Wnba 2014 season long hoops thread- picks, news, stats !

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WNBA

Dunkel

Connecticut at Washington
The Sun head to Washington tonight and come into the contest with a 6-0 ATS record in their last 6 games. Connecticut is the pick (+4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Mystics favored by only 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Connecticut (+4 1/2). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

FRIDAY, JUNE 27

Game 651-652: Connecticut at Washington (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 111.686; Washington 113.281
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1 1/2; 144
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 4 1/2; 148
Dunkel Pick: Connecticut (+4 1/2); Under

Game 653-654: Phoenix at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 116.773; Indiana 115.027
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1 1/2; 162
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 4; 157 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+4); Over

Game 655-656: Chicago at New York (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 116.975; New York 111.266
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 5 1/2; 158
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 1 1/2; 153
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-1 1/2); Over

Game 657-658: Minnesota at Seattle (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 113.321; Seattle 111.579
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 2; 143
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 4 1/2; 148
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+4 1/2); Under




WNBA
Long Sheet

Friday, June 27

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CONNECTICUT (8 - 6) at WASHINGTON (6 - 9) - 6/27/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 19-32 ATS (-16.2 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
CONNECTICUT is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in June games this season.
CONNECTICUT is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after a division game this season.
CONNECTICUT is 103-67 ATS (+29.3 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 252-306 ATS (-84.6 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 46-68 ATS (-28.8 Units) when playing with 2 days rest since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 158-199 ATS (-60.9 Units) vs. division opponents since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 8-2 against the spread versus CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 6-4 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
8 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (9 - 3) at INDIANA (6 - 7) - 6/27/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 34-50 ATS (-21.0 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 10-28 ATS (-20.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 98-134 ATS (-49.4 Units) as an underdog since 1997.

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

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CHICAGO (6 - 8) at NEW YORK (4 - 10) - 6/27/2014, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in June games this season.
NEW YORK is 34-49 ATS (-19.9 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
NEW YORK is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 8-3 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 9-2 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (11 - 4) at SEATTLE (6 - 10) - 6/27/2014, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 101-69 ATS (+25.1 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1997.
SEATTLE is 88-58 ATS (+24.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 35-21 ATS (+11.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 32-17 ATS (+13.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 8-6 against the spread versus SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 11-3 straight up against SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Friday, June 27

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
CONNECTICUT vs. WASHINGTON
Connecticut is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington
Connecticut is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Washington's last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Connecticut

7:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. INDIANA
Phoenix is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Phoenix's last 9 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games at home
Indiana is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix

7:30 PM
CHICAGO vs. NEW YORK
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing New York
Chicago is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing Chicago
New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago

10:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. SEATTLE
Minnesota is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Minnesota is 6-17 SU in its last 23 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Seattle's last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota

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Preview: Sun (8-6) at Mystics (6-9)

Date: June 27, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


The Connecticut Sun are the WNBA's hottest team.

The Sun have won six straight since they last met the Washington Mystics and will try to avenge that defeat Friday night on the road.

Connecticut (8-6) wasn't considered a contender after finishing last in the WNBA a year ago and trading disgruntled former league MVP Tina Charles to New York in the offseason. A 2-6 start seemed to indicate another losing season was on its way.

Now the Sun are enjoying a surge that has moved them into second place in the Eastern Conference. They can match their longest win streak since a seven-game run July 20-Sept. 5, 2008.

Connecticut is doing it with four new starters since Allison Hightower is out with a sprained knee. The player starting for Hightower is rookie Alyssa Thomas, who had season highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds in her eighth start in Wednesday's 79-69 home win over Chicago.

'I'm definitely a lot more confident,' Thomas said. 'The more we play, the more confident I get. Credit my teammates for helping me to be comfortable out there.'

Thomas was the No. 4 pick in the draft by the Liberty, who traded her and Kelsey Bone to the Sun in order to obtain Charles. While New York is languishing in last place in the conference, Connecticut's new-look team is on the rise.

Coach Anne Donovan credited the play of Thomas and Bone for Wednesday's win.

'I thought her (Thomas) and Bone really changed things,' Donovan said. 'They found each other. They played off each other really well."

Thomas wasn't starting when Connecticut fell 74-66 to Washington on June 5. Veterans Kia Vaughn, Monique Currie and Ivory Latta combined for 40 points for the Mystics.

Washington (6-9) then dropped seven of its next eight before ending a four-game slide Tuesday with an 81-70 victory at San Antonio to cap a four-game trip.

Tierra Ruffin-Pratt and Latta each had 15 points and rookie Stefanie Dolson scored all 10 of her points in a fourth quarter in which the Mystics outscored the Stars 21-14.

'We're pretty desperate,' coach Mike Thibault said. 'We lost four in a row, we had played well for most of those games, but just didn't finish. So, today, we finally finished one.'

Dolson was questionable after spraining her right knee Sunday, but made 5 of 7 shots and had four blocks in 16 minutes.

'Going in at first, I was a little nervous,' Dolson said. 'I didn't know how I would feel, but then after playing the first half I felt more comfortable in the second half."

The Sun are 1-4 on the road. They dropped both visits to Washington last year after winning their previous five contests there.

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Preview: Mercury (9-3) at Fever (6-7)

Date: June 27, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


The Phoenix Mercury own the WNBA's best record. With Brittney Griner's continued improvement, they may have the makings of a championship club.

High-scoring Phoenix will look to knock off the defensively-inept Indiana Fever for a third straight meeting Friday night.

The Mercury (9-3) have won three in a row and five of six while averaging 88.3 points. They're also averaging a league-best 85.3 points on the season.

Griner's recent surge has provided quite the boost. She scored a career-high 28 points in a 91-80 home win over Tulsa on Friday, going 12 of 14 from the field. Griner was coming off a 27-point performance in a June 18 win over Minnesota and is averaging 21.4 points over her last five contests.

The second-year pro also matched a career best with six blocks and leads the league with 3.3 per game.

"This is what she does, she's a game-changer," coach Sandy Brondello said. "In the middle, she anticipates shot blocking so well. She's playing great. We need everyone gunning but she has that dominant presence inside it just helps our team function on all levels."

Griner's teammates are benefiting by way of getting better looks on the perimeter. With Tulsa bearing down in the paint on Griner, Penny Taylor and Diana Taurasi were each 2 for 3 from 3-point range. Taurasi, who leads all players with 6.6 assists per game, tallied a career-high 12 to go along with 14 points.

The Fever (6-7) have lost three of four and are surrendering 88.5 points per game in that stretch. They had allowed 74.2 points through their first nine contests.

They gave up 32 points to Skylar Diggins in Wednesday's 107-102 overtime home loss to Tulsa.

Indiana, however, led by as many as 17 in the third quarter.

Shavonte Zellous scored a career-high 33 points, but missed the first of a pair of free throws with a two-point edge with 7.8 seconds left in regulation. Diggins forced the extra period with a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession.

"We had the game. We just let them take it right from us," said Zellous, who had totaled 38 points over her three previous contests. "We weren't as aggressive as we should have been and we allowed them to play comfortable."

Phoenix took both matchups last year, though Griner missed one win due to injury. Taurasi scored 26 in an 82-67 victory on June 8, 2013.

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Preview: Sky (6-8) at Liberty (4-10)

Date: June 27, 2014 7:30 PM EDT


The last-place New York Liberty are hoping they can get back into playoff contention after starting a five-game homestand off on the right foot.

They could be facing the wrong opponent given their problems against the Chicago Sky.

The Liberty have dropped eight straight against the Sky, who will have star center Sylvia Fowles available in this season series for the first time Friday night.

New York (4-10) ended a five-game slide Sunday with an 85-78 home win over East-leading Atlanta. Cappie Pondexter had 23 points and eight assists as the Liberty took control after trailing by 11 points in the second quarter.

'It's great that we beat the top team in the East,' she said. 'I like having the ball in my hands whether it's scoring or getting my teammates involved.'

The Liberty are hoping to make a push. They are two games behind Chicago, which holds the fourth and final playoff spot in the conference.

'Hopefully this will be the start of a roll for us,' Pondexter said. 'We have five straight home games to get back into this.'

The Sky (6-8) have proven to be a formidable opponent. Their last loss to New York was a 77-67 defeat Aug. 21, 2012.

Chicago has captured both meetings this season without Fowles, who had 17 points and nine rebounds Wednesday in her season debut in a 79-69 loss to Connecticut. She missed the first 13 games after having arthroscopic surgery to repair a hip injury.

Star forward Elena Delle Donne scored 13 points for Chicago in that contest after she missed the previous five games because of Lyme disease.

The Sky led by six at halftime before they allowed the Sun to open the second half on a 22-2 run.

'You always have to give the opposition credit,' coach Pokey Chatman said. 'I thought we played a little bit slow in that third quarter, especially when you're coming off I think a really nice first quarter in which we put up 30."

Delle Donne was also out the last time these teams met, a thrilling 105-100 overtime victory June 18. Epiphanny Prince scored a season-high 30 points in her first game of 2014 against New York after she missed the season's first seven contests for personal reasons.

Former league MVP Tina Charles is averaging 20.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in the season series for the Liberty as she prepares to renew her rivalry at center with Fowles

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Preview: Lynx (11-4) at Storm (6-10)

Date: June 27, 2014 10:00 PM EDT


After slumping earlier this month, the Minnesota Lynx appear to be back on track despite a sloppy performance in their last victory.

They'd sure like to get a win back against the Western Conference's worst club.

On Friday night, Minnesota looks to avenge a loss from three weeks ago when it visits the last-place Seattle Storm.

The Lynx (11-4) claimed an 83-77 home win over Indiana Sunday, their third in four games after they followed 7-0 start with a 1-3 stretch.

That slump started with a 65-62 loss in Seattle on June 6. Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus combined for just 24 points on 11-of-26 shooting and were 0 for 6 from 3-point range as Minnesota went 1 for 13 from beyond the arc overall.

Moore scored 11 of her 25 Sunday in the fourth quarter, helping the Lynx rally from a seven-point third-quarter deficit.

"Sometimes it's not going to be as pretty," said Moore, who is averaging a career-best 23.5 points. "We always believe that as long as we're on the court there's a chance so we just kept going."

Minnesota committed 19 turnovers, with Indiana scoring 11 on 13 first-half turnovers.

"We just did some things that just kind of shot ourselves in the foot and made the game harder to win than it should have been," coach Cheryl Reeve said.

The Storm (6-10) have dropped four of six following Tuesday's 65-57 loss at Los Angeles. They trailed by just one after the third quarter before being held to 10 points in the final period, finishing with their fewest points in a regular-season game since a 77-56 loss to San Antonio on Aug. 9.

Leading scorer Camille Little - who averages 12.2 points - scored eight on 3-of-9 shooting. Crystal Langhorne, the club's No. 2 scorer with 11.5 points per game, was 2 for 9 with four points and three turnovers. Meanwhile, third-leading scorer Tanisha Wright missed her third straight contest with a bruised knee.

Seattle was 21 of 58 (36.2 percent) from the floor and had seven shots blocked.

"I just thought, for the most part, they played with a lot more urgency, toughness, and focus than we did," coach Brian Agler said.

Minnesota had won six straight meetings, including a two-game sweep of last year's Western Conference semifinals, before losing earlier this month.

These teams meet again Sunday night in Minneapolis.

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Friday, June 27

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Connecticut - 7:00 PM ET Connecticut +4 500
Washington - Under 149 500

Phoenix - 7:00 PM ET Phoenix -5 500
Indiana - Under 157 500

Chicago - 7:30 PM ET Chicago -2.5 500
New York - Over 153 500

Minnesota - 10:00 PM ET Seattle +6 500
Seattle - Under 150 500

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Preview: Sparks (5-8) at Shock (6-7)

Date: June 28, 2014 6:00 PM EDT


Not long ago, many regarded Candace Parker as the face of the WNBA.

Putting a disappointing rookie campaign behind her, Skylar Diggins could soon be making a claim to that distinction.

Saturday features a matchup between two of the league's top scorers as Diggins looks to lead the Tulsa Shock to a seventh win in nine games when they host Parker and the Los Angeles Sparks.

Diggins is scoring 20.5 points per game on 46.1 percent shooting after averaging 8.5 and shooting 32.8 percent as a rookie last year. She has 65 points over her last two games, including a 32-point performance in her native state of Indiana in a 107-102 overtime win over the Fever on Wednesday.

Her 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left forced the extra period, helping Tulsa (6-7) battle back from what had been a 17-point deficit in the third quarter.

"They're very aggressive and tough and they make it tough to get to the basket," said Diggins, who totaled 38 points as Tulsa split two meetings with Los Angeles earlier this month. "I was just finally able to get some things going, get some baskets in transition and some shots finally started falling down."

Diggins is the league's only player among the top five in scoring and assists, averaging 5.2 per game.

The Shock, who are 4-1 at home, have won six of eight while averaging 86.1 points per game after averaging 77.2 during an 0-5 start.

Parker, a two-time MVP and the Rookie of the Year in 2008, is right behind Diggins with 20.2 points per game - the second-highest average in her career behind a 20.6 mark in 2010.

The seventh-year forward tallied 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in Tuesday's 65-57 home win over Seattle as Los Angeles (5-8) held the Storm to their fewest points, including 10 in the fourth quarter. The Sparks had been outscored 21-16 in the third.

Parker blocked a season-high four shots for Los Angeles, which had dropped five of six.

"I think we played good defense for the most part, and that's been the trend this season is just playing defense, and certain plays escape us," said Parker, who averages 1.2 blocks. "But this game we were able to kind of correct our problems and make plays down the stretch and do what works for us."

The Sparks have also dropped four of five away from home, which includes a 69-67 loss in Tulsa on June 13. Diggins hit a tiebreaking jumper with 1.9 seconds left in that one.

Parker has totaled 42 points in the two meetings but was just 12 for 30 from the field.

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WNBA

Dunkel

Los Angeles at Tulsa
The Sparks head to Tulsa tonight following a 65-57 win over Seattle on Tuesday. LA is the pick (-1) according to Dunkel, which has the Sparks favored by 3. Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-1). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

SATURDAY, JUNE 28

Game 601-602: Los Angeles at Tulsa (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 112.798; Tulsa 119.738
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 3; 164
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1; 159 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-1); Over




WNBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, June 28

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LOS ANGELES (5 - 8) at TULSA (6 - 7) - 6/28/2014, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 19-31 ATS (-15.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 16-27 ATS (-13.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in June games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 10-23 ATS (-15.3 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
TULSA is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) in all games this season.
TULSA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
TULSA is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in June games over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) in May, June, or July games this season.
TULSA is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TULSA is 8-2 against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 7-4 straight up against TULSA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Saturday, June 28

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Trend Report
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6:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. TULSA
Los Angeles is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Los Angeles is 2-15-2 ATS in its last 19 games when playing Tulsa
Tulsa is 5-15 SU in its last 20 games when playing Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Tulsa's last 10 games when playing Los Angeles

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Saturday, June 28

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Los Angeles - 6:00 PM ET Tulsa -1 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Tulsa - Over 159.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

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Preview: Sun (8-7) at Liberty (4-11)

Date: June 29, 2014 3:00 PM EDT


The Connecticut Sun are in second place in the Eastern Conference despite winning once in their last 14 road games.

They'll return to the site of that victory Sunday in a matchup with the struggling New York Liberty at Madison Square Garden.

The Sun (8-7) surged up the East standings on the heels of a six-game win streak that ended Friday with a 69-63 loss at Washington. Connecticut, which lost for the first time since falling to the Mystics on June 5, was plagued by poor shooting from 3-point range, misfiring on 12 of 15 attempts.

The Sun had shot 46.6 percent from beyond the arc and averaged 85.2 points during their win streak, which included a pair of victories over the Liberty (4-11).

Connecticut made 8 of 15 3-pointers in an 83-75 victory at MSG on June 13 - its only win in six 2014 road games - and had all five starters score in double figures in a 76-72 home win over the Liberty two days later. The Sun were without top overall pick Chiney Ogwumike, who was back at Stanford for graduation, in the June 15 contest after she had 20 points at MSG.

The victory at New York snapped a 12-game road skid for the Sun dating to an 88-66 win over the Liberty in Newark, N.J., on Aug. 3. New York played its home games there from 2011-13 as MSG underwent a $1 billion renovation.

Connecticut's Katie Douglas had 14 points in both meetings earlier this month and has been instrumental to her team's success. She's averaging 16.3 points in the last seven games after averaging 9.3 during the Sun's 2-6 start.

Cappie Pondexter had been carrying New York's offense, averaging 19.8 points over a five-game stretch before missing all seven of her shots and being held scoreless in Friday's 73-69 home loss to Chicago.

The Liberty trailed 25-16 after one period and by as many as 13 in losing for the sixth time in seven games.

"What's frustrating is coming from behind all the time," said Pondexter, who combined for 41 points and 10 assists in the two losses to Connecticut this month. "I don't know what button we need to be pushed going out there. We're ready coming out of the locker room but I don't know what happens."

New York had no answer for the Sun at MSG two weeks ago, as Connecticut scored 10 of the first 12 points and led by 16 after one quarter.

Former Sun star Tina Charles had 25 points, 10 rebounds and six assists at home against Connecticut before scoring 15 in the finale of the home-and-home set. She had nine points and nine rebounds while Pondexter scored 17 as the Liberty rolled to a 75-54 win at Connecticut in the season opener for both teams May 16.

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Preview: Mercury (10-3) at Shock (6-8)

Date: June 29, 2014 4:30 PM EDT


The emergence of Penny Taylor has given opponents another scorer to worry about while the offensively gifted Phoenix Mercury have soared to the top of the Western Conference.

Now the forward looks to continue her strong play as the visiting Mercury seek their fifth straight victory Sunday in their fourth meeting in less than a month with Skylar Diggins and the Tulsa Shock.

After averaging just 6.2 points over her first 11 contests, Taylor broke out with 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting in a 91-80 home win over the Shock (6-8) on June 20.

She then shot 8 for 11 and scored 20 points Friday, while Diana Taurasi had 23 and Candice Dupree added 18 to help the Mercury (10-3) pull off their largest comeback of the season by erasing a 13-point third-quarter deficit in an 81-76 win at Indiana.

"Unfortunately, Taurasi and Taylor gave us some fits, and with some help from Dupree," Indiana coach Lin Dunn said.

With Taurasi (18.6), Brittney Griner (16.4) and Dupree (15.2) averaging more than 15 points, Taylor's scoring surge certainly doesn't bode well for Phoenix's upcoming opponents. The WNBA-best Mercury already lead the league with 85.0 points per game and a 49.3 field-goal percentage.

Griner, however, will be looking to get back on track after posting a season-low four points while missing five of six shots in the team's sixth win in seven games Friday. She had totaled 56 points on 23-of-30 shooting in her previous two.

Phoenix, which has won six of seven versus Tulsa, looks to take three of four in this season's series by avenging a 94-78 road loss June 6. Taurasi had 22 points in that contest, but Odyssey Sims (21 points), Diggins (20), Riquna Williams (17) and Glory Johnson (16) came up big in the Shock's first win after an 0-5 start.

Tulsa had won six of eight before its four-game home winning streak came to an end in Saturday's 92-89 loss to Los Angeles. Diggins had 29 points and Sims scored 17 with a season-high 10 assists for the Shock, who rallied from a 15-point hole in the second half.

"It came down to one or two shots that didn't fall," coach Fred Williams said.

Diggins ranks second in the league at 21.1 points per game after averaging 8.5 as a rookie last year. She's scored 31.3 per game in her last three overall and has averaged 17.3 in the three meetings with the Mercury.

Riquna Williams has totaled 44 points on 16-of-27 shooting in her two games versus Phoenix, but the WNBA's reigning Sixth Woman of the Year has missed most of the past seven with a bruised left knee.

If they wish to earn a series split with the Mercury, the Shock need to tighten things up defensively after giving up 96.0 points per game over their last four.

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Preview: Dream (10-4) at Fever (6-8)

Date: June 29, 2014 6:00 PM EDT


The Atlanta Dream haven't looked as impressive as they did during a six-game winning streak earlier this month.

They hope for a return to form and to avenge their only home loss of the season Sunday night when they visit the struggling Indiana Fever.

The Dream (10-4) own the Eastern Conference's top record and won six in a row from June 3-20 by an average margin of 14.7 points. Only one win came by fewer than eight points.

But their run was ended with an 85-78 loss at league-worst New York last Sunday. Though Atlanta bounced back for an 81-79 win in San Antonio on Thursday, the Dream surrendered a 10-0 run to allow the Stars to pull within three points with less than a minute left.

San Antonio was 12 of 23 from 3-point range.

"We were backpedaling a little bit," said Sancho Lyttle, who had 16 points and 11 rebounds. "Maybe it was fatigue or maybe it was them. We've got to play 40 minutes. They were shooting 3s and they got back in the game with four 3s. If you look at stats like that, we weren't playing our defense."

Angel McCoughtry scored 18 points but remains in a bit of a slump from long distance, going 4 for 16 over her past five games. She was previously shooting 38.7 percent from beyond the arc on the season. She scored 27 and was 2 of 3 from 3-point range in a 90-88 win at Indiana on May 17.

Atlanta leads the league in rebounding with a plus-5.1 differential, while Indiana averages a minus-1.1 margin. Two Dream players are among the league's top five rebounders, with Erika de Souza averaging 9.5 per game and Lyttle at 9.1

However, both clubs recorded 37 rebounds in Indiana's 82-77 overtime win at Atlanta on May 25, with the Fever's Erlana Larkins grabbing a career-high 22 boards - two shy of the league's single-game record. The Dream also committed 21 turnovers leading to 27 points for Indiana.

The Fever (6-8) have dropped four of five after being knocked off at home by West-leading Phoenix, 81-76 on Friday. Indiana led by as many as 13 in the third quarter.

One of the few bright spots was limiting Brittney Griner to a season-low four points after she had totaled 55 over her previous two contests. However, Indiana surrendered a combined 61 points to Penny Taylor, Diana Taurasi and Candice Dupree.

"Anytime you hold Griner to four points, you're doing really good," coach Lin Dunn said. "Unfortunately, Taurasi and Taylor gave us some fits, and with some help from Dupree."

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Preview: Storm (7-10) at Lynx (11-5)

Date: June 29, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


The Minnesota Lynx won all six games against the Seattle Storm last season, including two in the playoffs en route to their second WNBA title in three years.

They haven't figured out how to beat the Storm so far this year but will face them for the first time at home, where they've won 10 straight matchups, Sunday night while trying to avoid a sweep in back-to-back matchups.

Minnesota had started this season 7-0 and won seven in a row over Seattle - including the postseason - before a 65-62 defeat June 6.

Camille Little sent the Lynx (11-5) to another loss with a career night Friday. She scored 31 points on 11-of-15 shooting and had 13 in the fourth quarter to help the Storm pull away.

"We had a nice defensive stand there towards the end of the fourth quarter, but we have to do that consistently and stop their runs," Minnesota forward Maya Moore said. "That's one of the big differences between our successful times and our tougher times - to be able to stop the bleeding and bounce back a little bit quicker than we have been in some of our losses."

The loss snapped a two-game win streak for Minnesota and dropped the club a half-game behind Western Conference-leading Phoenix. The Mercury play at Tulsa on Sunday afternoon.

The Lynx have won 10 straight home games over Seattle - including the playoffs - since a 73-71 loss on July 17, 2010. Minnesota is 5-1 at the Target Center this year and plays seven of its next nine there while the Storm are 3-8 on the road.

Seattle (7-10) has topped 80 points in each of its two wins in the past week, but is averaging 69.5 on the road and had its lowest output of the season in a 65-57 defeat at Los Angeles on Tuesday.

"We're going there now. Expect them to be angry. Expect them to come out hard. We beat them twice now, so this one will be hard. We have to go in with the right mindset," guard Noelle Quinn told the Storm's official website.

Moore, scoring a league-best 23.3 points, has scored at least 20 points in five consecutive games while shooting 59.3 percent (51 of 86). She had 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting and 10 rebounds Friday.

Seimone Augustus was held to a season-low five points on 2-of-10 shooting in that game after averaging 18.1 points and shooting 54.1 percent in her first 14 games. She had 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting in the June 6 defeat.

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, June 29

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CONNECTICUT (8 - 7) at NEW YORK (4 - 11) - 6/29/2014, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 34-50 ATS (-21.0 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) after a division game this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
CONNECTICUT is 9-5 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 10-4 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
9 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO (7 - 8) at WASHINGTON (7 - 9) - 6/29/2014, 4:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in road games in May, June, or July games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in road games against Eastern conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 253-306 ATS (-83.6 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 28-46 ATS (-22.6 Units) as a home favorite of 3 points or less since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) after a division game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 4-1 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 3-2 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (10 - 3) at TULSA (6 - 7) - 6/29/2014, 4:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 34-51 ATS (-22.1 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 22-36 ATS (-17.6 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 10-29 ATS (-21.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
TULSA is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) in all games this season.
TULSA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
TULSA is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) as a home underdog of 3.5 to 6 points over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in June games over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) in May, June, or July games this season.
TULSA is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TULSA is 7-3 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 8-3 straight up against TULSA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ATLANTA (10 - 4) at INDIANA (6 - 8) - 6/29/2014, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) in a road game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 8-20 ATS (-14.0 Units) in road games after scoring 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ATLANTA is 30-16 ATS (+12.4 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent since 1997.
ATLANTA is 33-18 ATS (+13.2 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent since 1997.
INDIANA is 99-134 ATS (-48.4 Units) as an underdog since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 8-8 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 9-7 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SEATTLE (7 - 10) at MINNESOTA (11 - 5) - 6/29/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 62-87 ATS (-33.7 Units) in road games after a division game since 1997.
SEATTLE is 29-47 ATS (-22.7 Units) off an upset win as an underdog since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 35-22 ATS (+10.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 32-18 ATS (+12.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 89-58 ATS (+25.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 8-7 against the spread versus SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 11-4 straight up against SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Sunday, June 29

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Trend Report
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3:00 PM
CONNECTICUT vs. NEW YORK
Connecticut is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Connecticut's last 6 games when playing New York
New York is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of New York's last 17 games when playing at home against Connecticut

4:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. WASHINGTON
San Antonio is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Antonio's last 8 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games at home
Washington is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games

4:30 PM
PHOENIX vs. TULSA
Phoenix is 2-6-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Tulsa
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Phoenix's last 12 games on the road
Tulsa is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Phoenix
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tulsa's last 5 games when playing Phoenix

6:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. INDIANA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing Indiana
Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Indiana's last 12 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Indiana's last 7 games

7:00 PM
SEATTLE vs. MINNESOTA
Seattle is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Seattle's last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Minnesota's last 12 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Dunkel

San Antonio at Washington
The Mystics host the Stars today and come into the contest with a 4-0 ATS record in their last 4 games versus San Antonio. Washington is the pick (-3) according to Dunkel, which has the Mystics favored by 7. Dunkel Pick: Washington (-3). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

SUNDAY, JUNE 29

Game 651-652: Connecticut at New York (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 105.634; New York 110.203
Dunkel Line & Total: New York by 4 1/2; 154
Vegas Line & Total: New York by 2 1/2; 149 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New York (-2 1/2); Over

Game 653-654: San Antonio at Washington (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 106.766; Washington 113.900
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 7; 144
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 3; 148
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-3); Under

Game 655-656: Phoenix at Tulsa (4:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 111.738; Tulsa 110.406
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1; 171
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 4 1/2; 166 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tulsa (+4 1/2); Over

Game 657-658: Atlanta at Indiana (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 116.795; Indiana 110.273
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 6 1/2; 149
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 154 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-1 1/2); Under

Game 659-660: Seattle at Minnesota (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle 109.700; Minnesota 116.059
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 6 1/2; 145
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 10 1/2; 151
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+10 1/2); Under