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

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday’s six-pack

— Brewers 9, Phillies 8— Milwaukee led this game 8-1 in the 7th inning, blew the lead, but ended their 6-game losing streak.

— Indians 2, Toronto 1 (10)— Tribe’s first late-inning win (7th inning on) since May 23.

— Astros 8, Orioles 4— Colin Moran fouled a ball off his face, left game; Marwin Gonzalez came off the bench and hit a 3-run homer.

— Royals 7, White Sox 2— Chicago is 0-7 since the All-Star break.

— I wonder how much it costs to have an advertisement on the Green Monster at Fenway Park for a year; has to be pretty steep.

— Dodgers traded reliever Sergio Romo to Tampa Bay, which is in the thick of the AL Wild Card race.

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Sunday’s Den: Ranking the months of the year………..

12) May— Slow month. Weather is getting better here in upstate New York, but it is still spring and there is a lot of rain (spring showers bring summer flowers, something like that). NHL, NBA playoffs are underway, as is baseball.

11) February— College basketball and very little else, except the Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and cold, cruddy weather. At least it is the shortest month of the year.

10) January— Just like February, except the NFL playoffs and college football title game are also in the mix. Golf starts up, so you can at least see warm people on TV.

When I was working, Martin Luther King Day was great for me; a Monday in January where I could sleep till noon. Nothing better than staying inside in January.

9) April— If you like rain, this is your month here in the Northeast, but after a long winter, rain is OK. Baseball starts, which is good. NHL/NBA playoffs start up. Excellent week to hang out in Las Vegas and sip cool drinks by the pool, before the day’s baseball starts.

8) August— I’m not a big racetrack guy; August around here means thoroughbred racing 25 miles north of here at Saratoga. It is a fun day, but lot of people trying to look rich, and thats not my thing. Exhibiton football is OK up to a point; solid baseball month.

7) June— When I was a young person, this was the best month of the year, because school ended and the weather was tremendous.

6) July— If you like basketball, you can choose which part of the month to go to Las Vegas to see either the NBA Summer League or AAU games later in the month. There are also really good AAU games at Disney in Florida at the end of the month, as summer recruiting goes to an end. I’ve learned a lot of basketball watching game after game in the summer.

5) October— Baseball playoffs, NFL/college football, and lot of college basketball research, with the season starting in early November. As soon as the baseball season ends, it is time to delve back into hardwood mode and get ready for 4.5 months of college basketball.

Side note: Everyone should spend at least one Halloween in Las Vegas; it is…….interesting.

4) September— NFL and college football start, pennant races in baseball, lot of solid action, and it is still summer weather. Since I’m not a kid or a teacher, I could care less that school starts in September. When I was a kid, September was WAY lower on this list.

3) November— Tremendous overlap of college football/basketball begins; busiest time of year for this website. NFL games on Sundays, NBA/NHL are underway. Lot of action.

When I had a job, this was a great month; three days off: Election Day, Veterans Day ad of course, Thanksgiving. Never underestimate a month with three holidays in it.

2) December— The best week to visit Las Vegas is the week before Christmas; room rates are way cheaper, there are ton of games to wager on that week, and if you don’t want to talk to anyone, you don’t have to, since most of the people in Las Vegas that week are foreigners.

1) March— My favorite month of the year. Meaningful college basketball for the first three weeks of the month, winter is ending, and spring training baseball every day on TV, to fill the gaps if basketball is off that day.

[StarDust Bum]

Betting Recap - 7/10-7/23
July 24, 2017

League Betting Notes (Monday, July 10 through Sunday, July 23)

-- Favorites went 14-8 straight up (SU)

-- Underdogs went 12-10 against the spread (ATS)

-- Home teams posted a 14-8 SU record

-- Road teams posted a 12-10 ATS record

-- The 'over/under' went 11-11


Team Betting Notes

-- Atlanta (9-11) has been decent at home and awful on the road, and that hasn't changed over the past two weeks before the All-Star break. The Dream has dropped five in a row on the road, including a narrow 100-96 loss to the Mystics on July 19. The non-cover snapped a 5-0 ATS run for the Dream.

-- The 'over' has cashed in five in a row for Atlanta heading into the All-Star break. They'll put that streak on the line Tuesday at home against the Mercury. The over cashed in an 89-84 loss against Phoenix (11-9) in the most recent meeting July12.

-- Chicago (8-13) continued their dramatic turnaround with a pair of road wins last week in Seattle (9-11) and Los Angeles (14-6). Their 82-80 win in L.A. came as 12-point underdogs, or plus-550 on the moneyline. After opening 3-12 SU over the first 15 outings the Sky has posted a 5-1 SU/ATS mark over the past six outings.

-- Connecticut (12-9) dropped their final game before the break, but they're still an impressive 6-2 SU/5-3 ATS over the past eight outings. They'll take on the red-hot Sky in the first game out of the break on Tuesday.

-- Dallas (10-12) sputtered down the stretch in the first half, losing four of their final six before the break while also going 2-4 ATS during the span. While they weren't terribly productive against the spread, total bettors love the Wings for their 5-0 'over' mark across the past five outings.

-- Indiana (8-13) stumbled down the stretch, wrapping up the first half on a 1-6 SU/ATS run over the final seven outings. Total bettors are big fans of the Fever, though, as the 'under' is 9-3 over their past 12 outings.

-- As mentioned, the Sparks had an ugly loss against the Sky to close out the first half. It was especially shocking considering they entered the game 9-0 SU at home with a 6-3 ATS mark. The 'under' also continues to hit on a regular basis for the Sparks, going 6-0 over the past six and 10-1 over the past 11 outings.

-- Minnesota (16-2) was the class of the WNBA in the first half, with losses June 17 against the Sun and July 8 on the road against the Sky. That's it. They have been a bit shaky over the past few weeks against the number, going just 5-4 ATS over the past nine outings.

-- The Mercury lost Brittney Griner in the fourth quarter of their game July 12 against the Dream. In the three games she has missed, the Mercury are 0-3 SU/1-2 ATS while averaging just 71.3 points per game (PPG). They were averaging 83.2 PPG in the previous 17 outings before Griner went down.

-- San Antonio (3-18) lost their first 14 games, but they're a respectable 3-4 SU/4-3 ATS over their last seven outings. Two of the wins came against the slumping Fever, once in Indianapolis as eight-point underdogs (plus-325 on the moneyline) on July 12 and once at home as five-point 'dogs on July 20 (plus-180 on the moneyline).

-- Washington (12-9) won just two of their final six games down the stretch in the first half, also going 2-4 ATS during the span. The Mystics did get well in their final game, winning 100-96 against the Mystics, the third time this season they've hit the century mark. They're 8-2 SU/6-4 ATS in 10 games at home this season while going just 4-7 SU/ATS in 11 outings on the road.

[StarDust Bum]

SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY JULY 25, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
12:30 PM Washington Mystics San Antonio Stars AT&T Center
7:00 PM Chicago Sky Connecticut Sun Mohegan Sun Arena
7:00 PM Phoenix Mercury Atlanta Dream McCamish Pavilion
8:00 PM Indiana Fever Dallas Wings College Park Center
8:00 PM New York Liberty Minnesota Lynx Target Center
10:30 PM Seattle Storm Los Angeles Sparks Staples Center

SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY JULY 28, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:00 PM Connecticut Sun Washington Mystics Verizon Center
7:00 PM New York Liberty Indiana Fever Bankers Life Fieldhouse
7:30 PM Minnesota Lynx Atlanta Dream McCamish Pavilion
8:00 PM Los Angeles Sparks San Antonio Stars AT&T Center
8:30 PM Phoenix Mercury Chicago Sky Allstate Arena
10:00 PM Dallas Wings Seattle Storm KeyArena

SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY JULY 30, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
3:00 PM Indiana Fever Connecticut Sun Mohegan Sun Arena
3:00 PM Washington Mystics Atlanta Dream McCamish Pavilion
5:00 PM Dallas Wings Los Angeles Sparks Staples Center
6:00 PM New York Liberty Chicago Sky Allstate Arena
6:00 PM San Antonio Stars Phoenix Mercury Talking Stick Resort Arena
7:00 PM Seattle Storm Minnesota Lynx Target Center

Updated Mon Jul 24 11:04 PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Stars look to build on momentum against Mystics

The San Antonio Stars have finally hit their stride, winning two of their last three games heading into the WNBA All-Star break and tripling their victory total in a stretch of four days.

The Stars will have to be even better to continue those winning ways when they square off against the Washington Mystics on Tuesday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.

San Antonio's two wins last week came against Indiana, a team that has struggled most of the season. Still, the 85-61 victory over the Fever on Thursday was accomplished without leader scorer Kayla McBride (ankle) and showed that the Stars (3-18) might have turned a corner.

Isabelle Harrison scored 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field and grabbed nine rebounds in the win over the Fever. Kelsey Plum, the WNBA's top overall pick in the 2017 draft, added a career-high 16 points, besting her previous best of 12 set July 16 at Indiana.

"It felt like it's about time," Plum said. "I think I've been a little hard on myself just with everything that's going on, but you just have to keep pushing, and I'm going to continue to get better."

The Stars had 36 rebounds to 25 for the Fever and racked up 25 assists to 12 for struggling Indiana, which had its lowest point total of the season.

San Antonio seeks back-to-back wins for the first time since July 2015 when it defeated Indiana and Atlanta in consecutive home games.

Washington (12-9) heads to the Alamo City on the heels of a 100-96 overtime win over Atlanta on July 19, a game in which Kristi Toliver scored a season-high 29 points to help the Mystics overcome a 21-point deficit. Washington has lost four its past six games and will be playing on the road for the fifth time in its last six games.

Toliver shot 19 3-pointers and had 23 shots in all, setting a season high in points for a Mystics player. Her seven made 3-pointers tied her career high.

"You can't be afraid of big moments, so when you're in games like this, you can't be shy about taking shots," Mystics coach Mike Thibault said after the win over Atlanta. "Clearly, the message got through to Kristi today."

That game was Washington's second of the season without Tayler Hill, who will miss the rest of the year after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee. Also out for the win was leading scorer Elena Delle Donne, who has a sprained ankle but could play Tuesday against San Antonio.

"We now need to find out who we are without Tay," Washington guard Natasha Cloud said. "Who we are without Elena, temporarily. Now we have to figure out our whole chemistry again. Adversity is going to show you who you truly are."

San Antonio and Washington played in the second game of the season, with the Mystics rolling to an 89-74 win in the nation's capital. The teams will square off again Aug. 4 in San Antonio.

[StarDust Bum]

Minus Griner, Mercury open road trip at Dream

The Phoenix Mercury did not enjoy the final week leading up to the WNBA All-Star break. The Mercury lost their last three games and saw star center Brittney Griner go down with an injury that is expected to keep her out for a month.

Phoenix will try to hold onto their playoff position without Griner, the league's leading scorer, as the Mercury embark on a five-game road trip beginning Tuesday in Atlanta.

"She's been playing so good," Phoenix coach Sandy Brondello told reporters after Griner was injured July 14 against Minnesota. "She's the reason why we are we're at."

With Griner sidelined with a bone bruise and ankle injury, star guard Diana Taurasi will be looked upon to carry the load for the Mercury. Taurasi poured in 34 points against the Indiana Fever last week, but it wasn't enough in an 84-77 loss.

"It was a winnable game. These are the ones in the long run that really hurt," Taurasi told azcentral.com after the loss to

The defeat followed back-to-back blowout losses to the first-place Minnesota Lynx and left the Mercury in fifth place in the WNBA standings, heading into the All-Star break.

Taurasi is sixth in the league in scoring, averaging 18.8 points per game. She scored 12 points on four 3-pointers in the All-Star game over the weekend.

The Dream also struggled in their final games before the break, losing three of four, and are clinging to eighth place in the league standings.

Atlanta forward Tiffany Hayes and point guard Layshia Clarendon each participated in the All-Star game. Hayes, who is ninth in the league in scoring with an average of 17.3 points per game, had 12 points in the All-Star game. Clarendon finished with 14 points and 10 assists for the East squad.

Griner scored a game-high 28 points in the Mercury's 89-84 win over Atlanta in Phoenix on July 12. The Dream took a 67-61 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Mercury opened the final stanza with a 17-6 run and held on to knock off Atlanta. It was Phoenix's eighth win in the last 10 meetings with the Dream.

Atlanta is 6-3 at home this season.

[StarDust Bum]

Moore leads league-best Lynx into meeting vs. Liberty

Fresh off an All-Star MVP performance, Maya Moore leads the Minnesota Lynx into the second half of the season as the No. 1 team in the league with a sparkling 16-2 record and a three-game lead over the second-place Los Angeles Sparks.

Moore and fellow Lynx All-Stars Sylvia Fowles, Seimone Augustus and Rebekkah Brunson welcome fellow All-Stars Tina Charles and Sugar Rodgers and the New York Liberty on Tuesday to Xcel Energy Center.

While the four Lynx stars enjoyed showcasing their talents with the best of the WNBA, they kept one eye focused on the larger team goal.

"It's almost like there wasn't a break for us because we were together," Moore said of being around her teammates and coaches. "Just continuing to build these memories and continue to build momentum with my teammates and coaches. It's just one more thing we were able to do together to bring it into the second half of the season."

Minnesota closed out the first half on a much different note than the Liberty. The Lynx start second-half play on a three-game win streak

The Liberty stumbled into the All-Star break, splitting their last six games. Offensive struggles forced coach Bill Laimbeer to shake up his starting lineup. Bria Hartley moved into the lineup, Epiphany Prince slid over to the shooting guard spot and Rodgers provided a needed spark off the bench.

Laimbeer was proven correct when the Liberty beat the Mystics on July 16 and the bench erupted for 41 points.

"We know we're a good team," Charles said. "At times, it's just we still have to figure it out.

"A lot of teams are able to figure it out at the beginning of the season, they have experience like in Minnesota and L.A., and then you have teams that are still figuring it out along the way and that's where we are."

But it does look like Charles and company have figured things out after winning their final two games before the All-Star break.

"The structure that we have right now is good for us," Laimbeer said. "We're pushing the pace better. We're getting easier baskets. We have good role definition."

Now comes a brutal stretch of five games on the road for the Liberty, with the Lynx being the first hurdle.

When these teams meet, the marquee matchup is always Moore vs. Charles.

Charles is playing at an MVP level, averaging 20.5 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Moore is as steady as ever, averaging 15.7 points and 3.8 assists per game. Her surrounding cast is second-to-none in the WNBA.

Fowles is a serious MVP candidate, averaging 20.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Augustus is averaging 11.6 points and Brunson is right behind at 10.9 points and 6.7 rebounds.

Tuesday's game is the second of three meetings this season between the Liberty and Lynx. Minnesota took the first game 90-71 on May 18.

[StarDust Bum]

Diggins-Smith aims to lift Wings over skidding Fever

Skylar Diggins-Smith and the Dallas Wings kick off the second half of the season Tuesday night against Candice Dupree and the Indiana Fever at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

Diggins-Smith and Dupree both played in last Saturday's WNBA All-Star Game in Seattle, with the former earning her second career All-Star nod and the latter appearing in her sixth.

Dupree had 14 points and six assists for the Eastern Conference while Diggins-Smith recorded eight points and seven assists for the Western Conference, which prevailed 130-121.

Dallas (10-12) and Indiana (8-13) stumbled into the All-Star break, with the Wings losing four of their last six games and the Fever dropping six of their final seven.

Indiana beat the Phoenix Mercury 84-77 on Wednesday before wrapping up the first half with an 85-61 loss to the San Antonio Stars the following day.

"It was huge for us, especially going into a back-to-back against San Antonio," Dupree told SwishAppeal.com about the Fever's most recent victory.

The Wings are 6-5 at home this season while the Fever have gone 3-8 on the road, including an 89-62 loss at Dallas on May 30. Indiana won the next meeting 91-85 at home on June 3.

Karima Christmas-Kelly scored a career-high 27 points to pace the Wings in their victory in May. Dupree had 18 points and Briann January added 16 for the Fever in their win last month.

Entering Tuesday, Diggins-Smith ranks eighth in the league in scoring with 18.5 points per game. Dupree is a few spots down in 19th, averaging a team-leading 13.9 points.

Diggins-Smith will need continued help from her morning workout buddy and rookie Kaela Davis, who is the Wings' sixth-leading scorer by averaging 7.9 points.

Davis scored a career-high 23 points in Dallas' second-to-last game before the All-Star break.

"We need her to come off that bench with energy, looking to be aggressive to the basket," Diggins-Smith told the Dallas Morning News of Davis.

Dallas and Indiana are fourth and fifth in the league in scoring, although there is a sizable difference between the Wings' (85.1 points per game) and Fever's (76.4) scoring average.

Currently, the Wings are inside the playoff picture with the seventh-highest winning percentage in the league (.455). It would be the team's first postseason berth since relocating from Tulsa before last season.

If the playoffs began, the Fever (.381) would be on the outside looking as they trail the Atlanta Dream by 1 1/2 games for the eighth and final playoff spot.

[StarDust Bum]

Hot Sun resume season against Sky

In late May, the Connecticut Sun were off to an 0-4 start and expected to struggle through a rebuilding year after losing star Chiney Ogwumike for the season.

Then the Sun went into Chicago and defeated the Sky 97-79.

Little did anyone know that the victory would be the start of something.

The Sun lost their next time out to fall to 1-5 but went on an 11-4 run leading to the All-Star break that included two five-game winning streaks -- and they are now tied for third place in the WNBA at 12-9.

On Tuesday night, with the All-Stars back for both teams, the Sun and the Sky meet at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

In the first meeting, Jonquel Jones scored 22 points and grabbed 21 rebounds; Alyssa Thomas had 17 points, five rebounds and five assists; and Lynetta Kizer scored a season-high 16 points and hauled down seven rebounds for the Sun.

For the Sky, Tamera Young scored 17 points, Allie Quigley added 13 points, and Cappie Pondexter flirted with a double-double with 11 points and a game-high nine assists. Cheyenne Parker added 11 points and five rebounds, and Jessica Breland contributed eight points, five rebounds and six blocked shots off the bench.

Having turned things around, the Sun (12-9) hit the All-Star break after a loss to the New York Liberty at Madison Square Garden. The Sun really couldn't get things going, surrendering 96 points to a hot-shooting Liberty in a game that began at 11 a.m.

"I thought they set the tone. They were very aggressive," Sun coach Curt Miller said. "Their commitment, as they stated all season, was to push it up and down and push tempo. They hurt us in transition.

"Our percentage of offensive rebounds was really bad. Tina (Charles of the Liberty) was really aggressive, a handful early. Hats off, they were the aggressor, and they really dominated areas of the game."

Jones was one of the standouts during the WNBA All-Star game on Saturday. The 6-foot-6 center finished with 24 points, including a dunk, and nine rebounds.

"I think she's a fantastic player," said Charles, who started on the front line with Jones for the East team. "With everything she's been able to do for the Connecticut Sun and her being in her second year, finding her niche in this league, you don't really see that happen that fast.

"It's going to inspire a lot of young players when they get into the league and are thinking of when they are going to turn the corner. They can look to someone like Jonquel Jones."

The Sun, who have lost two of their last three games, now face a team fighting for a playoff spot. The Sky (8-13) hit the break by handing the Los Angeles Sparks their first home loss of the season, 82-80. That left Chicago 1 1/2 games out of a playoff spot.

Quigley finished the first half of the season by winning the 3-point shooting contest during the All-Star festivities. The 31-year-old veteran also scored 14 points in her first WNBA All-Star Game.

She is among the league leaders with 47 3-pointers this season and is shooting 44 percent from beyond the arc.

"Thinking back, I never dreamed that this would happen," Quigley told WNBA.com. "So it just makes you think about the beginning, what used to be and what is now. I'm very blessed to be able to be here."

[StarDust Bum]

Previous Matchups:

WNB HEAD TO HEAD

May 14, 2017 Score ATS Results
SA 74 Cover: 1.5
WAS « 89 Over: 163
Tools: Recaps

Aug 28, 2016 Score ATS Results
SA « 85 Cover: 20
WAS 74 Over: 159
Tools: Recaps

Jul 6, 2016 Score ATS Results
WAS 70 Under: 147
SA « 77 Cover: 14
Tools: Recaps

Jun 29, 2016 Score ATS Results
SA 67 Under: 151
WAS « 84 Cover: 7.5
Tools: Recaps

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WNB HEAD TO HEAD

May 28, 2017 Score ATS Results
CONN « 97 Cover: 20.5
CHI 79 Over: 176
Tools: Recaps

Sep 11, 2016 Score ATS Results
CHI « 96 Cover: 13
CONN 86 Over: 182
Tools: Recaps

Jul 22, 2016 Score ATS Results
CONN « 94 Cover: 11.5
CHI 89 Over: 183
Tools: Recaps

May 14, 2016 Score ATS Results
CONN 70 Under: 163
CHI « 93 Cover: 14
Tools: Recaps

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WNB HEAD TO HEAD

Jul 12, 2017 Score ATS Results
ATL 84 Cover: 2
PHO « 89 Over: 173
Tools: Recaps

Sep 11, 2016 Score ATS Results
ATL 75 Under: 161
PHO « 86 Cover: 4.5
Tools: Recaps

Sep 6, 2016 Score ATS Results
PHO 87 Over: 178
ATL « 91 Cover: 8
Tools: Recaps


Jul 3, 2016 Score ATS Results
PHO « 95 Cover: 6
ATL 87 Over: 182
Tools: Recaps

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WNB HEAD TO HEAD

Jun 3, 2017 Score ATS Results
DAL 85 Over: 176
IND « 91 Cover: 2
Tools: Recaps

May 30, 2017 Score ATS Results
IND 62 Under: 151
DAL « 89 Cover: 22.5
Tools: Recaps

Sep 18, 2016 Score ATS Results
DAL 60 Under: 143
IND « 83 Cover: 15
Tools: Recaps

Jun 25, 2016 Score ATS Results
IND « 92 Cover: 11
DAL 87 Over: 179
Tools: Recaps

May 14, 2016 Score ATS Results
DAL « 90 Cover: 15
IND 79 Over: 169
Tools: Recaps

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WNB HEAD TO HEAD

May 18, 2017 Score ATS Results
MIN « 90 Cover: 14
NEW 71 Over: 161
Tools: Recaps

Jul 15, 2016 Score ATS Results
NEW 0 Cover: 9
MIN « 0 Under: 0
Tools: Recaps

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

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WNB HEAD TO HEAD

Jul 8, 2017 Score ATS Results
LOS 69 Under: 150
SEA « 81 Cover: 17.5
Tools: Recaps

May 13, 2017 Score ATS Results
SEA 68 Under: 146
LOS « 78 Cover: 2.5
Tools: Recaps

Sep 11, 2016 Score ATS Results
LOS 60 Under: 138
SEA « 78 Cover: 20
Tools: Recaps

Aug 26, 2016 Score ATS Results
LOS 72 Under: 151
SEA « 79 Cover: 16
Tools: Recaps

May 15, 2016 Score ATS Results
SEA 66 Over: 162
LOS « 96 Cover: 20.5
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

Odds to win the PGA Championship, August 10-13th

8-1— Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy

10-1— Dustin Johnson

15-1— Jason Day, Rickie Fowler

20-1— Hideki Matsuyama, Jon Rahm

25-1— Koepka, Rose, Stenson, Garcia

30-1— Adam Scott, Justin Thomas


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Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but…….

13) Tampa Bay Rays traded for struggling reliever Sergio Romo this weekend; why? Rays are 51-49 this season, right in the playoff mix, but they’re 14-23 in games where the winning run scores after the 6th inning.

If games were five innings long and not nine, Tampa Bay would be 54-29-17, so they’ve taken a hit in late inning situations this season. Maybe Romo can help. At least it is a sign from the front office to the players that they’re trying to win.

12) Aaron Boone was gushing on Sunday Night Baseball about how fun/exciting this week is, because of trade deadline activity- the trade deadline is Monday.

I’ve been an A’s fan since 1965; since 1975, the A’s have spent a lot of time dealing their better/more expensive players to wealthy teams at the trade deadline. Trade deadline week isn’t fun for me or anyone else who roots for the A’s or small market teams who aren’t miraculously contending that year.

11) Colts’ QB Andrew Luck had shoulder surgery in the offseason; he starts training camp on the PUP List (Physically Unable to Perform), but has been throwing footballs and can come off that list at any time.

10) Read an article over the weekend about Red Sox pitcher David Price cursing out Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley on the Red Sox team charter, because Eckersley is often honest on the air and actually criticizes players now and then. That is his job.

Eckersley doesn’t do many road games, so he seldom travels with the team. It is sad that neither the manager or GM or Price have apologized to Eckersley, who took criticism like a man when he wore the uniform, and he was a damn good pitcher.

I watch a ridiculous amount of baseball every day for six months a year; most announce teams are glorified cheerleaders for the home team. Cincinnati would be an exception, Minnesota and St Louis to an extent, but just about all of the others are see-no-evil, hear-no-evil types.

9) I’ll say this about Michael Kay or whoever else is working on the YES Network doing Bronx Bomber games; Joe Girardi takes a lot of grief for his decisions. Saturday night, Girardi pinch-ran Jacoby Ellsbury at first and let Ronald Torreyes bat, with the tying run on first. The two guys in the booth raised an eyebrow that Ellsbury didn’t pinch-hit instead- you don’t hear that on local TV very often.

Torreyes got a hit that tied the game; Girardi is a really good manager who is not exempt from taking a good deal of grief. Was just surprised to hear it.

8) Texas Longhorns refurbished their football locker room this summer; it cost $1.1M to refurbish 126 lockers- that works out to $8,700 each. Could’ve bought each kid a crummy used car for that amount.

7) A 65-year old woman stole a taxi cab in Philadelphia, then picked up a fare before police apprehended her. The woman had picked up a 23-year old woman and her infant daughter. No word on whether got a tip from the young woman before she was arrested,

6) Jimmer Fredette has apparently signed up for two more years of playing ball in China; the BYU alum scored 37 a game over in China last season. In foreign countries, the American stars are expected to score a lot of points. Jimmer can score a lot of points.

5) Good state from theMMQB.com: In NFL history, 24 players have been targeted more than 180 times in a season, and not one of them won a Super Bowl during that season. First of these 24 players was Sterling Sharpe, in 1993.

Moral of the story; winning teams have more balance on offense.

4) Clayton Kershaw is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with his bad back.

3) Former Washington/USC coach Steve Sarkisian replaces Kyle Shanahan as OC of the Falcons. Unusual for a Super Bowl team to bring in a coordinator from outside the organization the next season. What a rollercoaster Sarkisian’s life has been the last few years, on and off the field.

2) If the baseball playoffs started today (they do not), they would look like this:
NL: Washington-Brewers-Dodgers. Wild Cards: Arizona-Colorado
AL: Boston-Cleveland-Houston. Wild Cards: New York-Kansas City

1) Happy birthday, Biff Pocoroba; the former Atlanta Braves’ catcher (1978 All-Star) was one of my boyhood heroes. He caught Phil Niekro’s knuckleball, once hit a game-winning, bases-loaded double off of Tom Seaver on national TV; he turns 63 today. Happy birthday, sir.

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Dunkel

Tuesday, July 25


Seattle @ Los Angeles

Game 611-612
July 25, 2017 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Seattle
109.783
Los Angeles
117.841
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Los Angeles
by 8
168
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles
by 11
162 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Seattle
(+11); Over

Indiana @ Dallas

Game 607-608
July 25, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Indiana
100.553
Dallas
109.458
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 9
161
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
by 6 1/2
166
Dunkel Pick:
Dallas
(-6 1/2); Under

New York @ Minnesota

Game 609-610
July 25, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New York
107.595
Minnesota
129.022
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 21 1/2
156
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
by 12 1/2
160
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(-12 1/2); Under

Chicago @ Connecticut

Game 605-606
July 25, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
110.477
Connecticut
114.456
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Connecticut
by 4
175
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Connecticut
by 7
172 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(+7); Over

Phoenix @ Atlanta

Game 603-604
July 25, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Phoenix
106.732
Atlanta
113.399
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 6 1/2
160
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta
by 4 1/2
164
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(-4 1/2); Under

Washington @ San Antonio

Game 601-602
July 25, 2017 @ 12:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
115.296
San Antonio
102.969
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 12 1/2
156
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 4 1/2
150 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-4 1/2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA

Tuesday, July 25

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Trend Report
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12:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. SAN ANTONIO
Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Washington is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Antonio's last 9 games at home
San Antonio is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Washington

7:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. CONNECTICUT
Chicago is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Chicago is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Connecticut
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Connecticut's last 15 games
Connecticut is 17-7-1 ATS in its last 25 games

7:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. ATLANTA
Phoenix is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Phoenix's last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 9 games at home
Atlanta is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix

8:00 PM
INDIANA vs. DALLAS
Indiana is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games on the road
Indiana is 3-8-2 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana
Dallas is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games when playing at home against Indiana

8:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of New York's last 7 games
New York is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing New York
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Minnesota's last 8 games when playing New York

10:30 PM
SEATTLE vs. LOS ANGELES
Seattle is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Seattle is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Los Angeles's last 15 games when playing at home against Seattle
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Los Angeles's last 5 games

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, July 25

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WASHINGTON (12 - 9) at SAN ANTONIO (3 - 18) - 7/25/2017, 12:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 304-361 ATS (-93.1 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 59-83 ATS (-32.3 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) against Western conference opponents this season.
WASHINGTON is 178-225 ATS (-69.5 Units) after a division game since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in non-conference games this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 14-28 ATS (-16.8 Units) in home games on Tuesday since 1997.
SAN ANTONIO is 14-33 ATS (-22.3 Units) in home games off an upset win as an underdog since 1997.
SAN ANTONIO is 42-67 ATS (-31.7 Units) in home games after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 4-2 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 4-2 straight up against SAN ANTONIO 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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PHOENIX (11 - 9) at ATLANTA (9 - 11) - 7/25/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 2-13 ATS (-12.3 Units) on Tuesday over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in home games in July games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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CHICAGO (8 - 13) at CONNECTICUT (12 - 9) - 7/25/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 14-7 ATS (+6.3 Units) in all games this season.
CONNECTICUT is 14-7 ATS (+6.3 Units) in May, June, or July games this season.
CONNECTICUT is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest this season.
CONNECTICUT is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
CONNECTICUT is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after a division game this season.
CONNECTICUT is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15+ games after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
CONNECTICUT is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
CHICAGO is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in road games after allowing 75 points or more this season.
CHICAGO is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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INDIANA (8 - 13) at DALLAS (10 - 12) - 7/25/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 9-20 ATS (-13.0 Units) against Eastern conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 9-20 ATS (-13.0 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 19-31 ATS (-15.1 Units) after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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NEW YORK (10 - 9) at MINNESOTA (16 - 2) - 7/25/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest this season.
MINNESOTA is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game this season.
NEW YORK is 45-27 ATS (+15.3 Units) in road games when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1997.
NEW YORK is 81-56 ATS (+19.4 Units) in road games against Western conference opponents since 1997.
NEW YORK is 81-56 ATS (+19.4 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 3-3 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 3-3 straight up against NEW YORK 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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SEATTLE (9 - 11) at LOS ANGELES (14 - 6) - 7/25/2017, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 15-33 ATS (-21.3 Units) in road games when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1997.
SEATTLE is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game this season.
LOS ANGELES is 62-91 ATS (-38.1 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 28-48 ATS (-24.8 Units) in home games on Tuesday since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 173-221 ATS (-70.1 Units) after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 86-119 ATS (-44.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.

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

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, JULY 25

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

WAS at SA 12:30 PM

WAS -6.0

O 156.0

CHI at CONN 07:00 PM

CHI +6.5

O 173.5

PHO at ATL 07:00 PM

PHO +6.0

O 163.0

NY at MIN 08:00 PM

NY +13.5

O 161.5

IND at DAL 08:00 PM

IND +7.0

O 167.0

SEA at LA 10:30 PM

SEA +10.5

U 162.5

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA Capsules
July 25, 2017

ATLANTA (AP) Layshia Clarendon had 15 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists to become the sixth WNBA player with a triple-double and the Atlanta Dream beat the Phoenix Mercury 99-91 in overtime on Tuesday night.

It was the WNBA's first triple-double since Temeka Johnson's on July 24, 2014.

Atlanta led 82-77 until Diana Taurasi was fouled on a 3-pointer and made three free throws with 1:44 left in regulation. Taurasi tied it at 82 and gave Phoenix the lead on a step-back jumper with eight seconds left. After a timeout, Brittney Sykes took an inbound pass, curled off a high screen and made a driving layup to tie it at 84.

Atlanta opened overtime on an 11-0 run and cruised.

Sykes scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for her first career double-double for Atlanta (10-11). Tiffany Hayes had 19 points, Elizabeth Williams 16 and Sancho Lyttle 14.

Taurasi scored 31 points for Phoenix (11-10), which has lost four straight without Brittney Griner.

Sheryl Swoopes is the only player in league history to have a triple-double in regular season and postseason.

LYNX 76, LIBERTY 75

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Maya Moore scored a season-high 27 points, Lindsay Whalen made a go-ahead baseline jumper with 47.7 seconds left and the Lynx beat the Liberty.

Epiphanny Prince made 1 of 2 free throws to pull New York to 76-75 with 31.8 seconds left. Minnesota lost control of it and New York won the jump ball with 15.1 seconds left. After a timeout, Prince drew a double team and found an open teammate but Sugar Rodgers' 3-pointer was off the mark. The ball was batted around and Rodgers was off on a shot from the corner at the buzzer.

Sylvia Fowles had 18 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota (17-2). Whalen finished with 12 points.

Tina Charles scored 24 points and grabbed 16 rebounds for New York (10-10). She had her 10th double-double of the season in the first half. Prince scored 19 points.

SUN 93, SKY 72

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) - Alyssa Thomas had 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists to help the Sun beat the Sky.

Chicago was within 65-57 with 1:01 left in the third quarter but didn't score again until Cappie Pondexter's basket with 6:41 remaining. Courtney Williams answered at the other end for an 80-59 lead.

Jasmine Thomas and Williams each added 17 points for Connecticut (13-9). Jonquel Jones had 12 points and 10 rebounds to help the Sun hold a 44-28 rebounding advantage. Jasmine Thomas had a game-high eight assists.

Jones had seven points and six rebounds in the first quarter, Williams scored 13 points in the first half and the Sun had a 38-32 halftime lead.

Allie Quigley led Chicago (8-14) with 20 points. Jessica Breland and Keisha Hampton each added 12 points for the Sky, who concluded a five-game road trip.

WINGS 84, FEVER 82

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Skylar Diggins-Smith scored 21 points for her sixth straight 20-plus game and the Wings beat the Fever.

Dallas trailed 80-76 with 2:45 left, but the Wings scored on their next four possessions for an 84-82 lead on Allisha Gray's basket with 45 seconds left. Erica Wheeler missed two shots on the Fever's next possession and after a Dallas turnover, Wheeler was off again at the buzzer.

Gray finished with 12 points for Dallas (11-12) and Glory Johnson added 11. Courtney Paris grabbed 10 of the Wings' 30 rebounds and Aerial Powers scored nine points in her first game of the season.

Briann January scored 16 points for Indiana (8-14) but she turned it over eight times. Natalie Achonwa added 13 points, Candice Dupree 12 and Tiffany Mitchell 10. Wheeler tied her career-high with nine assists.

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

Parker has big 1st half, Sparks top Storm
July 25, 2017

LOS ANGELES (AP) Candace Parker scored 14 of her 17 points in the first half, Nneka Ogwumike had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Seattle Storm 68-60 on Tuesday night.

Ogwumike hit a baseline jumper at the end of the shot clock to extend Los Angeles' lead to 65-54 with 2:06 left and Seattle didn't get closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Jantel Lavender added 14 points for Los Angeles (15-6).

Los Angeles started the second quarter on a 16-2 run for a 37-21 lead. But Seattle opened the third on a 17-4 run, capped by Noelle Quinn's fast-break layup to give the Storm their first lead, 46-44, since 13-12.

Breanna Stewart led Seattle (9-12) with 23 points and a career-high six blocks. Sue Bird moved past Lauren Jackson for the most field goals in team history and she also became the eighth player in WNBA history with 600 steals.