Indiana overcame an 11-point deficit to beat Atlanta.

Catchings was 7 of 9 from the field. and Kizer had a career-best five steals. Erlana Larkins added 10 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high five assists, and Shenise Johnson had 10 points for Indiana (10-12).

Carla Cortijo scored a career-high 20 points for Atlanta (11-11).

SKY 84, WINGS 77

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) - Elena Delle Donne had 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting and Allie Quigley hit a late 3-pointer to help Chicago beat Dallas.

Jamierra Faulkner added 13 points and six assists, and Quigley finished with 10 points for Chicago (9-12). Plenette Pierson hit a career-high five 3-pointers and finished with 20 points for the Wings (9-13).

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

-- Arizona traded two big prospects and Endar Inciarte for Shelby Miller last winter, trying to fortify its pitching; now they've sent Miller to AAA. Not a good sign.

-- NFL doesn't want legalized gambling on its games, but they also want to put a team in London and maybe Las Vegas, where gambling is legal. Go figure.

-- DeAndre Bembry will wear #95 for the Hawks, first NBA player to wear #95.

-- Texas reliever Jake Diekman goe on the disabled list after cutting his hand on a broken souvenir beer mug he got at the Cheers-like bar in Boston.

-- Nationals 5, Pirates 1-- Stephen Strasburg is now 13-0.

-- First half of baseball season: 840 replay reviews. Average time: 1:42. Just tired of hearing announcers whine about length of replay delays- they're much shorter than arguments with umpires, which used to be big time wasters. Of those 840 reviews, 408 calls were changed, so replay is helping get more calls right.

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Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind.......

13) I'm usually in Las Vegas this week, which would make it one of weirdest sleep weeks of the year, with the British Open going on. Last year, I was sitting at bar, and watching the early tee-off times on Friday for the golf, while an extra-inning baseball game from the west coast was still going on Thursday night.

12) NBA Summer League makes this week tolerable, with no baseball until Friday; if you like the NBA, you should come out to the desert and watch the summer league. For $28, you can sit in air condiioning all day, watch good basketball for a week. Any NBA fan would really enjoy it.

11) Couple years ago I was sitting there watching games; for an hour, none of the talk around me was in English. Summer league is also players auditioning for spots on teams in Europe or the Middle East, maybe moreso than auditioning for the NBA.

10) Friend of mine was at Thomas & Mack last night for the summer games; he was disappointed that Ben Simmons didn't play, but then Larry Nance Jr damn near broke his wrist in last 10 seconds of Thursday's game, and you realize that it may not be 100% smart to play a potential star and risk him getting hurt.

9) First half of baseball season, there were 1.16 home runs per game; record is 1.17, set in 2000.

8) If the Chargers leave San Diego (I hope they don't), Padres would be only major league team without another big league sports team in their city.

7) Mick Jagger turns 73 on July 26; he has kids ranging from 17-45 years old, and now his 29-year old girlfriend is pregnant with Jagger's 8th child-- he is also a great grandfather. Christmas around his house must be very interesting.

6) AD at Missouri just bolted for Baylor, where the football program is in turmoil; makes you wonder if things at Mizzou aren't that great either, if AD jumped ship. If you're a major college coach, you want to work for the AD that hired you, so football and hoop coaches in Columbia have to be at least a little nervous.

5) Bad day for Richard Pitino and whomever the basketball coach is at Apple Valley HS in Minnesota. Gary Trent Jr, one of best players in Class of '17, will spend his last year of high school at Findlay Prep in Las Vegas, which means he ain't going to college in Minnesota. Gary Trent Sr played in the NBA for ten years.

4) Part of why this has been a dismal baseball season: Outfielders for the A's have a combined on-base% of .285 this year-- thats terrible!!!! Outfielders are generally your better hitters, but obviously, not always.

3) Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson is the highest-paid movie star in Hollywood.

2) NBA teams will have advertising on jerseys in 2017-18; Golden State Warriors are asking for $15-20M for whomever's ad goes on their jersey, most money any NBA team is asking for a jersey ad. Steph Curry makes $12.1M a year, so it makes sense for the teams, but it makes me want to puke.

What will Sacramento get for an ad? They'll be great disparity from team-to-team.

1) NBA should honor the history of the ABA by having one weekend where all the games are played with red, white and blue basketballs. Four NBA teams (Nets-Spurs-Pacers-Nuggets) came to the NBA from the ABA in 1976.

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, July 16

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SAN ANTONIO (5 - 16) at PHOENIX (9 - 13) - 7/16/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) after allowing 75 points or more this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 22-36 ATS (-17.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 4-11 ATS (-8.1 Units) as a favorite this season.
PHOENIX is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in home games in May, June, or July games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 3-10 ATS (-8.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
PHOENIX is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 4-4 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 7-2 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Saturday, July 16

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Trend Report
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10:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. PHOENIX
San Antonio is 2-23 SU in its last 25 games on the road
San Antonio is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Phoenix
Phoenix is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Phoenix is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against San Antonio

[StarDust Bum]

7/15 - Friday's Results: 4 - 6

July's Total: 25 - 35 41.66 % %

Overall : WLT PCT UNITS RANK

ATS Picks 53-57-3 48.18% -4850

O/U Picks 55-58-0 48.67% -4400



SATURDAY, JULY 16

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

SA at PHO 10:00 PM

PHO -8.0

U 152.0

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA Capsules
July 16, 2016

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) Jantel Lavender scored a career-high 25 points and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Connecticut Sun 98-92 in overtime Friday night to tie the 1998 Houston Comets for the best start in WNBA history.

Lavender added a season-high 10 rebounds, and Kristi Tolliver scored eight of her 24 points in overtime for the Sparks (20-1). They've won nine in a row and are 9-0 on the road.

Tolliver made the last of her four 3s to give the Sparks a 93-92 lead with 1:31 left in overtime and ignite an 8-0 run to close the game.

Connecticut (6-15) missed its final three field-goal attempts and committed turnovers on three consecutive possessions after Tolliver's clinching 3-pointer.

Nneka Ogwumike added 22 points and 10 rebounds for Los Angeles.

Thomas had 17 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for the Sun. Chiney Ogwumike, Nneka's sister, had 16 points and a season-high 13 rebounds.

LYNX 88, LIBERTY 70

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Seimone Augustus had 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting in her return from a knee injury, and Maya Moore added 15 to help Minnesota cruise past New York.

Augustus, who missed three games due to a sore left knee, grabbed a season-high seven rebounds and had four assists. Janel McCarville scored a season-best 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting for Minnesota (18-4).

Tina Charles had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Zellous added 11 points for the Liberty (16-7).

STORM 80, MYSTICS 51

SEATTLE (AP) - Jewell Loyd scored 26 points, and Breanna Stewart had 10 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and two blocked shots in Seattle's victory over Washington.

After the game, the Storm retired three-time WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson's No. 15 jersey. The seven-time All-Star helped Seattle win two WNBA titles, earning Finals MVP honors in 2010.

Sue Bird and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis added 12 points apiece for the Storm (8-13). Mosqueda-Lewis hit a career-high four 3-pointers, and Bird had seven assists.

Emma Meesseman had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Washington (9-13).

FEVER 78, DREAM 72

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Tamika Catchings and Lynetta Kizer scored 18 points apiece, Briann January keyed a fourth-quarter run and Indiana overcame an 11-point deficit to beat Atlanta.

Catchings was 7 of 9 from the field. and Kizer had a career-best five steals. Erlana Larkins added 10 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high five assists, and Shenise Johnson had 10 points for Indiana (10-12).

Carla Cortijo scored a career-high 20 points for Atlanta (11-11).

SKY 84, WINGS 77

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) - Elena Delle Donne had 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting and Allie Quigley hit a late 3-pointer to help Chicago beat Dallas.

Jamierra Faulkner added 13 points and six assists, and Quigley finished with 10 points for Chicago (9-12). Plenette Pierson hit a career-high five 3-pointers and finished with 20 points for the Wings (9-13).

[StarDust Bum]

Bonner helps Mercury beat Stars, 83-64
July 16, 2016

PHOENIX (AP) DeWanna Bonner hit four 3-pointers and finished with 33 points to help the Phoenix Mercury beat the San Antonio Stars 83-64 on Saturday night.

Bonner was 11 of 16 from the field and had eight rebounds. Lindsey Harding added a season-high 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, and Alex Harden had 12 points for the Mercury (10-13) in her first career start.

Harding scored 11 points during an 18-6 run that gave Phoenix a 69-50 lead with 9 minutes to play.

Moriah Jefferson was 4 of 5 from 3-point range and scored 14 points for San Antonio (5-17). The Stars, ranked 12th in the AP WNBA power poll, have lost four in a row.

The Mercury's Diana Taurasi was suspended for the game after picking up her seventh technical foul of the season Wednesday night in a victory over the Washington Mystics.

Ninth-ranked Phoenix shot 51 percent from the field and 57 percent (8 of 14) from 3-point range.