The Bum's 2017 WNBA Picks-Trends-News !

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Dunkel

Thursday, June 29


Seattle @ Connecticut

Game 659-660
June 29, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Seattle
111.101
Connecticut
112.110
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Connecticut
by 1
164
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Connecticut
by 4
169
Dunkel Pick:
Seattle
(+4); Under

New York @ Washington

Game 657-658
June 29, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New York
110.702
Washington
118.688
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 8
176
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 5
168
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-5); Over




WNBA

Thursday, June 29

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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7:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 6 games when playing Washington
New York is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games when playing New York
Washington is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against New York

8:00 PM
SEATTLE vs. CONNECTICUT
Seattle is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Connecticut
Seattle is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Connecticut
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Connecticut's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Connecticut's last 5 games when playing at home against Seattle


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WNBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, June 29

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NEW YORK (7 - 5) at WASHINGTON (9 - 5) - 6/29/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in June games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 44-26 ATS (+15.4 Units) in road games when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1997.
NEW YORK is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in road games vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in road games after scoring 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 301-357 ATS (-91.7 Units) in all games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 5-5 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 5-5 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SEATTLE (6 - 7) at CONNECTICUT (6 - 7) - 6/29/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in June games over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 30-16 ATS (+12.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 87-60 ATS (+21.0 Units) in June games since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) in May, June, or July games over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) against Western conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 25-12 ATS (+11.8 Units) after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

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

[StarDust Bum]

THURSDAY, JUNE 29

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

NY at WAS 07:00 PM

WAS +5.5

O 168.0

SEA at CONN 08:00 PM

SEA +7.0

U 168.0

[StarDust Bum]

Mystics host Liberty, seek third straight victory

Coming off consecutive blowout victories, the Washington Mystics are perhaps playing their best basketball of the season.

The New York Liberty hope a road contest helps them get back on the winning path as they visit Washington on Thursday.

Following a 97-63 rout at the Chicago Sky on Sunday, the Mystics (9-5) throttled the Seattle Storm 100-70 at home on Tuesday. Elena Delle Donne scored 25 points, Kristi Toliver had 15 points and Tayler Hill 14 versus Seattle. Tierra Ruffin-Pratt added 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Washington led 29-12 after the first quarter, 56-31 at halftime and by as many as 36. The Mystics shot 50 percent from the field and 10 of 24 on 3-point attempts for a revenge victory over the Storm.

"Given how Seattle has always been a tough game for us -- the defense we played in the first half that got us running was special," Washington coach Mike Thibault said. "In the first quarter, holding somebody to 12 points and getting out and scoring (was impressive). I thought our defense got us out running. Obviously, we knocked down some threes in the beginning, and that helps your confidence. We got a lot of contributions from a lot of people."

Seattle couldn't keep up with Washington from distance, shooting 4 of 21 on 3-pointers percent while committing 23 turnovers.

"Honestly, we're just getting more familiar with our concepts defensively," Toliver said. "I think before, early on we were unsure, and when you're unsure, you hesitate, and when you hesitate, you're a step behind, and then the offense makes you pay. Now we're kind of dictating what the opponent does on the offensive end. We're able to anticipate things more, and so we're just using our athletic ability and our skill set to our advantage."

The Liberty (7-5) fell 94-89 against the Connecticut Sun on Friday despite nearly coming back from a 21-point hole.

New York's Tina Charles had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Shavonte Zellous scored 18, her seventh consecutive game scoring in double figures.

"I noticed the first couple games I wasn't being as aggressive and helping my team," Zellous said after scoring 28 in New York's win at Dallas on June 16. Her surge helped the Liberty win five of six.

"It was just determination from myself that I need to do more in order for us to win," Zellous said.

The Thursday contest kicks off a four-game road trip for New York.

[StarDust Bum]

Sun hope to celebrate a victory vs. Storm

The Connecticut Sun will honor their past while also trying to do something about their present on Thursday night at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

This is the 15th anniversary of the Sun joining the WNBA as the first non-NBA-affiliated franchise in the league, and Katie Douglas, Nykesha Sales and Rebecca Lobo will be on hand for the home game against the Seattle Storm.

Sun president and CEO Mitchell Etess purchased the team from the Orlando Magic, and the franchise overcame the obstacle of playing in a casino. The Sun were able to cash in on the popularity of UConn women's basketball, making it almost fitting that all-time UConn greats Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird will be there playing for there playing for the Storm on Thursday night.

Sales and Douglas will take part in an on-court interview at halftime of the game. Lobo will be there as an analyst for the first ESPN2 broadcast of a Sun game at Mohegan Sun Arena since July 2, 2013.

Turning back to the present, the Sun had a five-game winning streak snapped at Dallas on Sunday and then lost at home to the Los Angeles Sparks 87-79 Tuesday night.

"We did some good things throughout the game but just felt like we were always climbing uphill after that first quarter," Sun coach Curt Miller said after the loss to Los Angeles, which led by 10 points after one period. "They're really, really hard to guard in transition."

The Storm, who have also lost two in a row, were hammered at Washington 100-70 on Tuesday, and both teams come into this game with 6-7 records.

Seattle shot 4 of 21 from 3-point range and turned the ball over 23 times Tuesday.

"For the most part, I felt like we didn't get really good looks," Bird said. "I think about some of the threes that I got, some of the threes I remember some of my teammates getting, they were open. We just didn't knock them down."

Bird comes into this game needing seven assists to reach 2,500 for her WNBA career. She is second all-time in assists, trailing only Ticha Penicheiro, who had 2,599.

Bird and Stewart are always excited to come back to Connecticut.

"To have the support from the fans and the state means a lot," Stewart said via conference call Wednesday. "It's always exciting to come back here. Every time you do, you see former teammates, players that are still on UConn's roster that you played with, coaches or friends that you've met over the course of years. It's one of those trips that you look forward to on the calendar."

Jonquel Jones leads the Sun in scoring, at 15.3 points per game, and rebounding, at 12.1 per contest.

Jewell Loyd tops the Storm in scoring at 17.2 points per game, with Stewart right behind at 17.1.

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA Capsules
June 29, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) Ivory Latta made four 3-pointers and matched Elena Delle Donne with 15 points to help the Washington Mystics beat the New York Liberty 67-54 on Thursday night.

Tianna Hawkins added 13 points to help Washington win its third straight. The Mystics made their first 19 free throws and finished at 21 of 23.

Washington (10-5) led 46-34 after three quarters, holding New York (7-6) to seven points in the period.

Shavonte Zellous had 17 points and seven rebounds for New York. Tina Charles grabbed eight rebounds and moved past Lauren Jackson for 10th in league history. Charles was just 3 of 15 from the field for eight points. Sugar Rodgers did not play because of a lower back injury.

SUN 96, STORM 89

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) - Jasmine Thomas scored a career-high 29 points and Alyssa Thomas had 17 points and nine assists to help Connecticut beat Seattle.

Jasmine Thomas was 12 of 16 from the field and had six assists. Shekinna Stricklen added 14 points for Connecticut (7-7).

Breanna Stewart had 22 points and 10 rebounds for Seattle (6-8). Jewell Loyd added 21 points, and Sue Bird moved within two assists of 2,500 for her career. Ticha Penicheiro, the only player ahead of Bird, holds the WNBA record with 2,599.

[StarDust Bum]

SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY JUNE 30, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:30 PM Los Angeles Sparks Atlanta Dream McCamish Pavilion
8:00 PM Chicago Sky San Antonio Stars AT&T Center
10:00 PM Minnesota Lynx Phoenix Mercury Talking Stick Resort Arena

SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY JULY 1, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
4:00 PM Connecticut Sun Indiana Fever Bankers Life Fieldhouse
8:00 PM Seattle Storm Dallas Wings College Park Center

SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY JULY 2, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
5:00 PM Washington Mystics Los Angeles Sparks Staples Center
6:00 PM New York Liberty Atlanta Dream McCamish Pavilion

SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY JULY 5, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:00 PM Atlanta Dream Dallas Wings College Park Center
8:00 PM Connecticut Sun San Antonio Stars AT&T Center
10:00 PM Washington Mystics Phoenix Mercury Talking Stick Resort Arena

SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY JULY 6, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:30 PM Los Angeles Sparks Minnesota Lynx Target Center
10:00 PM New York Liberty Seattle Storm KeyArena

Updated Fri Jun 30 2:04 AM EDT

*********************

LEAGUE STANDINGS

Rank Team W L PCT GB CONF HOME ROAD L-10 STREAK

#1 Minnesota Lynx11 1 0.917 - 5-0 5-1 6-0 9-1 W 2

#2 Los Angeles Sparks10 3 0.769 1.5 5-1 6-0 4-3 8-2 W 6

#3 Washington Mystics10 5 0.667 2.5 7-0 7-2 3-3 7-3 W 3

#4 Phoenix Mercury7 5 0.583 4 3-3 3-3 4-2 6-4 W 1

#5 New York Liberty7 6 0.538 4.5 1-3 5-3 2-3 5-5 L 2

#6 Dallas Wings8 8 0.500 5 5-4 4-4 4-4 5-5 W 4

#7 Indiana Fever7 7 0.500 5 4-1 5-2 2-5 5-5 W 1

#8 Connecticut Sun7 7 0.500 5 4-3 3-3 4-4 7-3 W 1

#9 Atlanta Dream5 6 0.455 5.5 2-6 2-2 3-4 4-6 L 2

#10 Seattle Storm6 8 0.429 6 2-3 5-3 1-5 3-7 L 3

#11 Chicago Sky3 11 0.214 9 2-7 0-7 3-4 2-8 L 2

#12 San Antonio Stars0 14 0.000 12 0-9 0-6 0-8 0-10 L 14

[StarDust Bum]

Date W/L/T % Units

06/29/2017,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 1-2-1............... 33.33%............... -6.00
06/28/2017................ 0-2-0................ 0.00% ...............-11.00
06/27/2017................ 3-1-0............... 75.00%............... +9.50
06/25/2017................ 2-4-0............... 33.33%............... -12.00
06/24/2017................ 0-2-0................. 0.00%............... -11.00
06/23/2017.................5-5-0................50.00%..................-2.50
06/21/2017................ 0-2-0................. 0.00%............... -11.00
06/18/2017................ 3-5-0................ 37.50%................-12.50
06/17/2017................ 2-0-0............... 100.00%............. +10.00
06/16/2017................ 2-1-1................ 66.67%............... +4.50
06/15/2017................ 2-2-0 ................50.00%................ -1.00
06/14/2017................ 1-1-0................ 50.00%................ -0.50
06/13/2017................ 2-2-0................ 50.00%.................-1.00
06/11/2017................ 2-4-0................ 33.33%.............. -12.00
06/10/2017................ 3-3-0................ 50.00%................ -1.50
06/09/2017................ 2-4-0................ 33.33%............... -12.00
06/07/2017................ 1-1-0................ 50.00% .................-0.50
06/06/2017................ 5-1-0................ 83.33%.............. +19.50
06/04/2017................ 1-3-0................ 25.00%............... -11.50
06/03/2017................ 3-3-0................ 50.00%................. -1.50
06/02/2017................ 0-2-0................. 0.00%................ -11.00
06/01/2017................ 1-1-0................ 50.00%................. -0.50

Totals:....................41 - 52 - 2.............44.08%.................- 75.50

best bets:

06/29/2017,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 1-2-1............... 33.33%.................. -6.00
06/28/2017................ 0-2-0................ 0.00% ..................-11.00
06/27/2017................ 3-1-0............... 75.00%.................. +9.50
06/25/2017................ 2-4-0............... 33.33%.................. -12.00
06/24/2017................ 0-2-0................. 0.00%.................. -11.00
06/23/2017.................5-5-0................ 50.00%.....................-2.50
06/21/2017................ 0-2-0................. 0.00%................... -11.00
06/18/2017.................3-4-0..................42.85%....................-1.40
06/17/2017................ 2-0-0............... 100.00%................. +10.00
06/16/2017................ 2-1-1................ 66.67%................... +4.50
06/15/2017................ 2-2-0 ................50.00%.................... -1.00
06/14/2017................ 1-1-0................ 50.00%.................... -0.50
06/13/2017................ 2-2-0................ 50.00%.....................-1.00
06/11/2017................ 2 - 4 - 0................ 33.33%.... .......... -12.00
06/10/2017................ 3 - 3 - 0................ 50.00%................ -1.50
06/09/2017................ 2 - 4 - 0................ 33.33%............... -12.00
06/07/2017................ 1 - 1 - 0................ 50.00% .................-0.50
06/06/2017................ 5 - 1 - 0................ 83.33%.............. +19.50
06/04/2017................ 1 - 3 - 0................ 25.00%............... -11.50
06/03/2017................ 3 - 3 - 0................ 50.00%................. -1.50
06/02/2017.................0 - 2......................00.00%................-11.00
06/01/2017................ 1 - 1 - 0................ 50.00%................ -0.50

Totals:....................41 - 51 - 2.................44.56%................- 64.40

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA

Friday, June 30

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

7:30 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. ATLANTA
Los Angeles is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Los Angeles's last 9 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Los Angeles
Atlanta is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games at home

8:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. SAN ANTONIO
Chicago is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
San Antonio is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games at home

10:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. PHOENIX
Minnesota is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 18 of Minnesota's last 25 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Phoenix is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Minnesota


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WNBA
Long Sheet

Friday, June 30

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LOS ANGELES (10 - 3) at ATLANTA (5 - 6) - 6/30/2017, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 170-218 ATS (-69.8 Units) after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 82-117 ATS (-46.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.
ATLANTA is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 6-0 against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 5-1 straight up against LOS ANGELES 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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CHICAGO (3 - 11) at SAN ANTONIO (0 - 14) - 6/30/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) as a road favorite of 3 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in home games in June games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 40-66 ATS (-32.6 Units) in home games after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 3-3 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 5-1 straight up against SAN ANTONIO 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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MINNESOTA (11 - 1) at PHOENIX (7 - 5) - 6/30/2017, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 14-30 ATS (-19.0 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games since 1997.
PHOENIX is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in home games in May, June, or July games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 9-4 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 10-3 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
9 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA
Dunkel

Friday, June 30


Minnesota @ Phoenix

Game 665-666
June 30, 2017 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
120.233
Phoenix
111.148
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 9
172
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
by 6 1/2
168
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(-6 1/2); Over

Chicago @ San Antonio

Game 663-664
June 30, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
106.727
San Antonio
100.878
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 6
162
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
by 1 1/2
154 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(-1 1/2); Over

Los Angeles @ Atlanta

Game 661-662
June 30, 2017 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Los Angeles
111.029
Atlanta
112.539
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 1 1/2
151
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles
by 7
159
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(+7); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Sparks (10-3) at Dream (5-6)
Date: June 30, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

The Atlanta Dream stopped a Los Angeles Sparks hot streak last season.

Atlanta will try to do it again Friday when the surging Sparks visit McCamish Pavilion.

After an uneven start, Los Angeles has found its rhythm and is playing its best basketball of the season. The defending-champion Sparks (10-3) have won six in a row, including an 87-79 road win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday.

"We're getting better defensively," Los Angeles coach Brian Agler said after the Connecticut win. "At the start of the season, we were one of the bottom two teams. I'm not sure where we are now, but we're better than that."

The Sparks were playing well last year, too, when they arrived in Atlanta for a July 17 showdown with the Dream. Los Angeles entered that game with a 20-1 record, the best start in WNBA history, but was shut down by the Dream in a 91-74 loss.

"It's completely different years. Last year was historical. It's hard to match that," Sparks forward Candace Parker said Tuesday. "We're just trying to stay in this game and figure out what works this year."

While Los Angeles has found its stride, the Dream (5-6) are struggling, having lost five of six, including a disappointing 82-78 home loss to the Chicago Sky last week.

Atlanta beat the Sparks 75-73 on May 28 behind 24 points by forward Tiffany Hayes. The Dream's defense held the Sparks to 41.7 percent shooting and forced 17 turnovers.

"I think we need to do what we did the first time, and that's get up on defense," Dream forward Brittney Sykes said this week. "That was the first team ever we had three shot-clock violations in a row against, and that came just from a pure defensive mindset and ability. I think if we come out and do that, and we score the ball and run them up and down the floor, we have a great possibility to win."

The Dream could receive a boost from the return of forward Sancho Lyttle, who led Spain to the 2017 FIBA EuroBasket championship Sunday with a 19-point, eight-rebound performance in the final.

Lyttle is averaging 7.3 points and 7.7 rebounds for the Dream this season.


WNB HEAD TO HEAD

May 27, 2017 Score ATS Results
LOS 73 Under: 148
ATL « 75 Cover: 8.5
Tools: Recaps

Sep 8, 2016 Score ATS Results
ATL « 86 Cover: 14
LOS 81 Over: 167
Tools: Recaps

Jul 17, 2016 Score ATS Results
LOS 74 Over: 165
ATL « 91 Cover: 25.5
Tools: Recaps

Jun 30, 2016 Score ATS Results
ATL 75 Cover: 2
LOS « 84 Under: 159
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Sky (3-11) at Stars (0-14)
Date: June 30, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

Two teams, 28 games, three wins combined.

That is the bottom line that will be a huge part of the story when the San Antonio Stars and the Chicago Sky square off for the second time in three weeks on Friday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.

The Sky (3-11) have all three of those wins and sit above only winless San Antonio at the bottom of the WNBA standings. The first time these two teams played -- on June 10 in San Antonio -- Allie Quigley hit back-to-back 3-pointers and scored nine of her 16 points in overtime to propel Chicago past the Stars 85-81.

Chicago has lost four of the five games it has played since the last time these two teams faced each other, including two straight home setbacks to Indiana and Washington, respectively. The Sky head to San Antonio on the heels of an 82-75 defeat against the Fever on Wednesday that dropped them to 0-7 at home.

The Sky got a game-high 22 points from Jessica Breland in the loss to Indiana, while Cappie Pondexter added 13 points and Imani Boyette hit 12 points and took 10 rebounds.

"After a tough loss, you've got to think about a lot of things," Pondexter said. "You've got to make sure that the next day, the energy changes. You've got to come in with the mindset of staying positive and just keep working hard. At the end of the day, hard work always pays off."

Maybe getting away from home will help turn things around. Chicago is 3-4 on the road, including its latest win, an 82-78 victory in Atlanta last Friday.

"In our shoes, every game feels the same," Chicago coach Amber Stocks said. "The approach, the mentality, the outlook, it feels the same."

San Antonio (0-14) has played better of late, taking leads deep into the fourth quarter before defensive breakdowns at the end proved too much to overcome. Such was the case in the Stars' most recent outing, an 87-78 loss at league-leading Minnesota in which San Antonio held a 64-55 advantage with less than nine minutes to play.

Moriah Jefferson scored 19 points to lead the Stars in the defeat. Kayla McBride added 17 points and Isabelle Harrison had 13 points and nine rebounds for San Antonio, which has lost 16 straight games dating back to last season.

The worst start to a season in WNBA history is 0-17 by Atlanta in 2008, and the league record for consecutive losses is 20 by Tulsa in 2011. The Stars have lost 13 consecutive home games dating back to last July, extending the WNBA mark for successive home-game futility with each defeat.

"At this point, we've lost so many in a row, I think everybody's just anxious to get a win," Jefferson said. "In order for us to get that win, we have to stay mentally focused throughout the entire game. Every single game we've had a lapse, maybe six or seven minutes, when we're just not there. And we can't win like that."

The biggest news of the season for San Antonio came on Wednesday when it traded veteran forward Monique Currie to Phoenix for guard Shay Murphy, forward Sophie Brunner and the Mercury's 2018 third-round pick to the Stars.

Currie, a 12-year WNBA veteran, spent the 2015 season in Phoenix as a starter. She averaged 11.8 points per game for San Antonio (her highest scoring average since 2012) and is shooting 43.4 percent from the field, including 35.9 percent from 3-point range.


WNB HEAD TO HEAD

Jun 10, 2017 Score ATS Results
CHI « 85 Cover: 6.5
SA 81 Over: 166
Tools: Recaps

Sep 4, 2016 Score ATS Results
SA 73 Over: 170
CHI « 97 Cover: 12
Tools: Recaps

Jun 21, 2016 Score ATS Results
SA 75 Cover: 7.5
CHI « 81 Under: 156
Tools: Recaps

May 27, 2016 Score ATS Results
CHI 78 Over: 157
SA « 79 Cover: 9
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Lynx (11-1) at Mercury (7-5)
Date: June 30, 2017 10:00 PM EDT

The Phoenix Mercury will honor guard Diana Taurasi and welcome two roster additions when they host the WNBA-leading Minnesota Lynx on Friday night.

This will be the first home game for Phoenix (7-5) since Taurasi broke the league's career scoring record on June 18 in Los Angeles. Already this week, Taurasi had a street outside of Talking Stick Resort Arena named after her, and she threw out the first pitch before an Arizona Diamondbacks game.

Getting a victory on Taurasi Night won't be easy against the Lynx, who are 11-1 and lead the league with an average of 87.8 points per game.

The game will match the WNBA's two leading scorers -- Phoenix center Brittney Griner (23.1 points per game) and Minnesota center Sylvia Fowles (21.0).

"You definitely have to bring it," Fowles said on WNBA.com. "I look forward to games where you have the opportunity to play a true five. We do a lot of things similar. It's definitely going to be a challenge but these are the games I look forward to."

Taurasi, in her 13th WNBA season -- all with the Mercury -- is averaging 18.9 points per game and attempting a league-high 8.7 3-pointers per game.

Since the team's last game -- an 85-82 win at the Seattle Storm on Friday -- the Mercury signed 6-foot-6 post player Angel Robinson, who recently finished a commitment playing for Montenegro in the 2017 FIBA EuroBasket Championships. She played with the Storm during the 2014 season.

Phoenix also acquired wing Monique Currie from the San Antonio Stars in exchange for guard Shay Murphy, forward Sophie Brunner and a 2018 third-round draft pick.

Currie, a 12-year WNBA veteran, is averaging 11.8 points. This is her second stint with the Mercury, having played with Phoenix in 2015.

"We are very excited to bring Mo back to the Mercury family," general manager Jim Pitman said.

"She is a known commodity in this league, a proven scorer who can contribute right away. We know how she fits in Sandy Brondello's system. We know the kind of player she is in the locker room, and we know her will to win."

Minnesota began the season with nine consecutive victories before a home loss to the Connecticut Sun. The Lynx rebounded from the five-point loss by getting a 17-point win over Washington and a nine-point victory over San Antonio Sunday.

Fowles and Maya Moore each scored 13 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter when Minnesota rallied from a nine-point deficit with nine minutes remaining against the Stars.

Fowles turned in her latest big game after getting three fouls in the first half.

"We don't win the game for many reasons, but especially if she doesn't stay hungry and determined and focused," Moore said.

The combination of Fowles and Moore has been difficult to stop. Fowles is averaging 10.3 rebounds and shooting 67.4 percent. Moore is averaging 16.0 points and shooting 42.9 percent from 3-point range (27 of 63) while scoring at least 22 points in four straight games.

This is the first meeting of the season between the teams. The Lynx went 6-0 vs. the Mercury last season, including a three-game playoff sweep.


WNB HEAD TO HEAD

Oct 2, 2016 Score ATS Results
MIN « 82 Cover: 13
PHO 67 Under: 149
Tools: Recaps

Sep 30, 2016 Score ATS Results
PHO 86 Over: 182
MIN « 96 Cover: 3
Tools: Recaps

Sep 28, 2016 Score ATS Results
PHO 95 Over: 208
MIN « 113 Cover: 12
Tools: Recaps

Jun 7, 2016 Score ATS Results
PHO 81 Cover: 2.5
MIN « 89 Over: 170
Tools: Recaps

May 25, 2016 Score ATS Results
MIN « 85 Cover: 3
PHO 78 Under: 163
Tools: Recaps

May 14, 2016 Score ATS Results
PHO 76 Over: 171
MIN « 95 Cover: 15
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

FRIDAY, JUNE 30

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

LA at ATL 07:30 PM

ATL +7.0

O 160.0

CHI at SA 08:00 PM

SA -1.0

U 156.0

MIN at PHO 10:00 PM

MIN -7.0

O 164.0

[StarDust Bum]

SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY JULY 1, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
4:00 PM Connecticut Sun Indiana Fever Bankers Life Fieldhouse
8:00 PM Seattle Storm Dallas Wings College Park Center

SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY JULY 2, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
5:00 PM Washington Mystics Los Angeles Sparks Staples Center
6:00 PM New York Liberty Atlanta Dream McCamish Pavilion

SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY JULY 5, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:00 PM Atlanta Dream Dallas Wings College Park Center
8:00 PM Connecticut Sun San Antonio Stars AT&T Center
10:00 PM Washington Mystics Phoenix Mercury Talking Stick Resort Arena

SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY JULY 6, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:30 PM Los Angeles Sparks Minnesota Lynx Target Center
10:00 PM New York Liberty Seattle Storm KeyArena

SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY JULY 7, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:30 PM Indiana Fever Atlanta Dream McCamish Pavilion
8:00 PM Phoenix Mercury San Antonio Stars AT&T Center

Updated Sat Jul 1 1:04 AM EDT

****************************

LEAGUE STANDINGS

Rank Team W L PCT GB CONF HOME ROAD L-10 STREAK

#1 Minnesota Lynx12 1 0.923 - 6-0 5-1 7-0 9-1 W 3

#2 Los Angeles Sparks11 3 0.786 1.5 5-1 6-0 5-3 9-1 W 7

#3 Washington Mystics10 5 0.667 3 7-0 7-2 3-3 7-3 W 3

#4 New York Liberty7 6 0.538 5 1-3 5-3 2-3 5-5 L 2

#5 Phoenix Mercury7 6 0.538 5 3-4 3-4 4-2 5-5 L 1

#6 Dallas Wings8 8 0.500 5.5 5-4 4-4 4-4 5-5 W 4

#7 Indiana Fever7 7 0.500 5.5 4-1 5-2 2-5 5-5 W 1

#8 Connecticut Sun7 7 0.500 5.5 4-3 3-3 4-4 7-3 W 1

#9 Seattle Storm6 8 0.429 6.5 2-3 5-3 1-5 3-7 L 3

#10 Atlanta Dream5 7 0.417 6.5 2-6 2-3 3-4 3-7 L 3

#11 Chicago Sky3 12 0.200 10 2-7 0-7 3-5 2-8 L 3

#12 San Antonio Stars1 14 0.067 12 0-9 1-6 0-8 1-9 W 1

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday’s six-pack

— Steph Curry re-signs with Golden State for five years, $201M. Staggering.

— Paul George was traded to Oklahoma City Friday nite, for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. Western Conference keeps getting stronger. Thunder drop from 80-1 to 40-1 to win the ’18 NBA title.

— Tony Snell re-signs with the Bucks; four years, $46M.

— Minnesota traded Ricky Rubio to Utah for a 2018 #1 draft pick.

— Astros are 54-27; in 2013, they were 51-111.

— Over/under on the number of hot dogs eaten by the winner of the Nathan’s Hot Dot Eating contest on Tuesday is 68.5. Yes, people wager on this stuff.

*********************

Saturday’s List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here…….

13) Late Thursday night, White Sox led New York 4-3 in top of 7th. NY had two outs, bases empty and Aaron Judge was up, with Didi Gregorius up next.

Chicago manager Rich Renteria walked Judge intentionally, even though the bases were empty and Gregorius was the go-ahead run. Gregorius grounded out on the first pitch.

This was the third time this season a batter was walked intentionally with the bases empty; Andrew McCutchen and Anthony Rizzo were other two, NL players, so I’m guessing those were extra inning games with the pitcher up next and no extra hitters left on the bench.

12) Joe West was umpiring first base in Milwaukee last night; bottom 4th, 0-0 game, and a ball that seemed to be thrown from the upper deck drilled West in the back of the head. West pulled the Marlins off the field, the game was delayed for about 10 minutes. Don’t think the culprit was identified.

11) Apparently David Price got into a verbal altercation with NESN TV analyst Dennis Eckersley on the Red Sox’ flight from Boston to Toronto Thursday night. No one is saying much right now, but this would be the second time this year Price has had a problem with a media member.

If you’ve got thin skin with the media, playing in Boston isn’t a good place for you.

10) Bartolo Colon was DFA’d by the Braves this week; his big league carer started the same day Turner Field opened in Atlanta, so he actually lasted longer in the majors than a stadium did.

There is a chance some team (the Mets?) will still give Colon one more chance to pitch in the big leagues, but it also could be the end of a stellar career.

I’ll never forget the night Colon won a game for the A’s in Anaheim; at one point, he threw 38 consecutive strikes, just changed speeds all the time, with tremendous location. He has been great fun to watch.

9) Steph Curry is a 2-handicap in golf; he got a sponsor’s exemption to play in a web.com event this weekend in Nashville, a spot that an aspiring pro could’ve used. Lot of the pros were not amused by this.

8) Random observation and not a complaint: You know what never happens anymore? At the end of an inning, no one ever rolls the ball back to the mound- they toss the ball in the stands instead. Back in the day, catchers just rolled the ball back to the mound after a strikeout that ended an inning.

7) Is it tough being a comedian? A guy like Will Ferrell, Bill Murray, when they’re out in public, I’m guessing people approach them a lot, then expect them to be funny, but they’re people just like us and have cruddy days sometimes. Can’t always be easy.

6) Klay Thompson signed a 10-year, $80M deal with Chinese brand Anta to wear their sneakers and apparel. Thompson’s brother Trayce got called up again by the Dodgers this week.

5) Sign of the times; Rhode Island changed its foreign tour plans from a London/Paris trip to a trip to the Bahamas from August 7-13.

4) Brewers’ utility guy Nick Franklin got thrown out of a game he wasn’t playing in in the first inning the other night; the next day, Milwaukee TV guys casually mentioned that manager Craig Counsell wasn’t happy with the ejection, since it left the Brewers’ bench short for the rest of the game.

Shortly after that, Franklin was DFA’d; Friday, he got traded to the Angels.

3) Phillies’ OF prospect Nick Williams made him MLB debut last night; he is from Galveston, TX and was a WR on his HS football team, but he wasn’t the #1 WR. Mike Evans was the #1 WR- he is one of the better WR’s in the NFL now, with the Buccaneers.

2) Whoever decided the All-Star break should be four days instead of three deserves a raise; players are getting tired now, you can see it. Giving them a 4-day break is a solid idea.

1) Westgate Casino in Las Vegas now has a food court in the sportsbook, which I’m looking forward to visiting next month. There is no better place in Las Vegas to watch games/eat than the Westgate. #2, in my mind, is the South Point Casino.

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Dunkel

Saturday, July 1


Seattle @ Dallas

Game 669-670
July 1, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Seattle
106.102
Dallas
114.665
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 8 1/2
180
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
by 1 1/2
172
Dunkel Pick:
Dallas
(-1 1/2); Over

Connecticut @ Indiana

Game 667-668
July 1, 2017 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Connecticut
112.301
Indiana
113.109
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana
by 1
162
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Connecticut
by 2 1/2
169 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Indiana
(+2 1/2); Under




WNBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, July 1

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CONNECTICUT (7 - 7) at INDIANA (7 - 7) - 7/1/2017, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 31-16 ATS (+13.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games this season.
CONNECTICUT is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in a road game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 this season.
CONNECTICUT is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games in May, June, or July games this season.
CONNECTICUT is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games after allowing 75 points or more this season.
CONNECTICUT is 25-11 ATS (+12.9 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 23-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 5-3 against the spread versus CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 6-2 straight up against CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

SEATTLE (6 - 8) at DALLAS (8 - 8) - 7/1/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game this season.
SEATTLE is 41-22 ATS (+16.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
DALLAS is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in home games after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 14-24 ATS (-12.4 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

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

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




WNBA

Saturday, July 1

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

4:00 PM
CONNECTICUT vs. INDIANA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Connecticut's last 6 games on the road
Connecticut is 13-4-1 ATS in its last 18 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 7 games when playing Connecticut
The total has gone OVER in 18 of Indiana's last 25 games at home

8:00 PM
SEATTLE vs. DALLAS
Seattle is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Seattle's last 12 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Dallas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Dallas's last 22 games