The Bum's WNBA August Best Bets + Pod's

[StarDust Bum]

Conference Semifinal Preview

September 17, 2013


Eastern Conference Matchups
Best of Three Format (1-1-1)

(1) Chicago Sky vs. (4) Indiana Fever

-- Sky (24-10 SU, 19-13-2 ATS)
-- Fever (16-18 SU, 15-19 ATS)
-- Fever won season series, 3-1

-- Indiana won both meetings at Chicago as road underdog
-- Three of four matchups finished 'under' the total

-- Sky won nine of final 11 games to close season, but covered just one of last five
-- Fever started season 1-7, but won 15 of final 26 contests

Last playoff appearance:

-- First postseason berth for Sky in franchise history
-- Indiana looks to defend its WNBA crown after beating Minnesota in the Finals last season

(2) Atlanta Dream vs. (3) Washington Mystics

-- Dream (17-17 SU, 17-17 ATS)
-- Mystics (17-17 SU, 19-14-1 ATS)
-- Dream won season series, 3-2

-- Atlanta won first three matchups before Washington grabbed final two
-- Dream was favored in all five meetings, while the 'under' went 3-2

-- Atlanta stumbled to an 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS finish to the season
-- Washington closed the season strong with a 5-2 SU/ATS mark the last seven games

Last playoff appearance:

-- Dream lost to Fever in 2012 conference semifinals, 2-1
-- Mystics were swept by the Dream in 2010 conference semifinals, 2-0

Western Conference Matchups
Best of Three Format (1-1-1)

(1) Minnesota Lynx vs. (4) Seattle Storm

-- Lynx (26-8 SU, 22-12 ATS)
-- Storm (17-17 SU, 18-16 ATS)
-- Lynx swept season series, 4-0

-- Minnesota won all four meetings by double-digits over Seattle
-- The 'over' hit in both matchups at Minnesota, while the 'under' cashed twice at Seattle

-- Lynx won and covered eight of their final nine games of the season
-- Storm finished 7-4 SU and 6-5 ATS the last 11 contests

Last playoff appearance:

-- Minnesota lost in WNBA Finals to Indiana last season, 3-1
-- Seattle fell to Minnesota in the conference semifinals, 2-1

(2) Los Angeles Sparks vs. (3) Phoenix Mercury

-- Sparks (24-10 SU, 13-21 ATS)
-- Mercury (19-15 SU, 14-19-1 ATS)
-- The two teams split the four-game season series

-- Each club won on their home-court and the opponent's court
-- The winning team scored at last 88 points in each victory

-- Sparks finished 6-2 SU L8, but went 2-7 ATS L9 games
-- Mercury won five of final seven games, but compiled 3-7 ATS L10 contests

Last playoff appearance:

-- Los Angeles lost to Minnesota in 2012 conference finals, 2-0
-- Seattle lost to Minnesota in 2011 conference finals, 2-0

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday, September 19

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Washington - 8:00 PM ET Washington +6 500 POD # 1


Atlanta - Under 152 500 POD # 2


Phoenix - 10:00 PM ET Phoenix +8 500 POD # 4


Los Angeles - Under 162 500 POD # 3

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Dunkel

Indiana at Chicago
The Fever look to build on their 5-0 ATS record in their last 5 games at Chicago. Indiana is the pick (+6 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Sky favored by only 4. Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+6 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Game 655-656: Indiana at Chicago (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 112.346; Chicago 116.439
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 4; 146
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 6 1/2; 141
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+6 1/2); Over

Game 657-658: Seattle at Minnesota (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle 111.902; Minnesota 123.074
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 11; 145
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 14 1/2; 149
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+14 1/2); Under




WNBA
Long Sheet

Friday, September 20

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INDIANA (16 - 18) at CHICAGO (24 - 10) - 9/20/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 92-130 ATS (-51.0 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
INDIANA is 7-14 ATS (-8.4 Units) after a division game this season.
INDIANA is 66-92 ATS (-35.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 10-3 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 11-2 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SEATTLE (17 - 17) at MINNESOTA (26 - 8) - 9/20/2013, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) as a favorite this season.
MINNESOTA is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) in home games this season.
MINNESOTA is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) in August or September games this season.
MINNESOTA is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest this season.
MINNESOTA is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) vs. division opponents this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 10-5 against the spread versus SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 12-3 straight up against SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
8 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Friday, September 20

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
INDIANA vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Indiana's last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing Indiana
See more trends!

9:00 PM
SEATTLE vs. MINNESOTA
Seattle is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Seattle is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Seattle
Minnesota is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games

[StarDust Bum]

Friday, September 20

Game Score Status Pick Amount


Indiana - 7:00 PM ET Indiana +6.5 500 POD # 1

Chicago - Over 143.5 500 POD # 3


Seattle - 9:00 PM ET Minnesota -15 500 POD # 2

Minnesota - Under 149 500 POD # 4

[StarDust Bum]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

09/20/13 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail
09/19/13 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail
09/15/13 4-*4-*0 50.00% -*200 Detail
09/14/13 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail
09/13/13 5-*3-*0 62.50% +*850 Detail
09/12/13 0-*4-*0 0.00% -*2200 Detail
09/11/13 1-*3-*0 25.00% -*1150 Detail
09/10/13 3-*2-*1 60.00% +*400 Detail
09/08/13 4-*2-*0 66.67% +*900 Detail
09/07/13 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
09/06/13 3-*7-*0 30.00% -*2350 Detail
09/04/13 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
09/02/13 0-*2-*0 0.00% -*1100 Detail
09/01/13 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail

Totals 38-*31-*1 55.07% +1950


Saturday, September 21

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Atlanta - 7:00 PM ET Washington -2.5 500 POD # 1

Washington - Over 146.5 500 POD # 2


Los Angeles - 10:00 PM ET Los Angeles +1.5 500 POD # 3

Phoenix - Over 161 500 POD # 4

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday, September 22

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Chicago - 3:00 PM ET Chicago +1.5 500 POD # 2

Indiana - Under 145.5 500 POD # 3


Minnesota - 5:00 PM ET Seattle +8 500 POD # 1

Seattle - Under 146.5 500 POD # 4

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Dunkel

Phoenix at Los Angeles
The Sparks look to build on their 5-2 ATS record in their last 7 home games against the Mercury. Los Angeles is the pick (-7 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Sparks favored by 10. Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-7 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Game 667-668: Washington at Atlanta (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 112.810; Atlanta 108.384
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 4 1/2; 149
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 6 1/2; 144
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+6 1/2); Over

Game 669-670: Phoenix at Los Angeles (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 110.163; Los Angeles 120.327
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 10; 155
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles by 7 1/2; 160
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-7 1/2); Under




WNBA
Long Sheet

Monday, September 22

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WASHINGTON (18 - 18) at ATLANTA (18 - 18) - 9/23/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 245-297 ATS (-81.7 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 154-195 ATS (-60.5 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 35-59 ATS (-29.9 Units) in road games in August or September games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 154-194 ATS (-59.4 Units) vs. division opponents since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 18-37 ATS (-22.7 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 67-93 ATS (-35.3 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 13-32 ATS (-22.2 Units) after scoring 55 points or less since 1997.
ATLANTA is 25-11 ATS (+12.9 Units) off an upset win as an underdog since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 9-7 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 11-5 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
9 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (20 - 16) at LOS ANGELES (25 - 11) - 9/23/2013, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 25-44 ATS (-23.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 17-28 ATS (-13.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) in August or September games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 8-15 ATS (-8.5 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
PHOENIX is 15-28 ATS (-15.8 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 16-28 ATS (-14.8 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 20-35 ATS (-18.5 Units) after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 39-23 ATS (+13.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 14-22 ATS (-10.2 Units) in all games this season.
LOS ANGELES is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) after a division game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 9-6 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 10-5 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Monday, September 22

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Washington's last 11 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Washington is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing Washington
See more trends!

10:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. LOS ANGELES
Phoenix is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Phoenix is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Los Angeles's last 13 games when playing at home against Phoenix
Los Angeles is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Phoenix

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mystics (17-17) at Dream (17-17)

Date: September 23, 2013 8:00 PM EDT


With their season on the line, the Atlanta Dream finally ended their losing streak. As a result, they're one win away from advancing to the Eastern Conference finals.

The Dream host the Washington Mystics in a decisive Game 3 on Monday night.

Atlanta's skid hit five with a 71-56 loss in Game 1 on Thursday, but the Dream stopped that slide and snapped a three-game skid to Washington with a 63-45 road victory Saturday.

Atlanta's poor shooting continued as it made 35.2 percent from the floor, but it limited the Mystics to a season-low 25 percent (14 of 56).

The Dream are shooting 30.8 percent for the series, something they aren't thinking about after staying alive.

"As long we got this one tonight. ... That's all that matters,' said WNBA leading scorer Angel McCoughtry, who posted a game-high 20 points for the second straight contest but shot 6 of 23 on Saturday. "We'll figure that out. You can always get another shot.'

Though McCoughtry has made 12 of 43 (27.9 percent) in the series, she was encouraged by the way her team responded with its back to the wall. The Dream led 36-21 at halftime and by 21 points in the second half.

``We wanted to come with a mindset that we were going to come out aggressive and not let them stomp on us like they did last game,' said McCoughtry, who scored 11 in the first quarter. ``We came out to a great start and it carried throughout the game.'

Atlanta had dropped 12 of 13 on the road.

Now Washington is the team searching for answers after a disheartening loss. The Mystics were led by rookie Tayler Hill with 11 points, and no one else scored in double digits.

"A little different postgame than pregame," said coach Mike Thibault, who was honored as WNBA Coach of the Year beforehand. "I don't know if it was nerves, but that's the worst offensively we've played all year.'

Washington was able to get McCoughtry to foul out, but its play at the offensive end rendered that meaningless.

"We did an even better job on her probably tonight then we probably did the other night,' Thibault said. "Got her in foul trouble and didn't take advantage."

The rebounding battle has proved critical in the first two games due to the lack of consistent shooting. The Dream outrebounded the Mystics 60-42 on Saturday after Washington held a 58-41 edge in Game 1.

Atlanta went 13-4 at home during the regular season, but it's 2-4 in its last six there including Game 1. The Mystics have won five of their last seven on the road, and they've taken two straight at Atlanta after Game 1.

Hill, who averaged 6.5 points in the regular season, has reached double figures in three of her last four games.

Atlanta's Aneika Henry had 10 points and 12 rebounds in Game 2 starting in place of forward Le'coe Willingham, who is doubtful for the series finale after sustaining a right knee injury in the opener.

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WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

Sep 21, 2013 Score ATS Results
ATL « 63 Cover: 20.5
WAS 45 Under: 108
Tools: Recaps

Sep 19, 2013 Score ATS Results
WAS « 71 Cover: 22
ATL 56 Under: 127
Tools: Recaps

Aug 28, 2013 Score ATS Results
WAS « 85 Cover: 11.5
ATL 80 Over: 165
Tools: Recaps

Aug 23, 2013 Score ATS Results
ATL 64 Under: 138
WAS « 74 Cover: 12.5
Tools: Recaps

Aug 18, 2013 Score ATS Results
WAS 58 Under: 134
ATL « 76 Cover: 10.5
Tools: Recaps

Jun 28, 2013 Score ATS Results
WAS 75 Over: 161
ATL « 86 Cover: 1
Tools: Recaps

Jun 2, 2013 Score ATS Results
ATL « 73 Cover: 4.5
WAS 63 Under: 136
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mercury (19-15) at Sparks (24-10)

Date: September 23, 2013 10:00 PM EDT


The Los Angeles Sparks and Phoenix Mercury each got a stellar performance from their top player to win on the road in their Western Conference semifinal series.

Los Angeles' ball movement was the difference in Game 2, though, as Phoenix's offense remained stagnant.

Candace Parker looks for the same well-rounded effort from the Sparks as they try to eliminate Diana Taurasi and the visiting Mercury in the decisive third game Monday night.

Taurasi scored 30 points as Phoenix earned a surprising 86-75 win at Los Angeles in Game 1, but Parker, named the WNBA MVP for the second time Thursday, responded with 31 points and 11 rebounds in an 82-73 victory Saturday.

Parker attributed the Sparks' success to getting everyone in the seven-player rotation involved. Nneka Ogwumike had 15 points and 11 rebounds, Lindsey Harding finished with 13 points and Alana Beard added 12.

"If we don't move the ball and if we don't make quick decisions, then we play right into Phoenix's hands,' Parker said. "I think we just made more of a concerted effort to move the ball, make hard cuts, and at least stay active because there was a lot of standing (in Game 1) in L.A.'

That's precisely what got the Mercury in trouble in Game 2. Brittney Griner scored 18 points and DeWanna Bonner had 16, but no other Phoenix player scored more than seven.

Phoenix committed 12 of their 17 turnovers in the first half after totaling 10 in Game 1.

"The ball got stuck a lot in my hands, in (Bonner's) hands,' Taurasi said. "There wasn't enough movement, we didn't create enough for each other and when the game gets hard and the pressure is on you really rely on each other to get open and get good shots. We didn't do that.'

Los Angeles coach Carol Ross said her team made it a point to keep Taurasi from having the type of performance she had in Game 1, and they'll be looking for more of the same Monday.

"These are two pretty evenly matched teams, like two old heavyweight fighters slugging it out,' Ross said. "We just tried to emphasize the things that we do well and try to keep Taurasi from taking over.'

Phoenix coach Russ Pennell wants his club to recapture the attitude that helped it steal the opener.

"I just thought that they had a little bit more energy early on and played a little bit more desperate than we did,' Pennell said. "Sometimes you win a game like we did on the road, even at this level people's natural tendency is maybe to have a little bit of complacency. I didn't really sense that in our team but I know that Los Angeles had to win (Saturday). I thought we let them get away from us early.'

The Mercury won the last playoff series between these teams, beating Los Angeles in three games in the 2009 conference finals.

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WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

Sep 21, 2013 Score ATS Results
LOS « 82 Cover: 10
PHO 73 Under: 155
Tools: Recaps

Sep 19, 2013 Score ATS Results
PHO « 86 Cover: 18.5
LOS 75 Under: 161
Tools: Recaps

Sep 15, 2013 Score ATS Results
PHO 55 Under: 144
LOS « 89 Cover: 27
Tools: Recaps

Jul 18, 2013 Score ATS Results
PHO « 90 Cover: 18
LOS 84 Over: 174
Tools: Recaps

Jul 14, 2013 Score ATS Results
LOS « 88 Cover: 8
PHO 76 Under: 164
Tools: Recaps

Jun 14, 2013 Score ATS Results
LOS 81 Over: 178
PHO « 97 Cover: 19
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

09/22/13 3-*1-*0 75.00% +*950 Detail
09/21/13 1-*3-*0 25.00% -*1150 Detail
09/20/13 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail
09/19/13 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail
09/15/13 4-*4-*0 50.00% -*200 Detail
09/14/13 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail
09/13/13 5-*3-*0 62.50% +*850 Detail
09/12/13 0-*4-*0 0.00% -*2200 Detail
09/11/13 1-*3-*0 25.00% -*1150 Detail
09/10/13 3-*2-*1 60.00% +*400 Detail
09/08/13 4-*2-*0 66.67% +*900 Detail
09/07/13 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
09/06/13 3-*7-*0 30.00% -*2350 Detail
09/04/13 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
09/02/13 0-*2-*0 0.00% -*1100 Detail
09/01/13 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail

Totals 42-*35-*1 54.55% +1750


Monday, September 23

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Washington - 8:00 PM ET Washington +6.5 500 POD # 2


Atlanta - Under 143.5 500 POD # 3


Phoenix - 10:00 PM ET Los Angeles -7 500 POD # 1


Los Angeles - Over 161 500 POD # 4

[StarDust Bum]

Recap: Mercury 78, Sparks 77

Date: September 23, 2013 10:00 PM EDT


LOS ANGELES (AP) - Brittney Griner's performance had been up-and-down in her WNBA playoff debut. With veteran Diana Taurasi urging her on, the rookie calmly sank the winning basket.

Griner's turnaround jumper with 4.9 seconds left gave the Phoenix Mercury a 78-77 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Monday night in the deciding Game 3 of their first-round series.

``It doesn't matter what you do until the end,' said Griner, who finished with six points, four rebounds and four fouls. ``I wasn't nervous about it. I didn't think twice.'

Candice Dupree scored all but two of her 22 points in the first half, Dewanna Bonner added 19, and Taurasi had 18 points and 10 assists while improving to 6-0 in career elimination games with the Mercury.

Phoenix advanced to the Western Conference finals against top-seeded Minnesota. Game 1 is Thursday.

Kristi Toliver led the Sparks with 22 points. WNBA MVP Candace Parker added 18 points, and Nneka Ogwumike had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The Sparks were eliminated for the second straight year with a one-point loss. A year ago, they lost 80-79 to Minnesota, which swept the conference finals.

``I'm sick of always being on this podium talking after a loss,' Parker said. ``Clearly, we keep losing by one point at the end of the season so it's something we're doing.'

After Parker gave the Sparks just their second lead of the fourth on a layup with 7 seconds to go, Griner responded with the winning basket for the Mercury.

``The minute she caught it and made her motion to shoot I just knew it was going in,' Taurasi said. ``I've seen her make that shot all year. For her to be up-and-down all series and take that shot just tells you a lot about Brittney and how mentally strong she is. She's willing to do anything for this team to win.'

Parker missed a fling from the wing after getting trapped in the right corner as time expired, dashing her hopes of adding her first WNBA championship to her collection of NCAA titles and Olympic gold medals.

``I forced her out of the paint and I thought I contested,' Parker said glumly. ``She hit a good shot.'

Both teams shot poorly in the fourth quarter, when they each went more than 2 minutes without scoring. The Mercury was 5 of 18, and the Sparks were 5 of 17.

``The defense was pretty good and both teams were tired,' Phoenix coach Russ Pennell said. ``I'm tired from trying to get them not being tired.'

Taurasi found Jasmine James down low for a layin that extended the Mercury's lead to 76-73 with 1:15 left. Lindsey Harding got fouled and made both to draw the Sparks within one point.

Bonner missed a 3-pointer and after a timeout, Parker's layup put the Sparks ahead 77-76.

Taurasi then huddled up her teammates and Griner listened intently.

``She has a calming effect,' said Griner, who was the second choice behind Taurasi to take her team's last shot. ``She told us it's going to be OK, get the stop, get the ball back and we'll be fine.'

The Mercury clinched their fifth conference finals appearance and fourth in the last five years.

Phoenix saw most of its seven-point lead evaporate in the third, when Griner picked up her fourth foul and sat the rest of the period. Toliver's jumper beat the buzzer to leave the Sparks trailing 66-64 heading into the fourth.

``We played well in spurts, but didn't play well enough for 40 minutes,' Toliver said. ``We lost our composure a little bit, turned the ball over, regained it, got stops, got on the boards. It just went back and forth. We just couldn't capitalize on our last possession.'

The Sparks came in 0-for-21 from 3-point range in the series, and they finished the game 2 of 16.

The Mercury rallied from eight points down to lead 42-40 at halftime. Griner picked up her third foul and Taurasi got her second in the final 1:30 of the second quarter. Dupree, Taurasi and Bonner combined to score all of the Mercury's 23 points in the second, when they shot 73 percent.

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Dunkel

Phoenix at Minnesota
The Mercury look to open the series and build on their 8-2 ATS record in their last 10 games against a team with a winning SU record. Phoenix is the pick (+9) according to Dunkel, which has the Lynx favored by only 6 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+9). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

Game 601-602: Indiana at Atlanta (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 113.835; Atlanta 108.384
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 5 1/2; 137
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 3; 142
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+3); Under

Game 603-604: Phoenix at Minnesota (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 113.497; Minnesota 120.028
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 6 1/2; 164
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 9; 158 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+9); Over




WNBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, September 26

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INDIANA (18 - 18) at ATLANTA (19 - 18) - 9/26/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 93-130 ATS (-50.0 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
INDIANA is 35-55 ATS (-25.5 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
ATLANTA is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in home games after scoring 75 points or more this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 11-8 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 12-7 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (21 - 16) at MINNESOTA (28 - 8) - 9/26/2013, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 26-44 ATS (-22.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 20-34 ATS (-17.4 Units) in August or September games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 15-31 ATS (-19.1 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 16-28 ATS (-14.8 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 17-28 ATS (-13.8 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 21-35 ATS (-17.5 Units) after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 23-13 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
MINNESOTA is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in home games this season.
MINNESOTA is 29-16 ATS (+11.4 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) in August or September games this season.
MINNESOTA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest this season.
MINNESOTA is 16-8 ATS (+7.2 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
MINNESOTA is 33-18 ATS (+13.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games this season.
PHOENIX is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games this season.
PHOENIX is 40-23 ATS (+14.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 11-5 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 14-2 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
9 of 16 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Thursday, September 26

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
INDIANA vs. ATLANTA
Indiana is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing at home against Indiana
Atlanta is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Indiana
See more trends!

9:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. MINNESOTA
Phoenix is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 6 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 7 games
Minnesota is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Fever (16-18) at Dream (17-17)

Date: September 26, 2013 7:00 PM EDT


For the fifth straight year, the Eastern Conference will be represented in the WNBA finals by either the Indiana Fever or Atlanta Dream. One of them will be a win away from that familiar stage after Thursday night's opener of this best-of-three series in Atlanta.

Still, the conference finals can be viewed as a matchup of teams that weren't taken quite as seriously as years past entering the postseason.

While the second-seeded Dream began the playoffs having lost 16 of 23, the fourth-seeded Fever were the only team to qualify for the postseason with a losing record (16-18).

"What we did in the regular season really doesn't matter," Indiana coach Lin Dunn said after her team's first-round sweep of top-seeded Chicago. "I think the upper hand we had was experience. Postseason experience, championship experience. Don't underestimate the value of that."

While the Sky might have lacked that ingredient, the Fever's next opponent does not.

The Dream host Game 1 looking to advance to the finals for the third time in four seasons for a crack at the title that eluded them in 2010 and 2011.

The Fever are trying to defend last year's championship, albeit on quite a different kind of run after finishing the 2012 regular season 10 games over .500.

The teams met in the first round last year. Indiana dropped the series opener before scoring a season-best 103 points in Game 2 and closing out Atlanta at home in Game 3.

"They are a tough team that doesn't beat itself," Dream coach Fred Williams said. "They have some veteran players and they are a team that is going to come after you on the boards."

Atlanta was the team in the first round this year to face elimination in consecutive games after dropping Game 1 to Washington. The Dream took Game 2 with a strong defensive and rebounding effort, then won 80-72 on Monday to close out the Mystics.

It was their first shooting night over 40 percent since their second-to-last regular-season game Sept. 13 at Chicago.

"In the first game, we didn't have a sense of urgency," WNBA scoring champ Angel McCoughtry said. "(In Games 2 and 3), everyone played with so much heart. It was definitely a big difference, and that is what it takes to win a championship."

McCoughtry had 13 points and seven assists Monday, but the 4-for-19 shooting night was a continuation of a cold streak after she went 12 for 43 in the first two games of the series. She failed to score more than 20 points in any of those games after averaging 21.5 during the regular season.

Erika de Souza and Tiffany Hayes helped make up for her Game 3 struggles with 18 points apiece. De Souza averaged 13.7 rebounds in the series.

The Fever completed their sweep of the Sky on Sunday with a 79-57 win, matching their largest margin of victory of the season.

Tamika Catchings scored a game-high 18 and had a team-high 12 rebounds while Erlana Larkins added 14 points and 11 boards.

Atlanta won three of four in the regular-season series, including both home games by a combined 25 points.

McCoughtry scored 30 in the most recent matchup and de Souza added 17 with 15 rebounds as the Dream won 89-80 at home Sept. 4.

Catchings averaged 21.0 points in the season series.

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WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

Sep 4, 2013 Score ATS Results
IND 80 Over: 169
ATL « 89 Cover: 4.5
Tools: Recaps

Aug 10, 2013 Score ATS Results
ATL 66 Over: 146
IND « 80 Cover: 11.5
Tools: Recaps

Jun 25, 2013 Score ATS Results
IND 60 Under: 136
ATL « 76 Cover: 3
Tools: Recaps

May 31, 2013 Score ATS Results
ATL « 86 Cover: 14
IND 77 Over: 163
Tools: Recaps

Oct 2, 2012 Score ATS Results
ATL 64 Under: 139
IND « 75 Cover: 7
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mercury (19-15) at Lynx (26-8)

Date: September 26, 2013 9:00 PM EDT


The Minnesota Lynx appear to be a heavy favorite to advance to the WNBA Finals for a third straight year, especially considering their success against the Phoenix Mercury.

But they haven't seen the Mercury since they brought in coach Russ Pennell, whose emphasis on defense has them within two wins of their first Finals appearance in four seasons.

Minnesota can claim its 13th consecutive victory in the series as it hosts Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Thursday night.

The Lynx, who have won 10 of 11 overall and are 16-2 at home this season, won all five regular-season meetings against the Lynx, with three victories in Minneapolis coming by an average of 21.3 points. They swept the Mercury in the 2011 Western Conference finals on the way to winning the league title.

Phoenix's last victory in the series was an 85-80 final at home on Aug. 9, 2011.

The five meetings this year came before the calendar flipped to August.

The Mercury fired coach Corey Gaines and hired Pennell on Aug. 8, and Phoenix has since gone 11-5 while allowing 74.1 points per game. They were previously 10-11 while surrendering 84.7 points, including 86.6 in the regular-season series with Minnesota.

"Well, we haven't seen them since July 24," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve told the team's website. "We can go by what we see on video and statistically and if you go by the coaching change and what they do differently. They are more focused on defense. They are going to challenge you to score from the outside."

Both teams used late go-ahead baskets to advance from the conference semifinals.

The Mercury secured a 78-77 win in Game 3 at second-seeded Los Angeles on Monday after Brittney Griner hit a turnaround jumper with 4.9 seconds left.

Griner's six points tied a low from the regular season - two days after she scored 18 in an 82-73 loss in Game 2.

She averaged 11.3 points and 7.7 rebounds while playing three times against Minnesota this year.

"I've seen her make that shot all year," said Diana Taurasi, whose 22.7 points per game against the Sparks were the league's second-most in the first round. "For her to be up-and-down all series and take that shot just tells you a lot about Brittney and how mentally strong she is. She's willing to do anything for this team to win."

The Lynx marched on with a 58-55 victory at Seattle on Sunday, wrapping up their series in two games. Seimone Augustus' jumper with 21.1 seconds left put Minnesota ahead for good.

Maya Moore - who finished runner-up in MVP voting to the Sparks' Candace Parker - finished with 22 points. Moore and teammate Lindsay Whalen were named to the All-WNBA first team on Wednesday while Augustus was selected to the second team.

"She's amazing," Moore said of Augustus. "We always have confidence in Seimone. She kind of took over in that last moment of being isolated on the wing and made a move and rose up and it went in and I did a silent fist pump."

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WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

Jul 24, 2013 Score ATS Results
PHO 69 Cover: 3.5
MIN « 81 Under: 150
Tools: Recaps

Jul 21, 2013 Score ATS Results
MIN « 82 Under: 159
PHO 77 Cover: 2
Tools: Recaps

Jul 7, 2013 Score ATS Results
PHO 59 Under: 150
MIN « 91 Cover: 25.5
Tools: Recaps

Jun 19, 2013 Score ATS Results
MIN « 80 Cover: 7.5
PHO 69 Under: 149
Tools: Recaps

Jun 6, 2013 Score ATS Results
PHO 79 Over: 178
MIN « 99 Cover: 9.5
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday, September 26

Game Score Status Pick Amount


Indiana - 7:00 PM ET Indiana +3.5 500 POD # 4


Atlanta - Over 142 500 POD # 3


Phoenix - 9:00 PM ET Phoenix +8 500 POD # 1


Minnesota - Under 159 500 POD # 2