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

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WNBA
Dunkel

Indiana at Chicago
The Sky look to even up the series as the host an Indiana team that is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 Monday games. Chicago is the pick (-3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Sky favored by 5 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-3 1/2). Here are all of today's WNBA picks

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Game 607-608: Indiana at Chicago (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 108.500; Chicago 114.028
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 5 1/2; 151
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 3 1/2; 147 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-3 1/2); Over




WNBA

Monday, September 1

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Trend Report
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4:00 PM
INDIANA vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Indiana is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
Chicago is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games


WNBA
Long Sheet

Monday, September 1

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INDIANA (19 - 18) at CHICAGO (17 - 21) - 9/1/2014, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 10-23 ATS (-15.3 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1997.
CHICAGO is 30-19 ATS (+9.1 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 23-13 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all games this season.
INDIANA is 14-7 ATS (+6.3 Units) as an underdog this season.
INDIANA is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in road games this season.
INDIANA is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) after a division game this season.
CHICAGO is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) after allowing 75 points or more this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 13-4 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 14-3 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
9 of 17 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Monday, September 1

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Indiana - 4:00 PM ET Chicago -3.5 500

Chicago - Under 148 500

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Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

09/01/14 0-*2-*0 0.00% -*1100 Detail

08/31/14 0-*2-*0 0.00% -*1100 Detail

08/30/14 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail

08/29/14 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail

08/26/14 0-*2-*0 0.00% -*1100 Detail

08/24/14 3-*1-*0 75.00% +*950 Detail

08/23/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail

08/22/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail

08/21/14 3-*1-*0 75.00% +*950 Detail

Totals 18 - 8 69% +4700

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Lynx-Mercury Preview


PHOENIX (AP) -- The season-long rivalry between the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury comes down to one final game.

The teams meet Tuesday night with the winner earning a berth in the WNBA Finals.

Minnesota rallied to beat the Mercury 82-77 on Sunday to force a Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. The series shifts to Phoenix, where the Mercury are 16-1 this season and winners of 15 in a row.

Still, the Game 2 triumph left the Lynx optimistic.

"We're very hungry and we're in a good position now," Minnesota's Seimone Augustus said. "At this point everything is laid out on the table. We know their plays. We know the tricks they kind of put in. It's just a will to win and who wants it most."

Phoenix has not lost consecutive games all season. And Phoenix has won four of six games against the Lynx this year.

"Everyone is disappointed, but we knew it's going to be a tough series going in," Phoenix coach Sandy Brondello said. "These are the two best teams in the WNBA. They are the defending champions. We have an opportunity to go back to Arizona and have the 'X factor' (home crowd) there to support us. And it's our home court so we need to go in there with confidence and shake off the things we didn't do well."

On Sunday, the Mercury started well but faltered at the end. After trailing by as many as 13, Minnesota rallied in the fourth quarter. Phoenix led 62-56 going into the final period, but Maya Moore scored 13 of her 32 points in that final 10 minutes and the Lynx broke a 75-75 tie with 23 seconds left to win.

"I think it's going to be how our stars play and how the 'X factors' in the game perform," Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. "We still have some more work to do and we're ready for the gates to open for us. It would be nice to get off to a better start in Game 3 as well, and have a better first quarter."

Phoenix guard Diana Taurasi said her team played well for 3 1-2 quarters Sunday.

"I thought our energy was fine throughout the whole game even when they were playing well," Taurasi said. "We stayed in it till the end of the game and they made it difficult for us at the end. But I thought we played a good game."

Phoenix also jumped to a big lead in Game 1, but never faltered in an 85-71 victory.

Moore, the WNBA MVP, was held to nine points in Game 1. But on Sunday, especially in the fourth quarter, she was the catalyst that pushed the Lynx to the win.

"She had the mindset that she's the best player in the league and nobody can stop her," Reeve said. "I thought she said, 'I'm a great player and I'm going to go play and have fun.' That's what I thought she did."

Moore said the team just wasn't going to fold.

"We just keep believing, keep believing that we're going to make the next play," she said. "When we get our stops like we did in the last few minutes, we get a little pep in our steps. We have no doubt that if we put ourselves in good position, good things are going to happen for us."

Phoenix has won four of six games against the Lynx this season.


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Playoff Series

Series starts 8/29

Fri 8/29 @PHX 85, MIN 71 Recap | Box Score

Sun 8/31 @MIN 82, PHX 77 Recap | Box Score

Sep 2, 2014 MIN @ PHX 10:00 PM ET

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WNBA

Tuesday, September 2


Home team cashing in Western Conference finals

The home team has posted a 2-0 record against the spread heading into Monday's Game 3 meeting in the Western Conference finals series between the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx.

The Mercury covered as 4-point home faves by a score of 85-71 in the series opener, followed by the Lynx covering as 3-point faves in Game 2 by a score of 82-77.

Oddsmakers have the Mercury as 5.5-point home faves for Game 3 Tuesday.

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WNBA

Dunkel

Minnesota at Phoenix

The Mercury look to wrap up the series on their home court tonight and come into the contest with a 6-1 ATS record in their last 7 Tuesday games. Phoenix is the pick (-5 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Mercury favored by 8 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-5 1/2). Here are all of today's WNBA picks

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Game 609-610: Minnesota at Phoenix (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 113.184; Phoenix 121.722
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 8 1/2; 155
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 5 1/2; 160
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-5 1/2); Under




WNBA

Tuesday, September 2

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Trend Report
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10:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. PHOENIX
Minnesota is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Minnesota is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Phoenix is 4-16 SU in its last 20 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Phoenix's last 12 games when playing Minnesota


WNBA

Long Sheet

Tuesday, September 2

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MINNESOTA (28 - 10) at PHOENIX (32 - 6) - 9/2/2014, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 23-15 ATS (+6.5 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 21-13 ATS (+6.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
MINNESOTA is 47-31 ATS (+12.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 32-19 ATS (+11.1 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 16-31 ATS (-18.1 Units) in August or September games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 10-24 ATS (-16.4 Units) in home games after allowing 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 11-6 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 13-4 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
12 of 17 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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2014 WNBA Playoff Results

September 2, 2014

WNBA Playoff Betting Results

Wager Favorites-Underdogs Home-Away

Straight Up 9-4 7-6

Against the Spread 4-7-2 4-7-2

Total
Over-Under 9-4

Conference Finals

Friday, Aug. 29

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Minnesota Phoenix (-4.5) 85-71 Favorite Under (160.5)


Saturday, Aug. 30

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Chicago Indiana (-4.5) 77-70 Favorite Under (148)


Sunday, Aug. 31

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Phoenix Minnesota (-3) 82-77 Favorite Under (160)


Monday, Sept. 1

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Indiana Chicago (-3) 86-84 (2OT) Underdog Over (148)


Tuesday, Sept. 2

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Minnesota Phoenix - - -


Wednesday, Sept. 3

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Chicago Indiana - - -

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Tuesday, September 2

Game Score Status Pick Amount


Minnesota - 10:00 PM ET Phoenix -5 500 GRAND SLAM

Phoenix - Under 160 500 GRAND SLAM

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Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

09/02/14 1-*1-*0 50.00% -*50 Detail

08/31/14 0-*2-*0 0.00% -*1100 Detail

08/30/14 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail

08/29/14 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail

08/26/14 0-*2-*0 0.00% -*1100 Detail

08/24/14 3-*1-*0 75.00% +*950 Detail

08/23/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail

08/22/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail

08/21/14 3-*1-*0 75.00% +*950 Detail

Totals 19 - 7 73% +5650

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2014 WNBA Playoff Results

September 3, 2014

WNBA Playoff Betting Results

Wager Favorites-Underdogs Home-Away

Straight Up 10-4 8-6

Against the Spread 5-7-2 5-7-2

Total
Over-Under 10-4

Conference Finals

-- Phoenix wins series over Minnesota (2-1)


Friday, Aug. 29

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Minnesota Phoenix (-4.5) 85-71 Favorite Under (160.5)


Saturday, Aug. 30

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Chicago Indiana (-4.5) 77-70 Favorite Under (148)


Sunday, Aug. 31

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Phoenix Minnesota (-3) 82-77 Favorite Under (160)


Monday, Sept. 1

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Indiana Chicago (-3) 86-84 (2OT) Underdog Over (148)

Tuesday, Sept. 2

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Minnesota Phoenix (-4.5) 96-78 Favorite Over (161)


Wednesday, Sept. 3

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Chicago Indiana - - -

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Sky-Fever Preview

With the star forward for each team struggling, the point guard matchup has been a deciding factor in the Eastern Conference finals.

The winner of that battle along with the one between Elena Delle Donne and Tamika Catchings -- as in which one will finally step up with a big performance -- is seemingly likely to determine whether the Chicago Sky or Indiana Fever reach the WNBA Finals.

Following a thrilling victory that forced Wednesday night's decisive Game 3 in Indiana, Chicago tries to win the first conference title in franchise history while sending Fever coach Lin Dunn into retirement on a sour note.

"All they lack is playoff experience, and they're getting that now," Dunn said of the Sky.

Indiana seeks a third WNBA Finals appearance in six years and is 8-1 at home in elimination games, with four of those coming during its 2012 championship season. The Fever have won five straight home games against the Sky, including a 77-70 victory in Game 1.

Chicago, though, erased a 14-point deficit before losing that contest and did the same Monday, but won 86-84 in double-overtime.

"It's second nature for them to bounce back and stick together and feed off each other," coach Pokey Chatman said.

The Sky also rallied from a 20-point hole last Tuesday in Atlanta, proving they can win an elimination game on the road. Delle Donne had 34 points that day and averaged 25.7 for the series but has yet to get going in this one, averaging 11.5 points.

Catchings has averaged 13.0 points on 9-of-34 shooting in the first two games, going 0 for 5 from 3-point range. She scored 24.0 per game in a first-round sweep of Washington.

Their offensive efforts in the regular-season series would seem to indicate that a big game from one of them could lead to victory. In three appearances, Catchings had 25 points twice -- both wins -- and scored 11 in a loss. Delle Donne had 23 points in a win in her only start against Indiana before this series.

Sky center Sylvia Fowles, meanwhile, has been outstanding in the first two games with averages of 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks. However, leading scorer Epiphanny Price has been limited to nine points on 2-of-16 shooting while being badly outplayed by Indiana's Shavonte Zellous, who has averaged 19.0 points.

"They've got to be shooting over us, not going by us," said Dunn, the Hall of Famer who has said this is her final season coaching. "It'll be a battle of the backcourts, and everybody else will be on Sylvia. And then who's got Delle Donne?"

The one positional matchup that has been the difference has been point guard.

Chicago's Courtney Vandersloot had 18 points Monday after scoring four in Game 1. Indiana's Briann January had 19 points with three 3-pointers in the series opener but was held to eight in Game 2 on 3-of-16 shooting, missing all five of her 3-point attempts.

"We know how to bounce back and we know how to make adjustments," January told the Fever's official website. "I'm glad we get to go home and play off of our fans and feed off of their energy."


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Playoff Series

Series starts 8/30

Sat 8/30 @IND 77, CHI 70 Recap | Box Score

Mon 9/1 @CHI 86, IND 84 Recap | Box Score

Sep 3, 2014 CHI @ IND 7:00 PM ET

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WNBA
Dunkel

Chicago at Indiana
The Fever look to close out the series and come into tonight's contest with a 13-3 record in their last 16 home games versus the Sky. Indiana is the pick (-4) according to Dunkel, which has the Fever favored by 6. Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-4). Here are all of today's WNBA picks

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

Game 611-612: Chicago at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 107.987; Indiana 114.055
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 6; 152
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 4; 145 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-4); Over




WNBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, September 3

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CHICAGO (18 - 21) at INDIANA (19 - 19) - 9/3/2014, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 14-4 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 14-4 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
9 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Wednesday, September 3

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. INDIANA
Chicago is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Chicago is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Indiana is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing Chicago

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WNBA

Wednesday, September 3

Chicago has been abysmal in Indiana

The Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever are set to see who takes control fo their Eastern Conference Finals series. Unfortunately for Chicago, the game takes place in Indiana. The Sky are 1-15 straight-up and 3-13 against the spread in their last 16 games in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The Sky are 3.5-point dogs Wednesday.

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Wednesday, September 3

Game Score Status Pick Amount


Chicago - 7:00 PM ET Indiana -4 500 GRAND SLAM

Indiana - Over 145.5 500 GRAND SLAM

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Sky-Mercury Preview


PHOENIX (AP) -- Glance at the regular-season records and the Phoenix Mercury would seem to be a shoe-in to win the WNBA Finals over the Chicago Sky.

Not so fast.

Chicago finally has all of its players, and the Mercury know the Sky's 15-19 regular-season record is deceiving.

Phoenix's Diana Taurasi calls Chicago "probably one of top two or three teams in the league."

The Sky better be good, because Phoenix enters Sunday's Game 1 with an 18-game home winning streak. The Mercury haven't lost in Phoenix since May 23, to San Antonio in the third game of the season.

The Mercury beat Chicago twice in the regular season, but the Sky were missing star forward Elena Delle Donne and point guard Courtney Vandersloot for both games.

"We're all going to have to play our best basketball in order to compete and get some wins out of this," Delle Donne said.

Delle Donne and Vandersloot each missed 17 regular season games, Delle Donne because of a recurrence of Lyme disease, Vandersloot with a knee injury. The list goes on. Center Sylvia Fowles missed the first 14 games due to hip surgery, and guard Epiphanny Prince was out the first seven games due to physical and mental exhaustion.

"We've faced so much adversity," Delle Donne said. "I think that carries us through."

Chicago isn't completely healthy. Delle Donne is nursing a sore back.

"I'm doing all right," she said, "been doing a lot of treatment, getting a lot of work done. Still working on it. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be even better. ... It's not fun having a sore back, but I'll be able to work through it, to push through."

Phoenix rolled to a 29-5 regular-season, the best mark in league history. The Mercury swept Los Angeles in two games in the first round of the playoffs, then pulled out a 2-1 triumph over Minnesota in what many thought was a matchup of the league's two best teams.

The Mercury vow no letdown against Chicago.

"It was a tough series (against Minnesota)," Brittney Griner said, "but when you hear that word `Finals', you're refreshed, especially for me. This is my first one."

The 6-foot-8 Griner is surrounded by experience, including Taurasi and Penny Taylor, teammates on the Mercury's two WNBA championship teams, in 2007 and 2009.

"We don't care about anything but getting the championship," Taylor said. "That's been our focus all year. A lot of these players have made sacrifices to get here and they're not going to relax now that we're so close."

Taurasi is coming off a 31-point, 7-assist performance in Phoenix's 96-78 victory over Minnesota in the deciding Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. She heaved one in from just beyond halfcourt at the third-quarter buzzer, part of an 18-0 run.

"I've played with her so long now that I know she can do that," Taylor said. "(tilde)We know in big moments she can do it, and so we look to her to do that and she really came through. She's done it throughout the year so we weren't surprised."

Both Phoenix coach Sandy Brondello and Chicago coach Pokey Chatman called Taurasi "the best player in the world."

Through the season, Taurasi was mostly a distributor, not a big scorer, on a team loaded with talent.

"I can honestly say we've been a little family this summer," Taurasi said. "We've stuck together, we enjoy being around each other."

In the finals for the first time, Chicago fought its way through as the East's No. 4 seed in dramatic fashion.

Trailing by 17 early in the fourth quarter, the Sky rallied to beat the East's top-seed Atlanta 81-80 on the road in the deciding Game 3 of the first round, the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in WNBA playoff history.

"It just taught us that no matter how far behind we were," Delle Donne said, "we can always come back."

In Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, Chicago beat Indiana 86-84 in double overtime. The Sky went on to win Game 3 in Indiana. Chicago is 3-1 on the road in the playoffs.

Winning in Phoenix, with a loud crowd against them, will be the Sky's biggest challenge yet.

"They're passionate fans," Brondello said. "They're engaged fans. They love the Mercury."


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Playoff Series
Series starts 9/7

Sep 7, 2014 CHI @ PHX 3:30 PM ET

Sep 9, 2014 CHI @ PHX 9:00 PM ET

Sep 12, 2014 PHX @ CHI 8:00 PM ET

Sep 14, 2014 PHX @ CHI 5:30 PM ET

Sep 17, 2014 CHI @ PHX 9:00 PM ET

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Sunday, September 7

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Chicago - 3:30 PM ET Phoenix -10 500

Phoenix - Over 155 500