Cnotes 2018 wnba picks,trends,notes,news !

[StarDust Bum]

Sun focus on Sparks with potential playoff bye at stake

First they qualified for the playoffs. Then they secured at least one home game.

On Sunday, the Connecticut Sun could secure a first-round bye when they host the Los Angeles Sparks in the regular-season finale at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn.

The Sun (20-13) made it eight wins in their last nine games and guaranteed at least a sixth-place finish and a first-round home game with Friday's victory over the Minnesota Lynx.

Connecticut ended the night in fourth place, with no chance to go higher but with the peril of slipping to sixth without a win over the Sparks for the third time in as many tries Sunday.

The top two seeds (Seattle, plus Atlanta or Washington) in the standings get byes to the semifinals. The third and fourth seeds (Washington or Atlanta) automatically advance to the second round, where they will meet the winners of the 5/8 and 6/7 games.

The Sparks can't catch the Sun, but can catch the sixth-place Phoenix Mercury, who host the floundering New York Liberty on Finale Sunday.

A Sun win, though, over the Sparks would lock up the fourth seed for Curt Miller's team.

In short, Phoenix is the 5, the winner of the Sparks-Sun the 4 and the loser the 6.

"Obviously, it goes without talking a lot about. (It was a) huge win for us," Miller said after the Sun won without Chiney Ogwumike (knee). "It secures, at worst case, a home game in the playoffs. A huge win against a true champion, and (I'm) really, really proud. It sets us up for an opportunity to stay home at least for a round."

Jonquel Jones had her third straight big offensive game and also valiantly fought Sylvia Fowles while Ogwumike was on the bench out of uniform after tweaking a knee in practice. She is day-to-day.

Fowles was 8 of 8 from the field for 16 points in the first half and scored nine in the second for the defending WNBA champions.

"(It's) underrated, what she did on Sylvia in the second half," Miller said. "Very underrated. Now, Sylvia missed a couple of shots that she'll normally make, but JJ's length hopefully contributed to that.

"She didn't get discouraged on Sylvia going 8-for-8 by halftime and just dominating us. JJ came back out and kept fighting with her, so I'm really proud of her for that and keeping fighting."

The Sun have posted back-to-back 20 win seasons for the first time since 2011-12.

The Sparks (19-14) lost Friday night in Washington on a buzzer-beater.

Los Angeles jumped to a 13-2 lead and got 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists from Candace Parker on Friday.

The Sparks scored only nine points in the fourth quarter of their third loss in the last four games.

The Sparks would need a win Sunday and for the Mercury to win to nail down the four seed. LA would win a three-way tiebreaker with the Sun and Mercury by having the best record against .500-or-better teams.

Before the game in Washington, L.A.'s Nneka Ogwumike, who could face her sister if Chiney Ogwumike returns, said, "The mood of the season right now is that everybody is fighting to the death, really. We're just trying to be as poised as we can be. What's important now is travel and rest, and we'll see what we've got to do to beat Washington."

The Sparks will fly back across the country for what is a guaranteed home playoff game.

[StarDust Bum]

Potential playoff bye at stake for Dream against Aces

The Las Vegas Aces lost seven of their first eight games and then dropped five in a row in August after the All-Star break. Yet they still had a chance to make the postseason until losing to the Dallas Wings on Friday night.

Now the Aces close out their first season since moving from San Antonio against the Atlanta Dream on Sunday in their finale at Mandalay Bay Events Center.

"We played pretty good basketball. So did they," Aces coach Bill Laimbeer told the Las Vegas Review-Journal after the Aces lost to the Wings, allowing Dallas to clinch the eighth and final playoff spot Friday night. "Still, I'm proud of the way we competed. We gave it our best shot. Came up short."

If the Aces (14-19) had been able to stop the league's leading scorer, Liz Cambage, they might have landed the final spot in the postseason. Cambage collected 43 points and 13 boards for the Wings, who snapped a nine-game losing streak.

"She's a beast on the block. That's who she is," Aces rookie A'ja Wilson said. "You know the ball is going there, but because of her size and because of how strong she is, it's tough to guard."

With Wilson, Kelsey Plum and Kayla McBride, the future is bright for the Aces. Despite the disappointment of losing Friday, Laimbeer has instilled a winning culture.

"Nobody expected us to be in this position," McBride told the Review-Journal. "I think for the most part we really created our own identity. We've been writing our own book this whole season starting 1-7 and at least trying to get to the eighth spot in our playoffs in the best league in the world. It says a lot about the young talent we have, and the coach and the fans."

Beating the Dream will send the Aces into the offseason on a high note. Winning won't be easy, though, because Atlanta has plenty to play for.

The Dream (22-11) had won six straight and 14 of 15 before losing in Phoenix on Friday night. Atlanta is tied for the second seed with Washington entering Sunday. If Atlanta wins or both teams lose, the Dream secure the second seed and the double bye into the semifinals. If they lose and Washington wins, the Mystics claim the spot.

If the Dream secure the second seed, they'll do it without star Angel McCoughtry, who will be cheering from the sideline after tearing ligaments in her left knee last week.

"This team is really together with Angel," Dream coach Nikki Collen said. "You have to take the mentality that it's the next man up. You have to do it collectively, and since we've lost her for the season, it's been a collective effort. We certainly miss her in big moments."

Dream forward Tiffany Hayes said she believes that she and her teammates have the mental toughness to power past losing McCoughtry.

"Just keep trusting our pass and getting our defense right," Hayes said.

The Dream beat the Aces 87-83 on June 8 in Las Vegas and 109-00 on Aug. 7 in Atlanta. The 109 points and 14 blocks in that game were franchise bests.

Elizabeth Williams led the Dream in scoring and finished with the best field-goal percentage in a game in team history as she went 11 of 12.

Tiffany Hayes posted her 12th 20-plus point game with 21 points.

That win also clinched a postseason spot for the Dream in Collen's first season.

"I love what I do and I like my team and I think we have good pieces," Collen said. "My challenge is to get them ready for every game. I'm always going to put pressure on myself to be prepared."

[StarDust Bum]

Mercury prepare for playoffs, Liberty for vacation

The Phoenix Mercury and the New York Liberty are on different paths -- one positioning for the WNBA playoffs and the other thinking of next season.

The Mercury (19-14) are looking to remain on the upswing when they host the Liberty (7-26) on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both teams.

After going through a recent 2-9 stretch, Phoenix won its third straight game with a 104-95 victory over visiting Atlanta on Friday. The Liberty, beset by injuries most of the season, have dropped 12 straight games, including an 85-77 loss at Seattle on Friday.

Phoenix had dominant performances against Atlanta from its top three players, all of whom posted double-doubles -- center Brittney Griner (33 points, 18 rebounds), forward DeWanna Bonner (21 points, 16 rebounds) and guard Diana Taurasi (27 points, 14 assists).

Taurasi, who matched her career high with the assist total, was one away from becoming the second player in WNBA history with a 20-point, 15-assist game after Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot did so July 20.

Phoenix had a season-high 29 assists against Atlanta.

"(Taurasi's) a great passer, I don't think anyone passes the ball as well as her, that sees how they're defending her," Phoenix coach Sandra Brondello said. "And then it's just about making shots. We're shooting the ball well and we have that confidence. Every game is a new challenge for us, and I think we did a good job of executing the scout for the most part."

With the win over Atlanta and Connecticut's victory over Minnesota, the Mercury secured at least the sixth spot in the playoffs and a home game in the first round, which will take place Aug. 21 at Arizona State's Wells Fargo Arena.

New York, meanwhile, will try to get through one last game without four injured players (Epiphanny Prince, Kia Vaughn, Amanda Zahui B and Shavonte Zellous).

Liberty coach Katie Smith said she can only tell her team to "play hard."

"Ever since we found out we're out of playoff contention they've still battled," Smith said. "We've got a lot of people playing minutes who didn't play that many early. There's always something to improve upon, always something to do to earn a spot next year or earn more money somewhere.

"Again, it's a pride thing of going out and competing. I have been proud of them every night they've come out. A lot of people are asked to play a ton of minutes and they've been willing to do so.

"I'm happy and proud of their effort, but again, lots of little things we can do better and we'll keep coaching them."

[StarDust Bum]

Storm host Wings in postseason tune-up

The Seattle Storm returned home after playing nine of their previous 10 games on the road.

Now they'll get to stay there.

The Storm clinched the top seed in the WNBA playoffs and home-court advantage throughout with an 85-77 victory over the New York Liberty on Friday night before a sellout crowd at KeyArena.

Seattle claimed the league's best regular-season record for the first time since 2010, when it won the last of its two WNBA titles.

"You get the benefit of routine, being in your own bed and not having to travel as much," veteran point guard Sue Bird, who played on both Storm championship teams, told The Seattle Times. "And you get the benefit of your fans and feeling comfortable in being at home.

"You play the entire season for that reason. I know the KeyArena crowd is going to be crazy, and I know it's going to give us an extra boost. That I definitely felt not just in 2010, but in a lot of our playoff runs. The crowd is amazing here, and it's a huge benefit for us."

The Storm (25-8) will play host to the Dallas Wings (15-18) on Sunday afternoon in what is now a meaningless regular-season finale.

The Wings snapped a nine-game losing streak and clinched the eighth and final playoff berth with a 107-102 victory over visiting Las Vegas on Friday night, the first game for interim coach Taj McWilliams-Franklin.

"I'm never enthralled with that. We all work together," McWilliams-Franklin said of her first victory as a head coach. "When I was an assistant coach last year and we made the playoffs, I was just as excited."

Dallas' Liz Cambage, the league's leading scorer (just ahead of Seattle's Breanna Stewart), had 43 points and 13 rebounds in the victory.

The Australian center, who celebrated her 27th birthday Saturday, broke down in tears after the game. She questioned recently whether she would return to the WNBA next season as the league's pay scale can't match what she can make overseas.

"I love being here. I love this team, I love the league. I love this city," Cambage told The Dallas Morning News. "But I put my body, mind and spirit first. I've got this and then the world champs and the season in China.

"It's days like this on my birthday that I miss my family a lot, I miss my mom a lot. I'm an only child and it's always been family first for me. It's not easy for me to be alone on the other side of the world. I'm lucky I have such great team who are like sisters to me."

Fellow All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith, who embraced Cambage after the game, added 23 points and eight assists for the Wings.

"We're not happy just being invited to the party," Diggins-Smith said, referring to the playoffs. "We want to party all night long."

[StarDust Bum]

Mystics seek win over Lynx and No. 2 seed

The good news for Minnesota is that the reigning WNBA champions will have a chance to defend their title.

The bad news: The Lynx have an uphill battle to raise the title trophy for a second straight year.

After losing to the Connecticut Sun on Friday, the Lynx are locked into the seventh playoff spot and will most likely play the Phoenix Mercury in a single-elimination playoff Tuesday.

But first, the Lynx host the Washington Mystics on Sunday at the Target Center in Minneapolis in their regular-season finale.

There's much more at stake Sunday for the Mystics, who defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 69-67 on Friday on Natasha' Cloud's buzzer-beater.

With that victory, Washington needs a win over Minnesota (17-16) and an Atlanta loss in order to claim the No. 2 seed and the double-bye into the semifinals that comes with it.

"Unfortunately, we need some help from Atlanta for that to happen but all we can do is really control what we are doing now," Washington star Elena Delle Donne said. "We did our part tonight and then we have to do it again against Minnesota."

Friday's win over the Sparks is a good indication that it's "go time" for the Mystics.

"Well, it felt like a playoff game," Washington coach Mike Thibault said. "Two teams acted like a playoff game because nobody made shots with everybody hanging all over them. It wasn't any fouls called either way. It's not a lot of turnovers. It was just a hang in there kind of game. We kept burying ourselves and we kept fighting back."

Minnesota has been fighting back throughout this roller-coaster season.

Sunday's game against the Mystics is important for the Lynx if only to help Minnesota gain some momentum heading into the postseason.

Minnesota has a little more motivation -- Sunday's game might be star guard Lindsay Whalen's final home game. The 15-year vet announced her retirement earlier this month.

Among her many accolades, Whalen won an Olympic gold medal twice, she's hoisted a WNBA title trophy four times and is the winningest player in the history of the WNBA.

"There were different times this offseason when I wondered how much more can I give," she said during her retirement announcement. "You never want to have any regrets, and I got to spend one more year with my (teammates). Throughout the season, I knew this was probably going to be it."

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton proclaimed Sunday as "Lindsay Whalen Day" throughout the state. Beating Washington would be the cherry on top of a memorable day.

The Mystics defeated the Lynx on May 27 in the first meeting this season. Kristi Toliver scored 19 points and Washington's bench poured in 58 points.

The Lynx came back to hand the Mystics an 88-80 loss June 7. Sylvia Fowles had 21 points and 12 rebounds, Maya Moore added 19 points as the Lynx snapped a four-game skid.

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday’s six-pack

— Red Sox put Chris Sale (shoulder) back on the DL

— A’s 7, Astros 1— These teams are tied for first in the AL West.

— Denver punter Shane Tripucka is the nephew of former NBA star Kelly Tripucka.

— Rockies 5, Braves 3 (10)— Atlanta led 3-0 in 9th inning.

— High school football started in Las Vegas this week; has to be damn hot playing ball in the desert, in August.

— Golfer Kevin Stadler broke his club in anger Saturday; the head of the club hit a fan, who needed six stitches. Whoops.

Quote of the Day
“Hell, I’d have done the same damn thing if any of my coaches had done something. … My first reaction would have been: ‘Well, shoot, we’ve done something wrong, but we can’t make it right by letting the whole damned world know about it.’”
Former Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes, in 1976, talking about Richard Nixon, of all people

Sunday’s quiz
When the Chargers started play in the AFL in 1960, what city did they call home?

Saturday’s quiz
Phillies manager Gabe Kapler retired from playing in 2006, managed a minor league team in 2007, then un-retired and played for Milwaukee in 2008.

Friday’s quiz
Besides Bill Belichick (18 years), Marvin Lewis of the Bengals is the NFL head coach who has been in his job the longest- this will be his 16th season in Cincinnati.

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

Sunday’s List of 13: Nobody asked me, but……

13) I asked a few days ago why Ohio State never got rid of this assistant coach Zach Smith, despite multiple off-field screw-ups. Now I kind of know.

Turns out Smith is the grandson of former Ohio State coach Earle Bruce, the coach who succeeded the legendary Woody Hayes as Buckeyes’ coach.

Urban Meyer once called Bruce “his second father”; Smith was considered a good recruiter but not much of a football tactician/teacher.

Meyer tried to give an old friend’s grandson the benefit of the doubt, and the guy badly abused the privilege. Now it is a mess, but not many coaches with a 73-8 record get fired.

12) It is unclear whether Eagles’ QB Carson Wentz will be available for Philly’s season opener against the Falcons. Super Bowl hero Nick Foles hurt his shoulder when he was sacked in the game Thursday night, which leaves open the possibility that Nate Sudfeld could be the #1 QB for the Iggles when they open this season in 19 days.

11) Giants’ pitcher Dereck Rodriguez, who has been doing great for the last month, went on the DL with hamstring issues; he tweaked his hamstring jumping over the dugout fence to get on the field during the Nick Hundley/Yasiel Puig incident the other night.

Not good.

10) Bills’ QB AJ McCarron broke his collarbone Friday night, basically handing the starting job to rookie Josh Allen.

9) I know it is preseason, but Chiefs’ QB Patrick Mahomes threw a TD pass to Tyreek Hill Friday night that traveled 68.6 yards in the air, longer than any TD thrown in any game all of last season.

8) Friday night, Daniel Zamora became the 54th player to play for the Mets this season, tying their all-time franchise record for most players used in a season. Zamora was brought up from AA Binghamton, which is unusual.

7) A reminder that in 1972, Steve Carlton went 27-10 pitching for a Phillies team that went 59-97. One of the greatest seasons ever for a pitcher.

6) Another reminder: actor/pro wrestler Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson played college football at Miami, FL and in the CFL for the Calgary Stampeders, before he started his career as a pro wrestler. If I remember right, he backed up Warren Sapp at Miami.

5) When he was 14, Mets’ 3B Todd Frazier worked as a carnival barker on the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore. At the basketball shooting booth, where the rim may not have been totally round.

4) Red Sox’ AAA farm team is moving from Pawtucket, RI to Worcester, MA in 2021; they’ve been in Pawtucket since 1973. Worcester is much closer to Boston; they’ll build a new stadium that hopefully will revitalize the Worcester area.

3) Pirates lost consecutive games 1-0 games Thursday/Friday for first time since May 9 (at Padres), 10 (at Dodgers), way back in 1985. Both Chicago runs came on home runs.

2) White Sox put Yoan Moncada back in the leadoff spot Friday, despite fact that he was hitting .144 since the All-Star break, with 31 strikeouts in his last 60 plate appearances.

1) Thanks to Ken Thomsen and Andrew Fain for having me on their excellent radio show Friday night. Good baseball talk from out in Las Vegas; you can listen weeknights from 10-12pm on sportsxradio.com. You’ll be smarter about sports if you do.

[StarDust Bum]

Sky, Fever wrap up disappointing seasons

The Chicago Sky outlasted the Indiana Fever in an epic double-overtime thriller that featured 221 points between the teams.

One day later, they will try to catch their breath and start all over from zero. The game marks the regular-season finale for both teams, who have been eliminated from playoff contention and will begin a long offseason starting Monday.

Chicago (13-20) will go for back-to-back wins against the Fever in the back end of a home-and-home series Sunday evening at Wintrust Arena. The Sky held on for a 115-106 victory Saturday thanks to a 16-7 surge in double overtime.

The loss marked the latest disappointment in a dreadful season for Indiana (5-28), which has the worst record in the league. The Fever have lost five games in a row and will try to finish their season on a positive note as they turn the page toward 2019.

"We had our opportunities to win the basketball game, several opportunities," Fever coach Pokey Chatman said to the Indianapolis Star. "We took care of the basketball for the most part, but when regulation ended, we got a little sloppy. We had the opportunity to knock down some free throws and ice it, but we didn't."

Chicago won each of the first two matchups this season, including 82-64 on May 19 in Indianapolis.

Courtney Vandersloot and Diamond DeShields each scored 24 points for the Sky in Saturday's victory. Vandersloot also had 10 assists to pick up a double-double. Cheyenne Parker added 20 points off the bench.

Candice Dupree will try to finish the season strong after scoring a game-high 30 points for the Fever on Saturday. The veteran also pulled down eight rebounds, which trailed only Natalie Achonwa (11 rebounds) for the team lead.

One of the bright spots this year for Chicago has been veteran guard Allie Quigley, who reached the all-star game and won her second straight WNBA 3-point contest. The 32-year-old grew up in nearby Joliet, Ill., and played collegiately at DePaul.

Quigley said she felt at home with the Sky, where she has emerged as a leader on and off the court.

"I think it's a combination of hard work and experience catching up with each other," Quigley said to the Chicago Daily Herald. "It was just a matter of when you get your opportunity, you perform."

Chicago is 7-9 at home this season; Indiana is 3-13 on the road.

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA

Sunday, August 19

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Trend Report
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Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Los Angeles's last 8 games
Los Angeles is 4-7-1 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 6 games on the road
Los Angeles is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Connecticut
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 5 games when playing Connecticut
Los Angeles is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Connecticut
Connecticut Sun
Connecticut is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games
Connecticut is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Connecticut's last 7 games
Connecticut is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Connecticut is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Connecticut is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Los Angeles
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Connecticut's last 5 games when playing Los Angeles
Connecticut is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Los Angeles


Atlanta Dream
Atlanta is 14-2 ATS in its last 16 games
Atlanta is 14-2 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Atlanta's last 13 games
Atlanta is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Atlanta is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Atlanta's last 11 games on the road
Atlanta is 5-13-1 ATS in its last 19 games when playing Las Vegas
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Las Vegas
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Atlanta's last 12 games when playing Las Vegas
Atlanta is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Las Vegas
Atlanta is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Las Vegas
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing on the road against Las Vegas
Las Vegas Aces
Las Vegas is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Las Vegas is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Las Vegas is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Las Vegas is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games at home
Las Vegas is 13-5 ATS in its last 18 games when playing Atlanta
Las Vegas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Las Vegas's last 12 games when playing Atlanta
Las Vegas is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing at home against Atlanta
Las Vegas is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Las Vegas's last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta


New York Liberty
New York is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
New York is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 6 games on the road
New York is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix
New York is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing Phoenix
New York is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Phoenix is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Phoenix's last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 6 games at home
Phoenix is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing New York
Phoenix is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing New York
Phoenix is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing at home against New York


Indiana Fever
Indiana is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
Indiana is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Indiana's last 9 games
Indiana is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Indiana is 3-20 SU in its last 23 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Indiana's last 15 games on the road
Indiana is 5-9-2 ATS in its last 16 games when playing Chicago
Indiana is 4-0-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Indiana is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Indiana's last 18 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago Sky
Chicago is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Chicago's last 12 games
Chicago is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Chicago is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games at home
Chicago is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana
Chicago is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Chicago's last 18 games when playing at home against Indiana


Dallas Wings
Dallas is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
Dallas is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Dallas's last 9 games
Dallas is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Dallas is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Dallas's last 13 games on the road
Dallas is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Seattle
Dallas is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Seattle
Dallas is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Dallas is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle Storm
Seattle is 14-4 ATS in its last 18 games
Seattle is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Seattle is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Seattle is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Seattle's last 9 games at home
Seattle is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Dallas
Seattle is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Dallas
Seattle is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Dallas
Seattle is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Dallas


Washington Mystics
Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Washington's last 8 games
Washington is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games on the road
Washington is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Minnesota
Washington is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota Lynx
Minnesota is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games
Minnesota is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Minnesota's last 15 games
Minnesota is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Minnesota is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games at home
Minnesota is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Washington
Minnesota is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing Washington
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday's WNBA Best Bets
Joe Williams

For the remainder of the WNBA regular season through the playoffs, we'll take a look at the best Sunday bets.

The schedule for Sunday is chock full of action, with all 12 WNBA teams on the hardwood for the final day of the regular season. Let's get started!

The Los Angeles Sparks (19-14) open the day far from home when they take on the Connecticut Sun (20-13) for the third time this season. The Sun probably wish they could face the Sparks more, as they won and covered each of the previous two contests this season, including a 102-94 win in Connecticut all the way back on May 24. Los Angeles is struggling against the number lately, going 1-5 ATS over the past six outings, and they're just 3-9 ATS across the past 12 against teams with a winning overall mark. L.A. has also failed to cover in each of the past seven following a cover in their previous outing.

For the Sun, they have covered seven of their past nine outings overall, including a 5-1 ATS mark across the past six contests at home. They're also an impressive 5-0 ATS in the past five against teams from the Western Conference. Total bettors might like the 'under' in this one, too. It has cashed in four of the previous five meetings in this series, while going 4-1 in the past five for L.A. against Eastern Conference clubs, too. The under is also 24-10 in their past 34 following a cover. The under is 4-1 in Connecticut's past five against teams with a winning overall record, but the over is 5-2 in their past seven games overall.

The Atlanta Dream (22-11) will try to clinch the Eastern Division flag with a road win against the Las Vegas Aces (14-18). This game also features the highest total on the board, 175 points. The Dream have been cover queens lately, going 7-1 ATS across the past eight outings on the road. They're also 7-1 ATS over the past eight games against Western Conference teams, while going 19-7 ATS in the past 26 games overall. Atlanta will be trying to rebound, and they're also very good against the number in that situation, too. The Dream are 5-0 ATS in the past five following a straight-up loss, and 4-0 ATS in their past four outings following a non-cover.

As far as Vegas is concerned, they are limping to the finish line, going 0-4 ATS in the past four against teams with a winning overall mark. They have handled themselves with aplomb against Eastern Conference teams, however, going 34-16-1 ATS in the past 51. The Dream has had a difficult time against this franchise, dating back to when the Aces were the San Antonio Stars. Atlanta is just 4-15 ATS in the past 19 meetings, and 1-8 ATS in their past nine trips to Vegas/San Antonio. The over has cashed in four of the previous five for Atlanta, while going 8-3 in their past 11 road contests. For the Aces, the under is 3-1-1 in their past five at home, and 4-1 in their past five against clubs with a straight-up winning mark.

In early evening action, the Phoenix Mercury (19-14) hosts the New York Liberty (7-26), as they look to springboard into the postseason. The Mercury have won three in a row, averaging 94.7 points per game (PPG), and the 'over' is 3-0-1 across their past four, and 6-1-1 in the past eight games overall. The Mercury has also been hot against the number, too, going 5-1 ATS in the past six outings, and 12-4 ATS across the past 16 games following a straight-up win. They have sizzled against the Eastern Conference, too, going 15-5 ATS in the past 20. For the Liberty, they're the opposite, going 4-11 ATS in the past 15 games vs. Western Conference clubs, while going 0-4 ATS in their past four following a non-cover.

The 'under' is 4-1 across the past five meetings in this series, and 4-1 ATS in the past five in the Valley of the Sun, too. The Liberty have actually connected in six of their past eight trips to Arizona, too, although they're 0-2 SU/ATS in the previous meetings this season, both in New York.

The Indiana Fever (5-28) and Chicago Sky (13-20) will be playing in the only game where both teams are eliminated from postseason contention. That doesn't mean there isn't money to be made. In fact, these teams might have just played the most exciting game of the season. Chicago won 115-106 in double-overtime in Indianapolis on Saturday, and now the two teams take the bus up Interstate 65 to the Windy City to wrap up an ugly season. Chicago is 2-0 SU/ATS in two previous meetings against the Fever, and they might have made the postseason if only they could face the Fever more.

The Fever have been ice-cold against the number, too, going 5-17 ATS across their past 22 games overall, while hitting in just two of their past eight games against the spread on the road. They're also 3-13 ATS in their past 16 following a straight-up loss and 2-5 ATS in the past seven on no rest. For the Sky, they are finishing on a high note with four consecutive covers, although they're still just 11-23 ATS across their past 34 outings at home. Indiana has owned this series in the past, at least against the number, going 15-5-1 ATS in their past 21 trips to Chicago, while the 'over' has connected in 14 of the past 18. The over looks to be attractive in this one, but remember, these two sides just played double-overtime less than 24 hours ago.

BEST BET ALERT: The 'over' is listed at 168 on Sunday, but that's a bit high since both teams will have tired legs after just playing a double-overtime thriller in Indianapolis on Saturday. Unless the game cannot be decided in regulation again, this one is going well under.

The Dallas Wings (15-18) and Seattle Storm (25-8) both appeared to be hurtling toward the postseason about a month ago. The Storm is still on that trajectory. In fact, they have the No. 1 overall seed heading into the playoffs. Dallas, they have lost nine of their past 10 games overall while failing to cover five in a row, and nine of the past 10. This is the fourth meeting between these teams this season, with Seattle winning and covering the past two. It's a meaningless game for Seattle, so covering an eight-point number might seem a bit ambitious.

Dallas has also failed to cover their past six on the road, and they're 0-5 ATS in the past five against teams with a winning straight-up record. Seattle has posted a 13-4-1 ATS mark across the past 18 games, and they're 5-1 ATS in the past six against teams with a losing record. Seattle is also 4-0 ATS in their past four within the Western Conference. Seattle is 5-2 ATS in the past seven overall against Dallas, and 5-2 ATS in their past seven home games against the Wings, too. The 'over' has hit in four of the past five meetings in this series, too, but the under is 7-2 in Seattle's past nine at home.

BEST BET ALERT - PART II: The Storm have the No. 1 overall seed wrapped up, so they do not have anything to play for. It wouldn't be shocking to see some of their key personnel rest in this one, so perhaps Liz Cambage and the Wings fly to the finish line on a high note. Either way, the Wings are quite attractive catching four buckets in Seattle.

The final game of the day is a good one, as the The Washington Mystics (21-11) and Minnesota Lynx (17-16) tangle in the Twin Cities. The Mystics enter the game just a half-game back of the Dream for the top spot in the East, so there is plenty to play for. Washington has been on fire, covering six of their past seven overall, and four straight on the road. They're also 4-1 ATS in the past five games against teams with a winning straight-up record, while covering four of their past five against the Western Conference, too.

The Lynx are limping to the finish line, especially against the spread. They are just 2-7 ATS in the past nine games overall, while going 0-4 ATS in the past four at home, 0-5 ATS in their past five against winning sides and 1-4 ATS in the past five against Eastern Conference foes. This will be the first meeting between these teams in the Twin Cities this season, and they haven't seen each other anywhere since June 7. The teams split the first two games in D.C., with the Lynx winning 88-80 last time out. Both of the first games resulted in 'over' results. The over is 4-1 in the past five meetings in this series, and the Mystics have covered just two of their past eight in this series.

BEST BETS RECORD - LAST WEEK: 1-1 (-10)
BEST BETS RECORD - SEASON: 2-2 (-20)

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 19
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

LA at CONN 03:00 PM
CONN -5.0
U 161.0

NY at PHO 06:00 PM
PHO -12.0
O 165.5

ATL at LV 06:00 PM
LV +4.5
U 174.0

IND at CHI 06:00 PM
CHI -8.0
O 168.5

WAS at MIN 07:00 PM
WAS +0.0
O 159.0

DAL at SEA 07:00 PM
SEA -7.5
U 175.0

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Lynx celebrate "Lindsay Whalen Day" win victory
August 19, 2018

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Lindsay Whalen scored 10 points in the final regular-season home game of her career, Sylvia Fowles set the WNBA season record for rebounds and the Minnesota Lynx closed the season with a 88-83 victory over the Washington Mystics on Sunday night.

The Target Center had 13,013 in attendance for the game. Governor Mark Dayton declared it ''Lindsay Whalen Day'' in Minnesota and a retirement ceremony followed the game.

The 36-year-old Whalen starred at the University of Minnesota and now coaches the Gophers.

Fowles had 26 points and 14 rebounds to finish with a WNBA-record 404 rebounds. She broke the mark of 403 set last year by Jonquel Jones.

Whalen hit a 3-pointer that gave the Lynx (18-16) the lead for good during a 13-0 run that ended at 78-69 early in the fourth quarter. The Mystics (22-12) got no closer than the final score.

The seventh-seeded Lynx will visit the sixth-seeded Los Angeles Sparks - a rematch of the last two WNBA finals - in the single-elimination first round of the WNBA playoffs Tuesday night.

The No. 3 seed Mystics had their eight-game winning streak snapped and their 22 regular-season wins tied a franchise best. Washington will have a bye through the first round of the playoffs to host the Lynx-Sparks winner in the second round Thursday night.

DREAM 93, ACES 78

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Elizabeth Williams scored 20 points and Atlanta beat Las Vegas to take the No. 2 seed in the WNBA playoffs.

The Dream (23-11) have byes through the first two single-elimination rounds, and will have home-court advantage in the best-of-five semifinals.

Jessica Breland and Montgomery added 16 points each for Atlanta, Alex Bentley had 12, and Tiffany Hayes 11. A'ja Wilson had 21 points for the Aces (14-20).

SUN 89, SPARKS 86

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) - Jasmine Thomas scored 27 points and Connecticut beat Los Angeles to secure the fourth seed in the playoffs.

Connecticut (21-13) will have a first-round bye and host the Phoenix-Dallas winner in the second round. Los Angeles (19-15) took the sixth seed and will host Minnesota in the first round.

Candace Parker led Los Angeles with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

STORM 84, WINGS 68

SEATTLE (AP) - Breanna Stewart and Crystal Langhorne had 15 points each to help Seattle beat Dallas.

Sue Bird sat out the game and Stewart played just 13 minutes in the game that had no effect on the Storm's No. 1 playoff seed.

Seattle (26-8) closed the season winning eight of the last nine and will begin the playoffs in the semifinals with byes through the first two single-elimination rounds and home-court advantage throughout.

Glory Johnson led the Wings (15-19) with 16 points.

MERCURY 96, LIBERTY 85

PHOENIX (AP) - DeWanna Bonner had 23 points and 10 rebounds to help Phoenix beat New York, sending the Liberty to their 13th straight loss.

Stephanie Talbot added 18 points, and Diana Taurasi had 16. The fifth-seeded Mercury (20-14) will host eighth-seeded Dallas on Tuesday night in the first round of the playoffs.

Kia Nurse had 22 of her 28 points in the first half for the Liberty (7-27).

FEVER 97, SKY 92

CHICAGO (AP) - Candice Dupree and Cappie Pondexter had 22 points each in Indiana's victory over Chicago.

The Fever snapped a five-game losing to finish a WNBA-worst 6-28.

Diamond DeShields had 19 of her 27 points in the first half for the Sky (13-21).

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date w-l-t % units record

08/19/2018 6-6-0 50.00% -3.00
08/18/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
08/17/2018 7-3-0 70.00% +18.50
08/15/2018 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50
08/14/2018 4-2-0 66.67% +9.00
08/12/2018 3-7-0 30.00% -23.50
08/11/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
08/10/2018 4-0-0 100.00% +20.00
08/09/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
08/08/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
08/07/2018 2-6-0 25.00% -23.00
08/05/2018 3-5-0 37.50% -12.50
08/04/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
08/03/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
08/02/2018 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50
08/01/2018 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50

totals............47-43-0........52.22%.....-1.50


best bets.....................ats.............units.... ............o/u...................units.............total

08/19/2018..................1 - 5.............-22.50................5 - 1..................+19.50..........-3.00
08/18/2018..................1 - 0.............+5.00.................1 - 0..................+5.00.............+10.00
08/17/2018..................4 - 1.............+14.50...............3- 2...................+4.00.............+18.50
08/15/2018..................2 - 0 ............+10.00...............1 - 1...................-0.50.............+9.50
08/14/2018..................2 - 1............ +4.50.................2 - 1..................+4.50............+9.00
08/12/2018..................2 - 3.............-6.50..................1 - 4..................-17.00............-23.50
08/11/2018..................1 - 1.............-0.50..................0 - 2..................-11.00............-11.50
08/10/2018..................2 - 0............+10.00................2 - 0..................+10.00..........+20.00
08/09/2018..................1 - 1.............-0.50..................0 - 2..................-11.00............-11.50
08/08/2018..................1 - 1.............-0.50..................1 - 1..................-0.50..............-1.00
08/07/2018..................1 - 3............-11.50.................1 - 3..................-11.50............-23.00
08/05/2018..................1 - 3............-11.50.................2 - 2...................-1.00.............-12.50
08/04/2018..................1 - 0............+5.00..................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+10.00
08/03/2018..................1 - 1.............-0.50..................0 - 2..................-11.00.............-11.50
08/02/2018..................1 - 1.............-0.50..................2 - 0.................+10.00.............+9.50
08/01/2018..................1 - 1.............-0.50..................2 - 0.................+10.00.............+9.50

totals......................23 - 22..............-7.00.................24 - 19...............+6.50...............-1.50

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Playoff Schedule

LOCAL ET TV

FIRST ROUND
Tue Aug. 21 Dallas at Phoenix1 5:30PM 8:30PM ESPN2
Tue Aug. 21 Minnesota at Los Angeles 7:30PM 10:30PM ESPN2

SECOND ROUND
Thu Aug. 23 TBD at Washington2 6:30PM 6:30PM ESPN2
Thu Aug. 23 TBD at Connecticut 8:30PM 8:30PM ESPN2

SEMIFINALS
Seattle vs TBD

Sun Aug. 26 TBD at Seattle – GM1 2:00PM 5:00PM ESPN2
Tue Aug. 28 TBD at Seattle – GM2 7:00PM 10:00PM ESPN2
Fri Aug. 31 Seattle at TBD – GM3 – – ESPNews/NBA TV
Sun Sep. 2 Seattle at TBD – GM4* – – ESPN2
Tue Sep. 4 TBD at Seattle – GM5* – – ESPNews/NBA TV

Atlanta vs TBD
Sun Aug. 26 TBD at Atlanta – GM1 3:00PM 3:00PM ESPN2
Tue Aug. 28 TBD at Atlanta – GM2 8:00PM 8:00PM ESPN2
Fri Aug. 31 Atlanta at TBD – GM3 – – ESPNews/NBA TV
Sun Sep. 2 Atlanta at TBD – GM4* – – ESPN2
Tue Sep. 4 TBD at Atlanta – GM5* – – ESPN2


SUBJECT TO CHANGE

TBD – To Be Determined

* – If necessary

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Cheat Sheet - First Round
August 20, 2018

The first round of the WNBA playoffs begins on Tuesday Aug. 21 with a single-elimination format. The winners of these games will travel to either No. 3 Washington or No. 4 Connecticut for second round matchups on Thursday.

Those games will be single-elimination as well with the winners advancing to the semifinals against either No. 1 Seattle or No. 2 Atlanta for a five-game series before the WNBA Finals, which is also a best-of-five matchup.

(Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under - O/U)

No. 8 Dallas at No. 5 Phoenix (ESPN2, 8:30 p.m. ET)

-- The Mercury went 2-1 both SU and ATS versus the Wings this season.

-- The pair only met once in Phoenix, which occurred on May 18 and the Mercury captured an 86-76 win over the Wings as a 5 ½-point home favorite.

-- The ‘over’ went 2-1 in the three encounters and the totals ranged from 160 ½ to 171.

-- The Wings are the lowest seed in this year’s playoffs and have been horrible for bettors down the stretch.

-- Dallas closed the regular season on a 1-10 record both SU and ATS.

-- During this season, the Wings went 0-6 both SU and ATS on the road and that contributed to their overall dismal mark away from home (5-12 SU, 7-10 ATS).

-- The Wings watched the ‘over’ go 11-6 away from home. Bettors should note that the club allowed 88 points per game on the road, which was the second worst ranking in the WNBA.

-- The Mercury weren’t very consistent at Talking Stick Resort Arena this season, posting a 9-8 SU and 7-10 ATS record.

-- However, Sandy Brondello and company did close the season with five straight games at home and they posted a 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS mark in those games.

-- The lone loss came by five points to a quality Washington squad while the wins were by an average of 12 PPG.

-- Phoenix surrendered 85.2 PPG at home this season, the fourth worst effort in the WNBA. They did average 86.9 PPG at home, which was ranked third overall. Those numbers helped the 'over' go 10-7 at home.

-- The Mercury closed the regular season on a 7-1-1 ‘over’ run.

-- Since the Wings moved from Tulsa, they’ve played in one playoff game and that occurred last season when they dropped an 86-76 decision to Washington in the first round.

-- Since the WNBA created the first and second round elimination matchups in 2016, the Mercury have been involved each of the last two seasons.

-- Phoenix has gone 4-0 in those games, going 2-0 at home in the first round and 2-0 in the second round. Unfortunately for the club, they’ve been swept in both semifinal matchups in 2016 and 2017.

No. 7 Minnesota at No. 6 Los Angeles (ESPN2, 10:30 p.m. ET)

-- The Sparks captured three of four matchups from the Lynx this season, including both contests at Staples Center.

-- Los Angeles hammered Minnesota in the most recent meeting, 79-57 to easily cash as three-point favorites on August 2.

-- The lone victory by the Lynx over the Sparks came at Target Center on July 5 by an 83-72 count as 3 ½-point favorites. Minnesota won in spite of Maya Moore shooting 2-of-13 from the floor and finishing with eight points.

-- This is a surprising first-round matchup as the Lynx and Sparks have met for the WNBA title each of the last two seasons with each team winning once. Minnesota has reached the WNBA Finals in six of the previous seven seasons, winning four times, but never picking up consecutive titles following a championship last season.

-- In spite of a 3-6 SU/ATS finish, Minnesota closed the regular season by knocking off Washington as short home underdogs, 88-83, while snapping the Mystics’ seven-game winning streak.

-- Minnesota owned the second-worst ATS record in the league at 13-21, while failing to cover its first seven games of the season.

-- The Lynx won nine of 17 games on the highway this season, including underdog victories over Phoenix twice and Washington.

-- Minnesota has never played in the one-game knockout round since its inception two seasons ago, as the Lynx are opening against an opponent on the road for the first time since losing at Phoenix in the Western Conference Finals in 2014.

-- Los Angeles is not playing its best basketball of the season as the Sparks have dropped four of their last five games, while the only home win in this span came as a 13 ½-point favorite against New York.

-- The Sparks began the season by posting an 8-1 record at Staples Center, but suffered through a five-game home skid in July. L.A. is currently riding a three-game home winning streak, which included the 22-point blowout of Minnesota in early August.

-- Los Angeles has failed to cover in six of the last eight opportunities in the favorite role, including recent losses to Phoenix and Atlanta.

-- The Sparks have drilled the 'under' in four straight home contests, while the Lynx have hit the 'under' in 11 of the past 12 away games.

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WNBA playoff field set, LA-Minnesota meet
August 20, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) The WNBA playoffs are set after a wild, unpredictable regular season came to an end Sunday.

As expected, Los Angeles and Minnesota will meet in the postseason for a third straight year. Unexpectedly, it's in the first round.

The two-time WNBA finalists finished a surprising sixth and seventh in the regular season and will face off in Los Angeles on Tuesday night.

''Minnesota is a good team. You can throw records out the window right now,'' Sparks coach Brian Agler said. ''They have two of the elite offensive players in the league, one inside and one outside, they have veteran savviness, tough minded championship pedigree and we have played them enough, over 20 times in three years, so we know each other pretty well.''

Phoenix will host Dallas, which earned the final playoff spot Friday, in the other first-round elimination game.

''I mean, you obviously want to finish as high up as you can. There was a point there when we thought we were going to be in that top two, top four, but you have to win regardless. I think we're playing well,'' Phoenix guard Diana Taurasi said. ''I think we found our groove a little bit on the things that we want to do. Getting a home game, but we still have to go out there and play hard and play really well to win.''

Seattle and Atlanta earned byes to the semifinals by finishing first and second. The Dream clinched the No. 2 spot on the final day of the regular season. Washington and Connecticut earned first-round byes.

''We are thrilled. There is a whole lot of parity in the league,'' WNBA President Lisa Borders told the AP on Sunday night. ''Clearly anyone can beat anyone on any given day. We are thrilled with the unpredictability.''

Here are a few things to watch for in the opening round of the playoffs:

ONE LAST RIDE: Minnesota Lynx point guard Lindsay Whalen announced she would retire after the season ended. She's won four titles with the Lynx and hopes to have one more shot at a championship.

The Lynx would have to beat Los Angeles and either Washington or Connecticut to get a chance to play at home again.

''It was Lindsay Whalen's last time at Target Center as a competitor in the WNBA during the regular season. I think we would all like to give her another chance to come back here but we'll just take it one day at a time,'' Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said.

NEW LIFE: Dallas backed its way into the postseason, losing nine straight games before beating Las Vegas to reach the playoffs Friday.

''We're hungry and thirsty out there, and we finally got what we needed,'' Dallas center Liz Cambage said after the team beat Las Vegas to clinch a playoff spot. ''We made it hard for ourselves losing nine in a row, but we went out and left it all out there. I'm really proud of my team.''

Dallas lost to Washington in the opening round last season.

TRAVEL WOES: Whoever wins the opening round games in Los Angeles and Phoenix will have to head east to play second round games on Thursday. The WNBA doesn't allow teams to charter, so the winners will have to fly commercial on Wednesday to Washington and Connecticut.