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

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WNBA

Tuesday, July 22


Top ATS team back in action Tuesday

The top team against the spread in the WNBA is back in action Tuesday after the brief hiatus of the All-Star break.

The Phoenix Mercury, owners of a 15-5-1 ATS mark, are on the road to face the Seattle Storm (9-15 ATS). Sportsbooks opened the Mercury as 5.5-point road dogs, but that line has since moved to Mercury -6.

Prior to the All-Star break, the Mercury went 7-0 ATS with two of those ATS wins coming on the road.

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WNBA Betting Recap - 7/14-7/20

July 20, 2014

League Betting Notes (from Monday, July 14 through Sunday, July 20)

-- Favorites went 7-2 straight up
-- Favorites went 6-3 against the spread (ATS)
-- Home teams posted a 6-3 SU record
-- Home teams posted a 5-4 ATS record
-- The 'over' went 6-3

Team Betting Notes

-- After a low-scoring week which saw the 'under' cash in 12 of 17 games last week, the ladies stepped on the accelerator and saw the 'over' cash in six of nine outings in the period leading up to the All-Star game.

-- Washington (10-13) has been a hard team to figure for most of the season, but suddenly the Mystics have gone 3-1 SU/ATS over the pas four to provide a little bit of clarity.

-- Tulsa (8-15) slapped the brakes on a five-game losing streak, topping San Antonio (11-12) by a 95-90 score Thursday. The two sides complete their home-and-home Tuesday in San Antonio. The Stars are 0-3 SU/ATS over their past three.

-- Another week, another loss for Chicago (8-14). The Sky have now dropped six straight games, and they are 1-5 ATS during the abysmal span.

-- Phoenix (18-3) might have been gracious hosts for this past weekend's WNBA All-Star Game, but the Mercury have been anything but gracious against visitors during the regular season. Brittney Griner and company have rattled off 12 straight victories, and they are 7-0 ATS in the past seven.

-- Minnesota (17-6) is trying to keep Phoenix within sight in the Western Conference. The Lynx has won four straight games, going 4-0 ATS during the impressive stretch.

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Shock-Stars Preview


Skylar Diggins is the star of the Tulsa Shock, but for them to dig out of last place in the Western Conference will likely ride on the shoulders of the inside duo of Courtney Paris and Glory Johnson.

Paris and Johnson had a huge effort last week against the San Antonio Stars and will try to duplicate that performance Tuesday night on the road.

Diggins has taken her game to a new level with 21.0 points per game to rank second in the WNBA behind Minnesota's Maya Moore. She averaged 8.5 points last year as a rookie.

"People thought I was broken," said Diggins about her rookie season. "I'm the same old Skylar. I just got in the gym and worked hard, harder. I've always had a pretty big work ethic. I'm on myself harder than anybody could be on me."

The Shock also feature two of the league's best post players in Paris and Johnson, who have combined for 22 double-doubles for the most by any teammates.

Tulsa (8-15) dropped the first two meetings with San Antonio before riding that duo to a 95-90 win Thursday to snap a five-game slide. Paris scored a career-high 22 points and Johnson added 15 and 10 rebounds.

"The team really fed Glory and Paris and cleared out giving them room to operate," coach Fred Williams said.

Paris made all nine shots and is 20 of 23 from the floor for 45 points and 31 rebounds this year against the Stars. Johnson has totaled 48 points in the season series.

"We knew we had an advantage in the low post," Johnson said. "Courtney does a great job and I try to feed her the ball in the high-low. She's powerful down there."

Paris and Johnson proved to be too difficult for a Stars frontcourt that features rookie Kayla McBride, Diggins' former teammate at Notre Dame. McBride is averaging 18.7 points in the season series but has only totaled nine rebounds.

Tulsa is three games behind third-place San Antonio (11-12) and would lose the season series tiebreaker with a defeat Tuesday.

The Stars have played the last eight games without Jia Perkins, who has been out with a strained right hamstring. Perkins averages 12.7 points to rank second on the team and totaled 26 in two wins over Tulsa in May.

Diggins is entering off a spectacular performance Saturday in which she led the West with 27 points in the All-Star game, although she turned the ball over in the closing seconds of a 125-124 overtime defeat.

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Preview: Fever (11-12) at Sky (8-14)

Date: July 22, 2014 8:00 PM EDT


The Eastern Conference pulled out a thrilling win at the All-Star game thanks to Tamika Catchings' clutch play.

She also stepped up against the slumping Chicago Sky last week.

Catchings and the visiting Indiana Fever try to hand the Sky a seventh consecutive loss as these teams meet in the second of back-to-back matchups Tuesday night.

After scoring the go-ahead layup with 6.9 seconds left, Catchings knocked the ball away from Skylar Diggins to seal the East's 125-124 overtime victory Saturday. Catchings, who was making her record-tying ninth All-Star appearance, finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and five steals.

Catchings now turns her attention back to the Sky, who couldn't keep up in an 82-64 loss at Indiana on Thursday in their final game before the break. Chicago cut what was a 17-point deficit to five at the end of the third quarter before Catchings scored 14 of her 25 over the final 10 minutes.

"I think when Catch is not fatigued and not winded, she's as good as there is," coach Lin Dunn said. "And she certainly put on a show for us tonight with her ability to attack the rim and just get timely shots and play great defense."

Catchings, who debuted July 5 after missing the start of the season with a back issue, has scored at least 21 in four of the last five games.

"Just be aggressive, take what the defense gives you," she told the team's official website. "The biggest thing I've been able to do since coming back is just letting the game come to me and not trying to do everything."

The Sky (8-14) have managed just 69.3 points per game during their losing streak, and there doesn't appear to be any end in sight without Elena Delle Donne. The All-Star guard, averaging a team-best 21.2 points, continues to receive treatment for Lyme disease back home in Delaware.

Delle Donne has missed 13 of the last 14 games, and point guard Courtney Vandersloot also remains out with a knee injury. Vandersloot is averaging a league-leading 6.4 assists.

The Sky were held to 36.2 percent shooting against the Fever last week while getting outscored 42-22 in the paint.

"Against a team like Indiana that just can't happen," said Sylvia Fowles, who had 15 points.

While Indiana has gone 5-8 at home, it owns the East's best road record at 6-4. The Fever play their next five as the visiting team and finish the regular season with seven of 11 on the road.

"We don't really fear going on the road," Dunn said. "Sometimes I think we get more rest on the road than we do at home."

Indiana has won seven of eight at Chicago - including playoffs - after splitting two meetings there this year.


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WNB HEAD TO HEAD

Jul 17, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI 64 Under: 146
IND « 82 Cover: 13
Tools: Recaps

Jun 20, 2014 Score ATS Results
IND « 83 Cover: 11.5
CHI 75 Over: 158
Tools: Recaps

May 16, 2014 Score ATS Results
IND 71 Over: 145
CHI « 74 Cover: 1
Tools: Recaps

Sep 22, 2013 Score ATS Results
CHI 57 Under: 136
IND « 79 Cover: 20.5
Tools: Recaps

Sep 20, 2013 Score ATS Results
IND « 85 Cover: 20
CHI 72 Over: 157
Tools: Recaps

Sep 6, 2013 Score ATS Results
IND « 82 Cover: 11.5
CHI 77 Over: 159
Tools: Recaps

Aug 6, 2013 Score ATS Results
IND « 64 Cover: 12
CHI 58 Under: 122
Tools: Recaps

Aug 3, 2013 Score ATS Results
CHI 58 Under: 137
IND « 79 Cover: 18
Tools: Recaps

Jun 22, 2013 Score ATS Results
CHI « 71 Cover: 4
IND 61 Under: 132
Tools: Recaps

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Preview: Dream (15-6) at Lynx (17-6)

Date: July 22, 2014 8:00 PM EDT


The Atlanta Dream may want to think about getting Shoni Schimmel more involved after watching her steal the show at the All-Star game. It will be up to assistant Karleen Thompson to do so after coach Michael Cooper revealed he has early stage tongue cancer.

With Cooper taking a temporary leave of absence, the Dream will try to focus on the task at hand as they visit Minnesota for the first time since the WNBA Finals seeking a sweep of the season series Tuesday night.

Cooper, 58, will have surgery this week and the Dream say a full recovery is expected. He's expected to miss about two weeks, with Thompson filling in.

'I'm fortunate that my condition was diagnosed early, and this episode illustrates the importance of screening and early detection,' Cooper said. 'I know the team will be in good hands with coach Thompson at the helm during my absence, and I look forward to returning to the court soon.'

With Cooper coaching the Eastern Conference, Schimmel became the third reserve to start an All-Star game and led her team to a 125-124 overtime victory Saturday. She earned MVP honors after finishing with an All-Star game-record 29 points and eight assists.

"They call her Showtime Schimmel," Indiana's Tamika Catchings said of the rookie. "She came out and put on a great show."

The Dream (15-6) own a five-game lead in the Eastern Conference, and they could be increasing it if Schimmel can raise her game. She's averaging 7.2 points and 36.9 percent shooting in just over 19 minutes per contest.

Schimmel hardly had any impact on Atlanta's 85-82 home win over Minnesota on June 13, missing her one shot while recording two assists, one steal and two turnovers with four fouls. Angel McCoughty led the way with 23 points while fellow All-Star Erika de Souza added 16 and 11 rebounds. The Dream also held Maya Moore to a season-low 10 points - well below her WNBA-leading mark of 24.1.

A repeat performance could be hard to come by in Minnesota, where the Dream have dropped eight in a row, including a combined four losses in the WNBA Finals in 2011 and '13. The Lynx took all three home meetings last year by an average of 24.0 points.

Minnesota (17-6) is seeking a fifth consecutive victory overall after beating Tulsa 93-82 on Wednesday in its final game before the break. Moore had 32 points, nine rebounds and five assists while Lindsay Whalen added 18 points and five assists.

"Maya's the Michael Jordan of this league," Shock coach Fred Williams said. "When you have guards and players like her and Whalen, they make a lot of great plays together."

The Lynx outscored Tulsa 52-38 in the paint and held a 23-4 edge in transition.

"When we can get the rebound secured, we can push," Moore said. "We have great athletes on this team. Lindsay Whalen, she's hockey like, the way she runs and feels the floor."

The Dream had won four straight before falling 77-75 at New York on Wednesday. Atlanta, which trailed by 12 late in the third quarter before storming back, allowed the winning shot with four-tenths of a second left.

"We need to play better for 40 minutes," McCoughtry said after a 20-point, nine-rebound, nine-assist performance. "It's a good sign that we battled back and didn't roll over, but we need to be more consistent."

The Dream will have to get by without newcomer Delisha Milton-Jones, who will miss the rest of the season after rupturing her Achilles tendon last Sunday. The veteran forward was acquired from New York on July 9 for Swin Cash.


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WNB HEAD TO HEAD

Jun 13, 2014 Score ATS Results
MIN 82 Over: 167
ATL « 85 Cover: 1.5
Tools: Recaps

Oct 10, 2013 Score ATS Results
MIN « 87 Cover: 3.5
ATL 77 Over: 164
Tools: Recaps

Oct 8, 2013 Score ATS Results
ATL 63 Under: 151
MIN « 88 Cover: 14
Tools: Recaps

Oct 6, 2013 Score ATS Results
ATL 59 Under: 143
MIN « 84 Cover: 15.5
Tools: Recaps

Aug 20, 2013 Score ATS Results
MIN 75 Over: 163
ATL « 88 Cover: 15.5
Tools: Recaps

Jul 9, 2013 Score ATS Results
ATL 72 Over: 166
MIN « 94 Cover: 16.5
Tools: Recaps

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Preview: Mercury (18-3) at Storm (9-15)

Date: July 22, 2014 10:00 PM EDT


Sue Bird knows what it is like to be on a team that's rolling like the Phoenix Mercury. She's looking to prevent it from continuing Tuesday night.

Bird's Seattle Storm have been blown out three times this year by the Mercury, who seek to clinch a playoff berth and stretch their franchise-record win streak to 13 games.

Seattle (9-15) is two games behind Los Angeles for the fourth and final Western Conference postseason spot as it finally hosts Phoenix (18-3), which captured the first three meetings at home by an average of 17.3 points.

The Mercury have dropped 12 of their last 15 regular-season visits to Seattle, including both last season.

They are trying to become the first team to win 13 straight since the Storm did it June 18-July 30, 2010. That's the third-longest win streak in league history.

Phoenix has been led in scoring by a different player in each game of the season series, with Brittney Griner averaging a team-best 17.0 points in the three contests.

"Obviously they just have a ton of talent when you look at their team from top to bottom, they really have a lot of versatility, they're tall and each player, they probably could have had more than three All-Stars, to be honest," said Bird, who has totaled 14 points in the first three matchups. "And you add the fact that they play really well together, it just makes them tough."

This will be the second time the Mercury will face the Storm with Penny Taylor in the starting lineup after she scored 14 in 18 minutes in a 78-58 rout July 9. Taylor totaled seven points off the bench in the first two meetings.

She scored a season-high 23 points in Thursday's 101-85 win over Connecticut, Phoenix's highest-scoring effort of the year.

'When you play on a team like this, the attention is sometime elsewhere,' Taylor said. 'You have to have so much focus on BG (Griner), Diana (Taurasi), Candice (Dupree) and DB (DeWanna Bonner), and I think sometimes I can sneak in there and get a few easy ones."

Taurasi's 17.8 scoring average would be her lowest mark in a full season since her second year in the league in 2005. She's fifth in the WNBA in points.

Seattle fell 86-63 at home to Connecticut in its latest game last Tuesday. Camille Little scored a team-high 14.

The Storm did not have guard Shekinna Stricklen, who suffered a strained neck July 13 and is day to day.

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WNB HEAD TO HEAD

Jul 9, 2014 Score ATS Results
SEA 58 Under: 136
PHO « 78 Cover: 10
Tools: Recaps

Jun 3, 2014 Score ATS Results
SEA 72 Over: 159
PHO « 87 Cover: 4
Tools: Recaps

May 17, 2014 Score ATS Results
SEA 64 Under: 145
PHO « 81 Cover: 7
Tools: Recaps

Aug 23, 2013 Score ATS Results
SEA « 81 Cover: 17
PHO 73 Over: 154
Tools: Recaps

Aug 6, 2013 Score ATS Results
SEA « 80 Cover: 25
PHO 65 Under: 145
Tools: Recaps

Aug 1, 2013 Score ATS Results
PHO 79 Over: 167
SEA « 88 Cover: 13.5
Tools: Recaps

Jun 2, 2013 Score ATS Results
PHO 72 Under: 147
SEA « 75 Cover: 13
Tools: Recaps

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Tuesday, July 22

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Tulsa - 8:00 PM ET Tulsa +4.5 500 *****

San Antonio - Over 163.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Atlanta - 8:00 PM ET Minnesota -5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Minnesota - Under 163 500 *****

Indiana - 8:00 PM ET Indiana -1 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Chicago - Under 150.5 500 *****

Phoenix - 10:00 PM ET Phoenix -5.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Seattle - Under 151 500 TRIPLE PLAY

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WNBA

Wednesday, July 23


Dogs go 3-1 against the spread Tuesday

The WNBA returned from its All-Star break Tuesday night, and they underdog performed admirable on the evening.

The Tulsa Shock, Atlanta Dream and Chicago Sky each covered the spread as underdogs in Tuesday's schedule. The only favorite to cover the spread was the best bet in the league - the Phoenix Mercury.

There are two games on the board Wednesday, withe Connecticut Sun currently 3.5-point dogs at the Washington Mystics and the New York Liberty visiting the L.A. Sparks as 8-point dogs.

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WNBA
Dunkel

New York at Los Angeles
The Sparks host a New York team that is 0-7 ATS in its last 7 road games. Los Angeles is the pick (-8) according to Dunkel, which has the Sparks favored by 10 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-8). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23

Game 651-652: Connecticut at Washington (11:30 a.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 108.028; Washington 115.934
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 8; 155
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 4 1/2; 150
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-4 1/2); Over

Game 653-654: New York at Los Angeles (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 108.608; Los Angeles 118.046
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 10 1/2; 147
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles by 8; 151 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-8); Under






WNBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, July 23

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CONNECTICUT (10 - 14) at WASHINGTON (10 - 13) - 7/23/2014, 11:35 AM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in road games after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
CONNECTICUT is 104-71 ATS (+25.9 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 256-310 ATS (-85.0 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 23-39 ATS (-19.9 Units) on Wednesday since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 27-49 ATS (-26.9 Units) in home games when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 160-201 ATS (-61.1 Units) vs. division opponents since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 9-2 against the spread versus CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 6-5 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
9 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW YORK (8 - 13) at LOS ANGELES (10 - 12) - 7/23/2014, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 37-53 ATS (-21.3 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in a road game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 5-12 ATS (-8.2 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
NEW YORK is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
NEW YORK is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game this season.
NEW YORK is 38-22 ATS (+13.8 Units) in road games when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 24-35 ATS (-14.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 15-25 ATS (-12.5 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

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

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WNBA

Wednesday, July 23

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Trend Report
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11:30 AM
CONNECTICUT vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Connecticut's last 7 games on the road
Connecticut is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Washington's last 7 games when playing Connecticut
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games

10:30 PM
NEW YORK vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 6 games when playing Los Angeles
New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Los Angeles's last 12 games when playing at home against New York
Los Angeles is 1-11 ATS in its last 12 games when playing at home against New York

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Preview: Sun (10-14) at Mystics (10-13)

Date: July 23, 2014 11:30 AM EDT


The Washington Mystics and Connecticut Sun are battling for playoff spots in the crowded Eastern Conference.

While things are looking up for the Mystics, the Sun are headed in the opposite direction.

Washington tries to continue its success against visiting Connecticut in the first of three remaining matchups in the series Wednesday.

The Mystics (10-13) open the second half in high spirits after winning three of their final four games before the All-Star break. Tierra Ruffin-Pratt scored a career-high 18 points off the bench and Monique Currie added 16 as Washington closed a five-game road swing with Thursday's 79-75 win over Los Angeles.

"It helps you relax more over the break, but also gives us some momentum going into the second half of the season," Currie said. "It shows a lot for us to stay together and play hard and grind this win out."

The Mystics shot 49.2 percent and outrebounded the Sparks 32-23.

"They're definitely a great team. What we can take from this is the way we played against them is how we have to play in our own conference," All-Star Ivory Latta said. "We can't let up."

The Mystics have won five of the past six matchups with the Sun. Washington has taken both meetings this season, 74-66 at Connecticut on June 5 and 69-63 at home June 27.

Mystics center Emma Meesseman scored a career-high 22 points and added 13 rebounds in the latest victory as Washington held a 36-22 scoring edge in the paint.

The Sun (10-14) come out of the break one-half game behind Washington and just ahead of New York and Chicago for the final East postseason berth. Looking to get on track, Connecticut has followed a six-game winning streak by dropping eight of 10.

The Sun's woes continued in a 101-85 loss at Phoenix on Thursday. Katie Douglas had 23 points and Alex Bentley scored 20 but Connecticut allowed the Mercury to shoot 53.5 percent.

Douglas, who finished with 15 points while making 5 of 8 from 3-point range in Saturday's All-Star game, leads the East with 49 made 3s. Latta ranks second with 47, but she's shooting 33.6 percent from beyond the arc compared to Douglas' mark of 38.0 percent.

The Sun are hoping to get a boost from veteran forward Ebony Hoffman, who was signed for the remainder of the season Friday. Hoffman has averaged 6.0 points and 4.3 rebounds in 319 career games.

"Ebony will add valuable post experience to our roster which will be important as we make a strong push for playoffs," coach Anne Donovan said.

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WNB HEAD TO HEAD


Jun 27, 2014 Score ATS Results
CONN 63 Under: 132
WAS « 69 Cover: 2.5
Tools: Recaps


Jun 5, 2014 Score ATS Results
WAS « 74 Cover: 6.5
CONN 66 Under: 140
Tools: Recaps


Sep 13, 2013 Score ATS Results
CONN 56 Under: 138
WAS « 82 Cover: 16.5
Tools: Recaps


Sep 6, 2013 Score ATS Results
WAS 70 Under: 147
CONN « 77 Cover: 12.5
Tools: Recaps


Aug 11, 2013 Score ATS Results
CONN 63 Under: 137
WAS « 74 Cover: 6.5
Tools: Recaps


Jun 7, 2013 Score ATS Results
WAS « 66 Cover: 11
CONN 62 Under: 128
Tools: Recaps

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Preview: Liberty (8-13) at Sparks (10-12)

Date: July 23, 2014 10:30 PM EDT


Penny Toler didn't like the inconsistency the Los Angeles Sparks had shown this season.

So the team's general manager and executive vice president decided to make a coaching change and let Carol Ross go over the weekend. Figuring it would be difficult for any outsider to step in and take over the Sparks with 12 games left, she thought she'd be the best person to take the coaching reigns.

'If we're going to make this change, I'll go down there and coach the team,' Toler said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Monday night. 'It's a difficult situation for any coach to come into, so I'll go to the bench and I'll coach the team.'

She joins a rare club of WNBA coaches who have no previous coaching experience before getting a head coaching position, and she'll make her debut Wednesday night against the visiting New York Liberty (8-13).

'I'll definitely be nervous for the first game on Wednesday,' Toler said. 'I'm going to rely on my assistants a lot. The last couple of days I've never looked at so many plays in my life.'

Top assistant Gail Goestenkors left when Ross was let go. Current assistant Gary Kloppenburg will stay on and be joined by Steve Smith, who returns after three previous stints as a Sparks assistant. Smith had been serving as athletic director at a high school in Los Angeles.

Toler said she will only be coaching the club until the end of the season and doesn't plan on coaching after this year.

Toler was the first woman to score a basket in the WNBA in 1997, when she played for the Sparks. She retired from playing in 1999 and became the team's general manager in 2000, presiding over the Sparks' back-to-back WNBA titles in 2001 and 2002.

Despite their struggles, the Sparks (10-12) currently occupy one of the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference.

'Our goal is to make the playoffs first,' she said. 'This is a very tough league. We still have 12 games to go. We're going to take it one game at a time and try and secure a playoff spot. With the way season is going we can't assume we're in the playoffs. We have to win.'

The Sparks won three in a row to close a four-game road trip before falling 79-75 to Washington at home before the All-Star break. Los Angeles owns the league's worst home record at 3-7.

'This is one of those things where we have to get some consistency, you can't stumble into a championship,' Toler said. 'If you look back in the Sparks' history I'm hard pressed to see us being 3-7 at home. This is an extremely difficult situation. It was a very tough decision.'

New York takes the court for the first time since getting by Atlanta 77-75 last Wednesday. Cappie Pondexter struggled for most of the game before banking in the winning 16-foot jumper with four-tenths of a second left.

"I always want it at the end," said Pondexter, who finished with eight points while shooting 3 of 15. "It's always been like that since I first came into the league."

New York has dropped three straight to Los Angeles after falling 68-54 in this season's first meeting July 11.

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WNB HEAD TO HEAD


Jul 11, 2014 Score ATS Results
LOS « 68 Cover: 10
NEW 54 Under: 122
Tools: Recaps


Aug 10, 2013 Score ATS Results
LOS « 85 Cover: 12.5
NEW 67 Under: 152
Tools: Recaps


Jul 4, 2013 Score ATS Results
NEW 89 Cover: 5
LOS « 97 Over: 186
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Dunkel

New York at Seattle
The Liberty head to Seattle tonight to face a Storm team that is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 Thursday games. Seattle is the pick (-4) according to Dunkel, which has the Storm favored by 6. Dunkel Pick: Seattle (-4). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

THURSDAY, JULY 24

Game 601-602: New York at Seattle (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 106.681; Seattle 112.744
Dunkel Line & Total: Seattle by 6; 148
Vegas Line & Total: Seattle by 4; 142 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (-4); Over

Game 603-604: Phoenix at Los Angeles (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 120.564; Los Angeles 114.973
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 5 1/2; 160
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 3; 164 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-3); Under





WNBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, July 24

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NEW YORK (9 - 13) at SEATTLE (9 - 16) - 7/24/2014, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SEATTLE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 69-47 ATS (+17.3 Units) in road games against Western conference opponents since 1997.
NEW YORK is 69-47 ATS (+17.3 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1997.

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

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PHOENIX (19 - 3) at LOS ANGELES (10 - 13) - 7/24/2014, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 16-30 ATS (-17.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) as a favorite this season.
PHOENIX is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in July games this season.
PHOENIX is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in May, June, or July games this season.
PHOENIX is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
PHOENIX is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1997.
PHOENIX is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) after scoring 75 points or more this season.
PHOENIX is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
PHOENIX is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15+ games after 15+ games this season.
PHOENIX is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 43-26 ATS (+14.4 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 24-36 ATS (-15.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 this season.
LOS ANGELES is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 7-7 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 8-6 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
8 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Thursday, July 24

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Trend Report
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10:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. SEATTLE
New York is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
New York is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Seattle's last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Seattle's last 7 games at home

10:30 PM
PHOENIX vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 6 games when playing Los Angeles
Phoenix is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
Los Angeles is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Phoenix

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Liberty (9-13) at Storm (9-16)

Date: July 24, 2014 10:00 PM EDT


Now that the New York Liberty's lengthy road skid is in the past, they can focus on remaining in playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

The visiting Liberty look to record a fourth consecutive victory over the Seattle Storm, who will try to avoid a season-high fourth straight defeat overall Thursday night.

Tina Charles scored 31 points and pulled down 15 rebounds to help New York (9-13) snap an eight-game road slide Wednesday with a 66-64 victory over a Los Angeles team minus injured star Candace Parker. In their return from the All-Star break, the Liberty notched their first road victory since winning 75-54 at Connecticut on May 16 to open the season.

"Sometimes we have seasons like that," Charles said. "It's not going to be pretty. It's not how you start. It's how you finish. It's the second half of the season and we got the first one. It feels great."

Charles hit a jumper to give the Liberty a 66-62 lead with 1:08 to play, then blocked Jantel Lavender's shot on the Sparks' next possession and New York held on from there. The Liberty have won two in a row to move one-half game ahead of the Sun for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East.

"Before the game, (coach Bill Laimbeer) said we need to take the rest of the season as if every game's a playoff game," said Charles, averaging 23.0 points and 12.7 rebounds in the last three games. "I took that to heart.

"Right now, we're in a good stand."

Charles had 15 points and 14 rebounds in the Liberty's 70-64 win over Seattle (9-16) on May 27.

The Storm are two games behind Los Angeles for the final playoff spot in the West, having dropped three straight by a combined 58 points. Seattle allowed Minnesota, Connecticut and Phoenix to average 84.0 points and 51.5 percent shooting over that stretch.

The last two blowout losses were both at home, falling 86-63 to Connecticut on July 15 and letting the WNBA-leading Mercury shoot 53.8 percent in an 89-71 defeat Tuesday.

The Storm are averaging a league-low 70.3 points, including 64.7 during the three-game skid.

"We just have to get our minds back in it," forward Alysha Clark told the Storm's official website.

Seattle forward Crystal Langhorne had 22 points and nine rebounds against the Mercury. She finished with 13 points and 15 boards versus New York earlier this season.

Teammate Sue Bird scored 21 in that loss, and the All-Star guard has averaged 14.3 points in her last three home contests.


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WNB HEAD TO HEAD

May 27, 2014 Score ATS Results
SEA 64 Cover: 0
NEW « 70 Under: 134
Tools: Recaps

Jul 9, 2013 Score ATS Results
SEA 57 Under: 123
NEW « 66 Cover: 2.5
Tools: Recaps

Jun 28, 2013 Score ATS Results
NEW « 67 Cover: 9
SEA 62 Under: 129
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mercury (19-3) at Sparks (10-13)

Date: July 24, 2014 10:30 PM EDT


The Phoenix Mercury know better than to pat themselves on the back for a winning streak that ultimately won't mean anything without success in the postseason.

Phoenix hits the road looking to extend its impressive run to 14 and beat the Los Angeles Sparks for the third time this season Thursday night.

The Mercury (19-3) became the first team to clinch a playoff spot with Tuesday's 89-71 victory at Seattle, as Diana Taurasi scored 22 points and Brittney Griner added 17, seven rebounds and five blocks.

'One small goal of our many goals that we have,' Candice Dupree, who had 19 points, said about clinching a playoff spot. 'Ultimately, we want to have the best record in the league and the No. 1 (seed) for the playoffs.'

Phoenix's franchise-record winning streak is the third-longest in WNBA history, five short of Los Angeles' 18-game run in 2001. It appears to be the favorite to add another championship to those won in 2007 and '09, but first-year coach Sandy Brondello isn't looking too far ahead.

'Everyone wants to win a championship. That's what it's about,' Brondello said. 'But we have to keep our feet on the ground. Championships are not won in July. They are won in September this year. It's a long way to go.

'We're a talented team and they're fun to coach because they love playing together."

Taurasi, fifth in the league in scoring at 18.0 points per game, said the Mercury have remained humble despite their success.

'We really don't talk about it,' Taurasi said about the streak. 'We're so focused on every little moment, whatever team we're playing, shootaround, practice, the next game. If it keeps going, great. If not, hopefully we'll start another one.'

Taurasi scored a season-high 32 points - hitting 7 of 10 from 3-point range - in a 94-89 win at Los Angeles on July 6, the Mercury's fourth victory in the last five meetings including last season's Western Conference semifinals.

Candace Parker scored 27 points in that contest for Los Angeles (10-13), but she sat out Wednesday's 66-64 loss to New York with a left knee strain and is considered day to day.

The defeat marked the coaching debut of general manager Penny Toler, who fired Carol Ross on Sunday with the Sparks sitting in fourth place in the West. Nneka Ogwumike scored 23 points and Jantel Lavender added 16.

'I think it's always something to adjust to, but I think everybody took it maturely and kind of kept going,' Ogwumike said of the coaching change. 'You can't stop, because no one else in the league is stopping.

'A lot of changes have been made this year for our team, and we're trying not to let what may seem like a distraction keep us from winning.'

Los Angeles has dropped four straight at Staples Center and is a league-worst 3-8 at home.


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WNB HEAD TO HEAD

Jul 6, 2014 Score ATS Results
PHO « 94 Cover: 3.5
LOS 89 Over: 183
Tools: Recaps

May 18, 2014 Score ATS Results
PHO « 74 Cover: 10.5
LOS 69 Under: 143
Tools: Recaps

Sep 23, 2013 Score ATS Results
PHO « 78 Cover: 8
LOS 77 Under: 155
Tools: Recaps

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

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

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

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

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

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

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday, July 24

Game Score Status Pick Amount


New York - 10:00 PM ET Seattle -4 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Seattle - Over 143 500 DOUBLE PLAY


Phoenix - 10:30 PM ET Los Angeles +5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Los Angeles - Over 164.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY