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

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Preview: Mystics (3-2) at Sun (2-5)

Date: June 05, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


Ivory Latta is the veteran catalyst who drives the Washington Mystics, but lately she's been receiving plenty of help from her younger teammates.

Visiting Washington seeks a third straight victory while looking to beat the Connecticut Sun for the fourth time in five meetings Thursday night.

After scoring 10 of her 15 points over the final four minutes of Friday's 68-60 win over New York, Latta delivered in the clutch Sunday while netting 14 points in a 92-84 triple-overtime win over Los Angeles.

Latta finished 4 of 17 from the field, but hit an off-balance 3-pointer to send the game into a second OT and made two free throws to force a third.

'You've shot it that many times in your life, you should feel like the next time you shoot it, the next one's going in,' coach Mike Thibault said. 'Some players get afraid, and she's not afraid.'

The seventh-year point guard is the only player for the Mystics (3-2) averaging double figures in points at 15.0 per game.

"I had to step up and be the vet," Latta said. "But at the same time, I got confidence in the rookies. I know they'll get the job done."

Latta was referencing Bria Hartley and Stefanie Dolson. Hartley scored a season-high 20 points Sunday while Dolson added 14 and 11 boards.

'I think (Thibault) has a lot of confidence in the two of us because he knows we know how to win (having) played at (the University of)Connecticut,' said Dolson, who teamed with Hartley to win a pair of NCAA championships with the Huskies. '(I gained) a lot of trust in myself knowing that he trusted us and believed that we could win.'

The Mystics beat Thibault's former team in three of four meetings last season, though the Sun (2-5) seem to be gaining confidence behind No. 1 overall pick Chiney Ogwumike.

She scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in Sunday's 85-76 win over Atlanta to help Connecticut end a two-game skid.

'I think that we just focus on what we did right (each) game and we try to correct what we did wrong,' Ogwumike said. 'We're not dwelling on the loss column. We're trying to build to add in the win column."

The Sun ended a two-game slide despite missing starting forward Kelsey Griffin because of a gastrointestinal ailment. It's unclear if she'll be available for this contest.

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Thursday, June 5

Game Score Status Pick Amount

San Antonio - 7:00 PM ET San Antonio +4 500 TRIPLE PLAY

New York - Over 148.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Washington - 7:00 PM ET Connecticut -2 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Connecticut - Under 148 500 DOUBLE PLAY

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Preview: Fever (3-3) at Mystics (4-2)

Date: June 06, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


The Indiana Fever dropped seven of their first eight games in 2013 but still managed to reach the Eastern Conference finals for the third straight year.

They got off to another slow start this season, especially on the defensive end, but those struggles seem to be a thing of the past.

Indiana looks to extend its winning streak to four Friday night and avenge its last loss as it visits the Washington Mystics, who are also trying to post a fourth consecutive victory.

The Fever allowed an average of 81.0 points in dropping their first three games, including 79-63 at home to the Mystics (4-2) on May 23. They've tightened things up since, allowing 69.3 points per game during their win streak.

Indiana (3-3), which hasn't won four in a row since a five-game run during its 2012 WNBA championship season, has been idle since beating visiting New York 70-66 on Saturday.

It was the Fever's fourth game decided by five points or less, and this time they hit their free throws to seal the victory. Indiana went 14 of 19 from the line after opening 90 of 133 (67.6 percent).

'I thought it was a really good win for us at home against a really good team,' said Lin Dunn, who earned her 200th win as a professional coach. 'But, at the end of the day, the game came down to the wire and we stepped up and hit our free throws.'

Briann January led Indiana with 20 points, and she's reached that plateau on three occasions after doing so four times in her first five seasons.

'My teammates are finding me,' said January, who was named conference player of the week Monday. 'That is always a plus. I am just trying to be available.'

January, shooting a league-high 71.4 percent (15 for 21) from 3-point range, was held to 10 points last month against Washington, which outscored Connecticut 24-15 in the fourth quarter of Thursday night's 74-66 road victory.

The Mystics shot 51.7 percent, held the Sun to 34.2 percent and they outrebounded them 41-29.

'I think our half-court defense has been our savior,' coach Mike Thibault said.

Veterans Kia Vaughn, Ivory Latta and Monique Currie combined for 40 points and 16 rebounds for the Mystics, who last won four straight during the regular season when they finished 2010 on a six-game run.

Rookie guard Bria Hartley led the way last month against the Fever with 15 points and five assists.

'We've got veterans, and then we've got young players that can get the job done,' Latta said. '... We're definitely building toughness.'

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Preview: Mercury (4-1) at Shock (0-5)

Date: June 06, 2014 8:00 PM EDT


With Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner giving them one of most potent inside-outside combinations in the WNBA, the high-scoring Phoenix Mercury are on the verge of matching their best start in five years.

After posting their best offensive effort of the season a week ago against Tulsa, the visiting Mercury look to replicate the performance as they go for their sixth straight victory over the winless Shock on Friday night.

Phoenix will try to equal its 5-1 start of 2009, the last time the club won the WNBA title. That team was also led by Taurasi, who's now looking to get this year's Mercury to within one victory of the franchise-best 6-1 start in 1998.

The All-Star guard had at least 20 points for the third time in four games Tuesday, scoring 20 with seven assists in an 87-72 home win over Seattle. She's leading the Mercury with 17.8 points and 5.2 assists per game.

Griner is proving just as difficult to contain in the paint after finishing with 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists Tuesday. The second-year center, who has scored in double figures in five straight games, is averaging 15.4 points and 7.2 rebounds.

'I think everything has slowed down for her a little bit," said Taurasi, who has averaged 23.2 points in the last five meetings with the Shock. "As a rookie, you don't know what to expect.'

Taurasi and Griner combined to go 18 of 20 from the foul line when Phoenix recorded a season-high point total in a 100-78 home win over Tulsa last Friday. Erin Phillips added 15 points and hit three of the team's 10 3s.

The Mercury lead the WNBA with a 51.0 field-goal percentage and 40.5 3-point percentage, while ranking second with 83.2 points per game. They've averaged 88.8 points during their winning streak against the Shock, who are allowing league highs of 83.6 points and 48.7 shooting from 3-point range.

Tulsa (0-5), which begins a four-game homestand, remained the only winless club in the league following Sunday's 62-60 loss at Seattle. Glory Johnson had a season-high 21 points with nine rebounds but the Shock dropped their fourth game by four or fewer points.

'I think this team is really learning over the course of the season," coach Fred Williams said. "We're a team that when we step on the floor, we want to be competitive for 40 minutes and I think we're establishing that right now.'

Skylar Diggins, averaging a team-best 16.8 points, looks to bounce back after scoring a season-low six Sunday. The second-year guard scored 20 points against the Mercury last week.

Teammate Riquna Williams struggled with four points on 1-of-7 shooting against the Storm, but she's averaged 26.0 while making 13 of 20 from beyond the arc in her last three against Phoenix.

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Preview: Sparks (2-3) at Sky (5-1)

Date: June 06, 2014 8:30 PM EDT


Although the Los Angeles Sparks didn't lose three consecutive games last season, they're in danger of reaching that skid in the finale of a three-game road swing.

Avoiding it won't be easy against Elena Delle Donne and a Chicago Sky team off to one of its best starts.

The Sparks will try to turn things around with only their second victory in five visits to Eastern Conference-best Chicago on Friday night.

Los Angeles (2-3) did not drop more than two games in a row in 2013 en route to its second straight 24-10 finish and the second-best record in the Western Conference.

Following losses in Washington and Atlanta to open this trip, the Sparks look to avoid their longest slide since dropping three in a row from Aug. 30-Sept. 4, 2012.

That could be a difficult task unless they show some defensive improvement after allowing a season-high point total on 53.4 percent shooting in Tuesday's 93-85 loss to the Dream.

'They were 34 for 46 (in the paint)," said Candace Parker, who finished with a season-low 15 points and seven assists. "You're not going to beat anyone giving that up.'

Los Angeles will try to tighten things up against the Sky (5-1), who are closing in on their franchise-best 7-1 start set in 2012.

Chicago ranks third with 81.8 points per game and a 39.7 3-point percentage, but it did most of the damage from closer to the basket in its latest game. The Sky hit five of 10 3-pointers Friday against Connecticut, and shot 53.1 percent inside the arc in a 101-82 rout.

Delle Donne finished with a season-high 28 points, while Jessica Breland added 18 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks and Courtney Vandersloot had a franchise-record 13 assists.

'We were moving the basketball, we were taking what the defense was giving us (and) we just really did a good job for 40 minutes," coach Pokey Chatman said.

Delle Donne was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month after averaging an East-best 23.0 points in May. She finished with 20 points and eight rebounds in a 94-82 home win over the Sparks on June 29 before missing the second half of an 80-76 loss at Staples Center on Aug. 13 due to a left foot injury.

Epiphanny Prince led the Sky with 21 points in the home meeting, but her status is uncertain after sitting out three games since returning from a personal leave. Sylvia Fowles also is out while recovering from a torn labrum and impingement in her hip.

Parker, a Chicago-area native, totaled 38 points and 15 boards in the two matchups last season. She's missed two of the last five visits because of shoulder and knee injuries.

The two-time league MVP is averaging 22.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists.

Los Angeles continues to play without reserve guard Candice Wiggins, who will miss at least another four weeks after having surgery on her left knee.

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Preview: Lynx (7-0) at Storm (2-6)

Date: June 06, 2014 10:00 PM EDT


While Maya Moore and the Minnesota Lynx have picked up where they left off last season, Sue Bird and the Seattle Storm are off to a disappointing start to 2014.

The defending champion Lynx go after their 15th straight victory - including the postseason - as they face the host Storm for the first time since their 2013 Western Conference semifinal series.

Minnesota has won its first seven games after sweeping through the playoffs last year en route to its second title in three seasons. The Lynx won 16 in a row between their 2011 title run and a 10-0 start the following season.

Coming off WNBA Finals MVP honors last year, Moore has sparked the current run by averaging 27.6 points and 8.9 rebounds this season. She's shooting better than 50 percent from the field and nearly 90 percent from the free-throw line.

'I'm just trying to be aggressive,' Moore said. "My teammates - especially the post players - have been doing a good job of getting me screens early on in transition in the offense and the ball's been feeling good.'

The All-Star forward finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four steals Sunday, while Seimone Augustus added 25 points to help the Lynx begin a stretch of six road games in seven contests with an 87-79 win at San Antonio.

Moore also set a league record by scoring 30 or more in each of her first four games, but she's scored that many once during a seven-game winning streak against Seattle.

That run includes last year's two-game sweep in the West playoffs and a Game 3 win in a 2-1 series victory in the 2012 conference semis.

The Lynx lead the WNBA with 87.1 points per game and rank second in field-goal percentage (48.7) and 3-point shooting (40.0). Seattle is the lowest-scoring club in the league at 66.5 points per game, and it's shooting 39.9 percent.

The Storm recovered from a 1-7 start to reach the postseason two years ago. They'll have to pull off a similar turnaround to make the playoffs this year after dropping to 2-6 with Tuesday's 87-72 loss at Phoenix.

Crystal Langhorne, who's been a rare bright spot, finished with a season-high 27 points and eight rebounds. She's averaged 23.7 points and 71.7 percent shooting in her last three games.

Sue Bird, however, continues to struggle following knee surgery that cost her the entire 2013 season. She had five points while missing nine of 10 shots Tuesday, leaving her at 6 for 33 from the field over her last three games.

'She's not shot it well this year but she will,' coach Brian Agler said. 'You have to remember people put a lot of focus on her.'

Seattle, 1-1 at home, is playing 10 of its first 13 games on the road.

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Standings

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

Chicago Sky 5 1 .833 0 4-1 1-0 5-0 5-1 W-1

Washington Mystics 4 2 .667 1 2-2 2-0 3-0 4-2 W-3

Atlanta Dream 4 3 .571 1.5 3-1 1-2 1-3 4-3 W-1

Indiana Fever 3 3 .500 2 2-2 1-1 3-3 3-3 W-3

New York Liberty 2 5 .286 3.5 1-2 1-3 1-3 2-5 L-3

Connecticut Sun 2 6 .250 4 2-2 0-4 1-5 2-6 L-1



WESTERN CONFERENCE

Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

Minnesota Lynx 7 0 1.000 0 3-0 4-0 3-0 7-0 W-7

Phoenix Mercury 4 1 .800 2 3-1 1-0 4-1 4-1 W-2

San Antonio Stars 4 4 .500 3.5 2-1 2-3 3-3 4-4 W-1

Los Angeles Sparks 2 3 .400 4 1-1 1-2 2-1 2-3 L-2

Seattle Storm 2 6 .250 5.5 1-1 1-5 1-3 2-6 L-1

Tulsa Shock 0 5 .000 6 0-1 0-4 0-5 0-5 L-5

Updated Fri Jun 6 1:35 PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA Betting Recap - 5/26-6/1

June 1, 2014

League Betting Notes (from Monday, May 26 through Sunday, June 1)

-- Favorites went 11-3 straight up
-- Favorites went 8-5-1 against the spread (ATS)
-- Home teams posted a 12-2 SU record
-- Home teams posted a 9-4-1 ATS record
-- The 'over' went 9-5

Team Betting Notes

-- Indiana (3-3) is on a roll. After starting the season 0-3 SU/1-2 ATS, the Fever have rattled off three straight wins and cover. The Fever entered Saturday with the 'over' cashing in four of their first five, but the 'under' hit against New York (2-4).

-- The Liberty opened with a road win and cover May 16, but they are 1-4 SU and 1-3-1 ATS since. One thing that has been consistent with the Liberty is the fact the 'under' has cashed in five of their six outings so far.

-- Phoenix (3-1) pounded Tulsa (0-5) by a 100-78 score. It was the first 'over' for Phoenix after three straight unders to open the season. Phoenix is now 3-1 SU and ATS. They meet Seattle (2-5) Tuesday at home. The Mercury weathered the Storm 81-64 in the season opener back on May 17 in Phoenix, covering with an under.

-- The Shock can't buy a win. In fact, they're not only the lone winless team in the WNBA, but every other squad has at least two victories. Tulsa has been competitve, though, covering four of their five games thusfar.

-- Chicago (5-1) suffered its first loss of the season Monday against Minnesota (7-0), but rebounded with a win over Connecticut (2-5), 101-82, on Friday. The 'over' is 2-1 in the past three for the Sky.

-- Minnesota remains unbeaten and they are starting to cover, too. After opening the season 1-3 ATS, they have covered three in a row. And the 'over' is now 6-1 in seven games for the Lynx.

-- Despite a win Sunday, the Sun remains mired in last place in the Eastern Conference. The over has come through in three straight games for Connecticut.

-- Washington (3-2) outlasted Los Angeles (2-2) in what was the game of the season so far, winning 92-84 in triple-overtime. It was the first over in four games for the Sparks.

-- The Sparks have managed a total of just four games to date, but they have a three-game week on tap, including the continuation of their road trip Tuesday in Atlanta, and Friday in Chicago before returning home to face Minnesota.

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WNBA
Dunkel

Phoenix at Tulsa
The Mercury (4-1) head to Tulsa tonight to face a Shock team that is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games against a team with a winning record. Tulsa is the pick (+4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Mercury favored by only 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Tulsa (+4 1/2). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

FRIDAY, JUNE 6

Game 601-602: Indiana at Washington (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 104.930; Washington 113.394
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 8 1/2; 146
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 3 1/2; 142
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-3 1/2); Over

Game 603-604: Phoenix at Tulsa (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 112.943; Tulsa 111.443
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1 1/2; 157
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 4 1/2; 162
Dunkel Pick: Tulsa (+4 1/2); Under

Game 605-606: Los Angeles at Chicago (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 115.603; Chicago 111.894
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 3 1/2; 150
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 4; 153
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (+4); Under

Game 607-608: Minnesota at Seattle (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 118.451; Seattle 109.929
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 8 1/2; 156
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 5; 149
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-5); Over




WNBA

Friday, June 6

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
INDIANA vs. WASHINGTON
Indiana is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Indiana
Washington is 5-11-1 ATS in its last 17 games when playing at home against Indiana

8:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. TULSA
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Phoenix's last 13 games
Phoenix is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Tulsa is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Tulsa's last 6 games

8:30 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Los Angeles's last 13 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing at home against Los Angeles
Chicago is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Los Angeles

10:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. SEATTLE
Minnesota is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Seattle is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games when playing at home against Minnesota

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WNBA
Long Sheet

Friday, June 6

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INDIANA (3 - 3) at WASHINGTON (4 - 2) - 6/6/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 95-132 ATS (-50.2 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.
INDIANA is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 249-300 ATS (-81.0 Units) in all games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 5-4 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 5-4 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (4 - 1) at TULSA (0 - 5) - 6/6/2014, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 30-47 ATS (-21.7 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 19-34 ATS (-18.4 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 10-25 ATS (-17.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
TULSA is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) as a home underdog of 3.5 to 6 points over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TULSA is 5-3 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 7-2 straight up against TULSA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LOS ANGELES (2 - 3) at CHICAGO (5 - 1) - 6/6/2014, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 16-26 ATS (-12.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in road games in June games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 138-175 ATS (-54.5 Units) after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 4-0 against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 2-2 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (7 - 0) at SEATTLE (2 - 6) - 6/6/2014, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 100-68 ATS (+25.2 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1997.
SEATTLE is 84-56 ATS (+22.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 32-16 ATS (+14.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 30-14 ATS (+14.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 18-5 ATS (+12.5 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 8-5 against the spread versus SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 11-2 straight up against SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
8 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

Record as of THURSDAY Night:


*****.................................4 - 0

DOUBLE PLAY.......................4 - 2

TRIPLE PLAY.........................2 - 0


Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

06/05/14 3-*1-*0 75.00% +*950 Detail

06/03/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail

06/01/14 6-*2-*0 75.00% +*1900 Detail

Totals 13-*3-*0 81.25% +4850


Friday, June 6

Game Score Status Pick Amount


Indiana - 7:00 PM ET Washington -3.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Washington - Under 141.5 500 *****


Phoenix - 8:00 PM ET Tulsa +5.5 500 *****

Tulsa - Over 162 500 *****


Los Angeles - 8:30 PM ET Chicago -2.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Chicago - Over 154 500 DOUBLE PLAY


Minnesota - 10:00 PM ET Seattle +6 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Seattle - Under 147.5 500 *****

[StarDust Bum]

Record as of FRIDAY Night:


*****.................................8 - 0

DOUBLE PLAY.......................6 - 3

TRIPLE PLAY.........................2 - 1


Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

06/06/14 6-*2-*0 75.00% +*1900 Detail
06/05/14 3-*1-*0 75.00% +*950 Detail
06/03/14 4-*0-*0 100.00% +*2000 Detail
06/01/14 6-*2-*0 75.00% +*1900 Detail

Totals 19-*5-*0 79.17% +6750

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Fever (4-3) at Sun (2-6)

Date: June 07, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


The streaking Indiana Fever completed an impressive comeback despite missing their leading scorer.

With Briann January potentially back in the mix, Saturday night's matchup could prove difficult for the struggling Connecticut Sun.

Indiana (4-3) has won four straight, its longest run since taking five in a row from Aug. 23-Sept. 1, 2012, after an 0-3 start. Friday's 64-61 victory at Washington came without January - the team's leading scorer with 15.8 points per game - as she was sidelined with a sprained ankle.

Perhaps lost without her initially, the Fever were 2 of 18 from the field in the first quarter and trailed by as many as 16 in the first half.

However, Marissa Coleman, who entered fourth on the team with 8.8 points per game, scored a career-high 20 - less than a week after surpassing the 1,000-point plateau in a win over New York. Erlana Larkins also scored 10 of her 13 points in the third quarter as Indiana outscored the Mystics 24-9 for the period.

"We don't worry about what the score is, we worry about playing better," coach Lin Dunn said. "And if you do things better, than slowly and surely now it's a 10-point game, now it's a five-point game. And that's all we focus on."

January, who suffered her injury in practice, was available for Friday's game according to the team's official Twitter page.

Connecticut (2-6) lost to Washington 74-66 at home Thursday. The Sun missed 12 of their first 16 shots and 12 of their last 13, scoring only 15 fourth-quarter points after erasing an eight-point halftime deficit in the third.

"It's just a disappointing thing that we had a great third quarter. I thought our energy defensively led to good offense, led to a lot confidence," coach Anne Donovan said.

"And then they came out in the fourth quarter and just came right at us, and it seemed to keep us on our heels the rest of the quarter, even when we had good looks down the stretch," she added.

The Sun were led by Chiney Ogwumike's 16 points and she finished one rebound shy of her fourth straight double-double. Averaging 17.1 points, Ogwumike is the league's only rookie in the top 10 in scoring. She also ranks among the top 10 rebounders with 11.4 per game.

Connecticut has won five of its last six regular-season home matchups with the Fever, though it lost 79-65 at Indiana on May 29. January scored 20 and hit 9 of 10 free throws while Ogwumike had 18 with a season-high 15 rebounds.

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Preview: Sky (5-2) at Dream (4-3)

Date: June 07, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


The Chicago Sky's strong start to the season came to a crashing halt the last time they took the court, and they'll look to get back on track Saturday night when they visit an Atlanta Dream club they've dominated recently.

Chicago entered Friday night's home matchup against Los Angeles with one loss in its first six games, 75-72 to defending WNBA champion Minnesota on May 26, before getting thoroughly outplayed by the Sparks.

The Sky (5-2) allowed Los Angeles to shoot 61.9 percent and score 61 points in the first half, while Elena Delle Donne had half of Chicago's 44 points before the break.

It was more of the same in the final two quarters as the Sparks cruised to a 102-88 victory. Chicago, which played for the first time in a week, had not allowed 100 points in a regulation game since Aug. 18, 2009.

The Sky were holding opponents to 72.3 points per game and 39.0 percent shooting.

"You would think defensively you're rested a little bit," coach Pokey Chatman said. "But I like to give credit to the opponent when they take advantage of a situation."

Delle Donne finished with a career-high 33 points and 14 rebounds, making all 16 of her free-throw attempts in her first game since being named Eastern Conference player of the month for May.

The Sky have won four in a row in this series, including 87-73 at home on May 24. Delle Donne led five Chicago players in double figures with 27 points, while Erika de Souza and Shoni Schimmel combined to score 35 for the Dream.

That loss was the first for defending conference champion Atlanta in 2014, and it started a 1-3 stretch before the Dream bounced back Tuesday with a strong offensive performance.

Atlanta (4-3) set season highs in points and field-goal percentage (53.4) in a 93-85 home victory over the Sparks. De Souza scored 20 of her career high-tying 27 points in the final 20 minutes and Sancho Lyttle added 18 for the Dream, who also established a season best with 68 points in the paint.

"Sometimes, you hit that brick wall, but we just kept fighting," said de Souza, who also grabbed 11 rebounds. "When you hit that wall, you just have to try and climb over it. I feel like we didn't get down on ourselves."

Atlanta guard Angel McCoughtry missed last month's meeting with a shoulder injury. She averaged 18.5 points in her first two games back but has totaled 21 and shot 7 for 25 in the last two.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

-- Back in 2011, Phillies apparently screwed up and included prospect Domingo Santana in a trade for Hunter Pence; he wasn't supposed to be traded. Santiago is hitting .292 with nine HRs in AAA- he is going to help the Astros.

-- A's beat Baltimore 4-3 in 11 innings; Nelson Cruz got thrown out trying to steal home to win the game in the 10th inning- never saw that before. A's went 3-3 with pinch-hitters; they all either scored a run or knocked one in.

-- Johan Santana tore his achilles tendon, derailing his comeback.

-- Rays blanked Seattle 4-0, ending their 10-game losing streak.

-- Utah Jazz hired former Missouri coach Quin Snyder as its new coach.

-- Robert Carter scored 11.4 ppg, grabbed 8.4 rebounds/game; he transfers to the Big 14 and Maryland, which needs a talent infusion.


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

13) Lebron James endorses Powerade, which can’t be too pleased with his cramping issues Thursday night; a small war of words erupted on social media between Powerade/Gatorade after Game 1. It doesn’t matter which drink the athlete endorses if he doesn’t drink a lot of it before playing.

12) Gregg Popovich has been coach of the Spurs for 17 years; during that time, the other 29 NBA franchises have employed 221 head coaches.

11) Steve Kerr is trying to hire European coaching icon David Blatt as his top assistant. Blatt won Euroleague this year; he is regarded as a very creative offensive mind who would be an excellent hire for any NBA team.

10) John Calipari signed a 7-year, $52M extension with Kentucky, which could easily price him out of a return to the NBA, unless he wanted to take a pay cut to go back to the pros. Not many of these guys like pay cuts.

9) Good luck on a speedy recovery to Red Sox hitting coach Gregg Colbrunn, who suffered a brain hemorrhage Wednesday and was taken to the hospital, where he stayed after the team left town.

8) How would you like to have Rashad McCants as a friend?

Former North Carolina Tar Heel threw his old team under the bus Friday, saying he took bogus classes and got easy A’s, after others wrote term papers for him. McCants flopped in the NBA, making only (only!!!!) $7,581,406, so he must be bitter now and is doing his best to get Roy Williams fired. Even if his claims are true, he’s an ingrate for ratting the school out only after his pro career failed.

7) Radio City Music Hall is unavailable for the NFL Draft next spring, so looks like either Madison Square Garden, Chicago or LA will host this popular event. This is a good chance to move the event out of New York and around the country for a while; not sure why they would put it in Los Angeles, where the NLF doesn’t have a team. Hey, how about Las Vegas? That might be the best place to hold the league’s biggest crapshoot.

6) Not only was June 6 the 70th anniversary of D-Day, it was National Donut Day; you could get a free one at Dunkin’ Donuts, if you bought a coffee. June 6 also used to be my wedding anniversary, but I’d rather talk about donuts.

5) Pittsburgh Penguins fired coach Dan Bylsma Friday; he went 252-117-32 as head coach, winning the ’09 Stanley Cup. Penguins are just 4-5 in playoff series since winning the Cup, so Bylsma was shown the door. He won’t be out of work long, if he doesn’t want to be.

4) Former Giants DB Will Hill hooked up with the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena League, where its not that fun to play defensive back.

3) Top teams in games decided by 3+ runs: Toronto 28-15, Oakland 26-8, Giants 19-8, Nationals 20-12.

2) Top teams in games decided by 1-2 runs: Giants 20-13, Indians 19-12, Brewers 17-12, Twins 17-11, Bronx 16-10.

1) Whats the over/under on the number of times we hear the word “hydration” between now and Game 2 of Heat-Spurs Sunday night?