Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack
Six most popular picks for Week 4 in the Westgate Super Contest:
6) Kansas City +6.5, 575
5) Cincinnati, -3, 595
4) New Orleans, -3, 705
3) NJ Giants, +3, 726
2) LA Chargers, -1.5, 774
1) Denver, -2.5, 963
Season record of top 6 picks: 6-12
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Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Saturday……
13) Oklahoma State 41, Texas Tech 34— OSU’s kicker clanked two really short FG’s off the right upright, but the Cowboys overcame all that and scored a TD with 1:12 left to send the fans home unhappy in Lubbock. Good ballgame, except for Gus Johnson’s occasional screaming on FOX.
12) Florida State 26, Wake Forest 19— Seminoles ran opening kickoff back for a TD, it was called back by a penalty. From that point on, Wake outgained them 367-270 but FSU hit a long pass in the last minute to win game. If you knew nothing about reputations/teams and just watched this game, you could have easily thought that Wake Forest is the better team.
11) Troy 24, LSU 21— Troy State is in Alabama; they play in the Sun Belt; they got a check for $985,000 to come and be a patsy to help LSU get ready for SEC play. Problem is, they won.
Last year, LSU fired Les Miles, who was 62-28 in SEC games while coaching the Tigers. LSU then hired Ed Orgeron, who is 7-24 in SEC games in 4+ years as coach at Ole Miss/LSU. This was administrative malpractice, replacing a really good head coach with a career assistant.
Don’t believe me? Go find the book Meat Market, written by Bruce Feldman; it details one of the recruiting periods during Orgeron’s tenure at Ole Miss. If you read that book and think Orgeron should be an SEC head coach, then we’ll agree to disagree.
10) Upsets of the Day— wasn’t a big day for surprises:
Troy +20.5 won 24-21 at LSU
Maryland +13 won 31-24 at Minnesota
North Texas +8.5 won 43-28 at Southern Mississippi
9) Washington State 30, USC 27— One of season’s best games ended way after midnight Friday night. Three of USC’s five starting offensive linemen are hurt and they don’t have a week off until November, which will make Sam Darnold’s season a lot more difficult.
8) Maryland 31, Minnesota 24— Terrapins win here as a 13-point underdog with their #3 QB playing- their top two QB’s are out for the year.
7) Florida 38, Vanderbilt 24— Two starting QB’s here are both sons of NFL coaches; Florida’s Luke Del Rio is the son of the Raiders’ coach, Vandy’s Kyle Shurmur is the son of the Vikings’ offensive coordinator. Del Rio broke his collarbone here, is out for the year.
6) Georgia 41, Tennessee 0— If you’re an aspiring college football coach and you’d like to coach in the SEC, send your resume to:
Athletic Director
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996
Believe me, you couldn’t do any worse than the guy who has that job now.
5) Stanford 34, Arizona State 24— Bryce Love ran for 301 yards and three TD’s.
4) Utah State 40, BYU 24— This is the worst BYU team I can remember; they need to get into a league, makes your schedule more balanced. Cougars turned ball over seven times in this game; that makes it difficult to win.
Maybe when the Raiders’ dome gets built in Las Vegas and UNLV moves into it, they and BYU can join the Big X or the Pac-12 as a western tandem.
3) Clemson 31, Virginia Tech 17— It is October 1st; Tigers have already won at Louisville and Virginia Tech; they beat Auburn at home. How do you win as much as Clemson has the last few years and remain somewhat under the radar?
2) NFL Network has a pregame show that starts at 7am Sunday; I get that some people are awake on Sunday morning, whether it be for work or church, but do people really get up on Sunday morning and watch TV? At 7am? College games don’t get over until 2am or so on Saturday night— got to sleep sometime.
1) No drama for the last day of baseball season; Colorado-Arizona and Minnesota-New York are the two Wild Card games. There are probably executives at ESPN that don’t even know that there are major league teams in Denver/Phoenix, Lord knows they never show ‘em on TV.
Six most popular picks for Week 4 in the Westgate Super Contest:
6) Kansas City +6.5, 575
5) Cincinnati, -3, 595
4) New Orleans, -3, 705
3) NJ Giants, +3, 726
2) LA Chargers, -1.5, 774
1) Denver, -2.5, 963
Season record of top 6 picks: 6-12
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Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Saturday……
13) Oklahoma State 41, Texas Tech 34— OSU’s kicker clanked two really short FG’s off the right upright, but the Cowboys overcame all that and scored a TD with 1:12 left to send the fans home unhappy in Lubbock. Good ballgame, except for Gus Johnson’s occasional screaming on FOX.
12) Florida State 26, Wake Forest 19— Seminoles ran opening kickoff back for a TD, it was called back by a penalty. From that point on, Wake outgained them 367-270 but FSU hit a long pass in the last minute to win game. If you knew nothing about reputations/teams and just watched this game, you could have easily thought that Wake Forest is the better team.
11) Troy 24, LSU 21— Troy State is in Alabama; they play in the Sun Belt; they got a check for $985,000 to come and be a patsy to help LSU get ready for SEC play. Problem is, they won.
Last year, LSU fired Les Miles, who was 62-28 in SEC games while coaching the Tigers. LSU then hired Ed Orgeron, who is 7-24 in SEC games in 4+ years as coach at Ole Miss/LSU. This was administrative malpractice, replacing a really good head coach with a career assistant.
Don’t believe me? Go find the book Meat Market, written by Bruce Feldman; it details one of the recruiting periods during Orgeron’s tenure at Ole Miss. If you read that book and think Orgeron should be an SEC head coach, then we’ll agree to disagree.
10) Upsets of the Day— wasn’t a big day for surprises:
Troy +20.5 won 24-21 at LSU
Maryland +13 won 31-24 at Minnesota
North Texas +8.5 won 43-28 at Southern Mississippi
9) Washington State 30, USC 27— One of season’s best games ended way after midnight Friday night. Three of USC’s five starting offensive linemen are hurt and they don’t have a week off until November, which will make Sam Darnold’s season a lot more difficult.
8) Maryland 31, Minnesota 24— Terrapins win here as a 13-point underdog with their #3 QB playing- their top two QB’s are out for the year.
7) Florida 38, Vanderbilt 24— Two starting QB’s here are both sons of NFL coaches; Florida’s Luke Del Rio is the son of the Raiders’ coach, Vandy’s Kyle Shurmur is the son of the Vikings’ offensive coordinator. Del Rio broke his collarbone here, is out for the year.
6) Georgia 41, Tennessee 0— If you’re an aspiring college football coach and you’d like to coach in the SEC, send your resume to:
Athletic Director
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996
Believe me, you couldn’t do any worse than the guy who has that job now.
5) Stanford 34, Arizona State 24— Bryce Love ran for 301 yards and three TD’s.
4) Utah State 40, BYU 24— This is the worst BYU team I can remember; they need to get into a league, makes your schedule more balanced. Cougars turned ball over seven times in this game; that makes it difficult to win.
Maybe when the Raiders’ dome gets built in Las Vegas and UNLV moves into it, they and BYU can join the Big X or the Pac-12 as a western tandem.
3) Clemson 31, Virginia Tech 17— It is October 1st; Tigers have already won at Louisville and Virginia Tech; they beat Auburn at home. How do you win as much as Clemson has the last few years and remain somewhat under the radar?
2) NFL Network has a pregame show that starts at 7am Sunday; I get that some people are awake on Sunday morning, whether it be for work or church, but do people really get up on Sunday morning and watch TV? At 7am? College games don’t get over until 2am or so on Saturday night— got to sleep sometime.
1) No drama for the last day of baseball season; Colorado-Arizona and Minnesota-New York are the two Wild Card games. There are probably executives at ESPN that don’t even know that there are major league teams in Denver/Phoenix, Lord knows they never show ‘em on TV.
Cheat Sheet - WNBA Finals
(1) Minnesota vs. (2) Los Angeles
Best-of-Five (2-2-1 Format)
Game 1 – Sunday, Sept. 24
Game 2 – Tuesday, Sept. 26
Game 3 – Friday, Sept. 29
Game 4 – Sunday, Oct. 1
Game 5 – Wednesday, Oct. 4
Series Price – per BookMaker.eu
Minnesota -160
Los Angeles +140
Betting Notes - Minnesota
-- Minnesota swept Washington 3-0 in the semifinals, winning all three games by double digits. The Lynx went 2-1 against the spread in the series.
-- Including the playoffs, the Lynx have won six straight games by 10-plus points and they’ve covered the number in four of those games.
-- The ‘over’ went 2-1 in the semifinals.
-- Minnesota has gone 17-2 SU and 9-10 ATS at the Xcel Energy Center this season while the ‘under’ produced a 10-9 record.
-- The Lynx were 13-5 SU and 11-7 ATS on the road this season.
-- The ‘under’ has gone 6-1 in the last seven away games for Minnesota.
Betting Notes – Los Angeles
-- Los Angeles advanced to the WNBA Finals with a three-game sweep over Phoenix in the semifinals.
-- The Sparks went 2-1 versus the number and only failed to cover Game 3 as they nipped the Mercury 89-87 as 4 ½-point road favorites.
-- Los Angeles will bring a 10-game winning streak into the finals and the club has gone 9-1 ATS during this run while the ‘under’ is 7-3 over this span.
-- The Sparks went 18-1 SU and 14-5 ATS at home this season.
-- Los Angeles went 11-9 SU and 10-8 ATS away from home this season.
-- Similar to Minnesota, the ‘under’ has been a solid wager for L.A. on the road lately with a 5-2 mark in its last seven.
2017 Regular Season Encounters
July 6 – Minnesota 88 (-6.5) vs. Los Angeles 77 (Under 166.5)
August 11 - Los Angeles 70 (+5.5) at Minnesota 64 (Under 161.5)
August 27 – Los Angeles 78 (-2.5) vs. Minnesota 67 (Under 155.5)
2016 WNBA Finals
Game 1 – Los Angeles 78 (+6.5) at Minnesota 76 (Under 161)
Game 2 – Minnesota 79 (-7) vs. Los Angeles 60 (Under 159)
Game 3 – Los Angeles 92 (+1) vs. Minnesota 75 (Over 159.5)
Game 4 – Minnesota 85 (+1) at Los Angeles 79 (Over 160)
Game 5 – Los Angeles 77 (+5.5) at Minnesota 76 (Under 156.5)
WNBA Finals History – 1997-2016
-- The league went to a best-of-five format during the 2005 season. In the 12 series, we’ve seen five sweeps (3-0), four matchups go to a decisive Game 7 and three series end in four games (3-1).
-- The Sparks have won the WNBA Championship three times, including last year’s victory over Minnesota.
-- The previous title for the Sparks came in 20012 when the franchise pulled off the rare repeat.
-- Los Angeles failed to three-peat in 2003 as it was defeated by the now defunct Detroit Shock.
-- Since the 2011 season, Minnesota has won three championships and finished runner-up twice. The victories included two sweeps.
-- The Lynx have alternated titles the last six years and if that trend continues, they’ll be champions this seasons.
(1) Minnesota vs. (2) Los Angeles
Best-of-Five (2-2-1 Format)
Game 1 – Sunday, Sept. 24
Game 2 – Tuesday, Sept. 26
Game 3 – Friday, Sept. 29
Game 4 – Sunday, Oct. 1
Game 5 – Wednesday, Oct. 4
Series Price – per BookMaker.eu
Minnesota -160
Los Angeles +140
Betting Notes - Minnesota
-- Minnesota swept Washington 3-0 in the semifinals, winning all three games by double digits. The Lynx went 2-1 against the spread in the series.
-- Including the playoffs, the Lynx have won six straight games by 10-plus points and they’ve covered the number in four of those games.
-- The ‘over’ went 2-1 in the semifinals.
-- Minnesota has gone 17-2 SU and 9-10 ATS at the Xcel Energy Center this season while the ‘under’ produced a 10-9 record.
-- The Lynx were 13-5 SU and 11-7 ATS on the road this season.
-- The ‘under’ has gone 6-1 in the last seven away games for Minnesota.
Betting Notes – Los Angeles
-- Los Angeles advanced to the WNBA Finals with a three-game sweep over Phoenix in the semifinals.
-- The Sparks went 2-1 versus the number and only failed to cover Game 3 as they nipped the Mercury 89-87 as 4 ½-point road favorites.
-- Los Angeles will bring a 10-game winning streak into the finals and the club has gone 9-1 ATS during this run while the ‘under’ is 7-3 over this span.
-- The Sparks went 18-1 SU and 14-5 ATS at home this season.
-- Los Angeles went 11-9 SU and 10-8 ATS away from home this season.
-- Similar to Minnesota, the ‘under’ has been a solid wager for L.A. on the road lately with a 5-2 mark in its last seven.
2017 Regular Season Encounters
July 6 – Minnesota 88 (-6.5) vs. Los Angeles 77 (Under 166.5)
August 11 - Los Angeles 70 (+5.5) at Minnesota 64 (Under 161.5)
August 27 – Los Angeles 78 (-2.5) vs. Minnesota 67 (Under 155.5)
2016 WNBA Finals
Game 1 – Los Angeles 78 (+6.5) at Minnesota 76 (Under 161)
Game 2 – Minnesota 79 (-7) vs. Los Angeles 60 (Under 159)
Game 3 – Los Angeles 92 (+1) vs. Minnesota 75 (Over 159.5)
Game 4 – Minnesota 85 (+1) at Los Angeles 79 (Over 160)
Game 5 – Los Angeles 77 (+5.5) at Minnesota 76 (Under 156.5)
WNBA Finals History – 1997-2016
-- The league went to a best-of-five format during the 2005 season. In the 12 series, we’ve seen five sweeps (3-0), four matchups go to a decisive Game 7 and three series end in four games (3-1).
-- The Sparks have won the WNBA Championship three times, including last year’s victory over Minnesota.
-- The previous title for the Sparks came in 20012 when the franchise pulled off the rare repeat.
-- Los Angeles failed to three-peat in 2003 as it was defeated by the now defunct Detroit Shock.
-- Since the 2011 season, Minnesota has won three championships and finished runner-up twice. The victories included two sweeps.
-- The Lynx have alternated titles the last six years and if that trend continues, they’ll be champions this seasons.
WNBA
Dunkel
Sunday, October 1
Minnesota @ Los Angeles
Game 669-670
October 1, 2017 @ 8:30 pm
Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
123.574
Los Angeles
120.336
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 3
151
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles
by 3
152
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(+3); Under
WNBA
Long Sheet
Sunday, October 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MINNESOTA (31 - 9) at LOS ANGELES (31 - 9) - 10/1/2017, 8:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 13-8 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 11-10 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
14 of 21 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WNBA
Sunday, October 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8:30 PM
MINNESOTA vs. LOS ANGELES
Minnesota is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 7 games when playing Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Los Angeles is 16-8 SU in its last 24 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Dunkel
Sunday, October 1
Minnesota @ Los Angeles
Game 669-670
October 1, 2017 @ 8:30 pm
Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
123.574
Los Angeles
120.336
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 3
151
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles
by 3
152
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(+3); Under
WNBA
Long Sheet
Sunday, October 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MINNESOTA (31 - 9) at LOS ANGELES (31 - 9) - 10/1/2017, 8:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 13-8 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 11-10 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
14 of 21 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WNBA
Sunday, October 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8:30 PM
MINNESOTA vs. LOS ANGELES
Minnesota is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 7 games when playing Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Los Angeles is 16-8 SU in its last 24 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Lynx force decisive Game 5, top Sparks
October 1, 2017
LOS ANGELES (AP) Sylvia Fowles and the Minnesota Lynx weren't about to let their season end in Los Angeles.
The WNBA MVP helped the Lynx force a decisive fifth game in the WNBA Finals by scoring 22 points and grabbing 14 rebounds as Minnesota beat Los Angeles 80-69 on Sunday night. It's the second consecutive year that these two teams will play a deciding game in Minnesota for the crown.
''Advantage? No, we're back in Game 5. We wanted to make sure we came out and we played well,'' Fowles said.
Minnesota, which is trying for its fourth title in seven years, played extremely well as they dominated inside the paint with baskets and rebounds. Minnesota outrebounded the Sparks 48-28. The Sparks had outrebounded the Lynx in Game 3 and that was a point of emphasis for the team to be more physical inside.
''To compete with Minnesota, you have to stay in the same game with them in the rebounding,'' Sparks coach Brian Agler said. ''Obviously, that was a wide margin. They were more aggressive, no question. They doubled our free throw attempts. I'm not saying that to debate the officiating. The point is they were a lot more aggressive and got themselves to the free-throw line. They gave themselves opportunities and second-chance points on the offensive boards. We didn't play the way we needed to play to have success against them.''
Odyssey Sims led the Sparks with 18 points and Nneka Ogwumike added 17. No Sparks player reached double figures in rebounding.
Candace Parker, who finished with 11 points and eight rebounds, and the Sparks are hoping to become the league's first repeat champion since Los Angeles in 2002.
In order to do that, they'll have to win on Minnesota's home floor again.
Ogwumike doesn't enjoy that storyline, even though it finished with a storybook ending for the Sparks last season.
''No disrespect to that question, but I'm really tired of that question,'' Ogwumike said. ''This year is this year. No disrespect at all. It's just like the 100th time I've heard it. This year is a different year, and I know it's the same and I know that's what everyone here wants to talk about it, but it's a different year.''
Facing an end to their season, the Lynx were aggressive from the start, grabbing a lot of loose balls and dominating the glass. They trailed 10-8 before scoring 11 straight points in the first quarter.
The Lynx, who never led in Game 3, built as much as a 19-point lead in the third quarter. The Sparks rallied, but could never get closer than eight points late in the fourth quarter.
''I just love the way we competed for 40 minutes,'' said Moore. ''Everybody was really locked in and trying to be the aggressor the whole time. We didn't play a perfect game, but did enough to beat a really good Sparks team on the road.''
In the first quarter, Lynx point guard Lindsey Whalen used her arm in a chopping motion to foul Sims in transition. Whalen was called for a common foul but it was reviewed and upgraded to a Flagrant 1. Sims stayed down on the floor but was fine and would stay in the game. Still, that physical play seemed to set the tone for the Lynx, who were a different team than in a 75-64 loss two days earlier.
''That was the beginning of the game,'' Sims said. ''It's over now. Our mindset is focused on getting better and concentrating on Game 5.''
Sims declined not to talk about that play, but it was clear it energized the Lynx.
''Each team has the mindset that you don't want to give your opponent anything easy,'' Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. ''It's kind of interesting, Magic (Johnson) is sitting there and I suspect he was thinking of when that was just a foul. Not review, flagrant, just a foul. It was a playoff foul. We have this new term of unnecessary. Well that's kind of subjective. We thought it was necessary that she not get the layup off.
''With the new rules and the world we live in, it was deemed unnecessary.''
PARTY OF FIVE
The Lynx didn't have a good performance overall from their starters in Game 3 and two of them - Whalen and Seimone Augustus - didn't score. On Sunday, four of the five starters scored in double figures. Moore, Rebekkah Brunson, Fowles and Augustus combined for 65 points and 43 rebounds. Whalen scored four points, but added eight assists.
FREE THROW DISPARITY
The Lynx made 19 of 30 free throws while the Sparks shot just 16 and made 12.
RAINING ON THE 3-POINT PARADE
The Sparks missed 17 of 22 3-point attempts. Four of the five starters missed all of their 3-pointers. Alana Beard, Ogwumike, Parker and Chelsea Gray were a combined 0-for-12.
Flying the friendly skies?
The Sparks and Lynx are on the same flight from Los Angeles to Minnesota on Monday.
TIP-INS
Actor Anthony Anderson, actress Vivica A. Fox, former WNBA player Tina Thompson and Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti were at the game. ... The Sparks went into their locker room during the national anthem in silent protest for the fourth consecutive game.
October 1, 2017
LOS ANGELES (AP) Sylvia Fowles and the Minnesota Lynx weren't about to let their season end in Los Angeles.
The WNBA MVP helped the Lynx force a decisive fifth game in the WNBA Finals by scoring 22 points and grabbing 14 rebounds as Minnesota beat Los Angeles 80-69 on Sunday night. It's the second consecutive year that these two teams will play a deciding game in Minnesota for the crown.
''Advantage? No, we're back in Game 5. We wanted to make sure we came out and we played well,'' Fowles said.
Minnesota, which is trying for its fourth title in seven years, played extremely well as they dominated inside the paint with baskets and rebounds. Minnesota outrebounded the Sparks 48-28. The Sparks had outrebounded the Lynx in Game 3 and that was a point of emphasis for the team to be more physical inside.
''To compete with Minnesota, you have to stay in the same game with them in the rebounding,'' Sparks coach Brian Agler said. ''Obviously, that was a wide margin. They were more aggressive, no question. They doubled our free throw attempts. I'm not saying that to debate the officiating. The point is they were a lot more aggressive and got themselves to the free-throw line. They gave themselves opportunities and second-chance points on the offensive boards. We didn't play the way we needed to play to have success against them.''
Odyssey Sims led the Sparks with 18 points and Nneka Ogwumike added 17. No Sparks player reached double figures in rebounding.
Candace Parker, who finished with 11 points and eight rebounds, and the Sparks are hoping to become the league's first repeat champion since Los Angeles in 2002.
In order to do that, they'll have to win on Minnesota's home floor again.
Ogwumike doesn't enjoy that storyline, even though it finished with a storybook ending for the Sparks last season.
''No disrespect to that question, but I'm really tired of that question,'' Ogwumike said. ''This year is this year. No disrespect at all. It's just like the 100th time I've heard it. This year is a different year, and I know it's the same and I know that's what everyone here wants to talk about it, but it's a different year.''
Facing an end to their season, the Lynx were aggressive from the start, grabbing a lot of loose balls and dominating the glass. They trailed 10-8 before scoring 11 straight points in the first quarter.
The Lynx, who never led in Game 3, built as much as a 19-point lead in the third quarter. The Sparks rallied, but could never get closer than eight points late in the fourth quarter.
''I just love the way we competed for 40 minutes,'' said Moore. ''Everybody was really locked in and trying to be the aggressor the whole time. We didn't play a perfect game, but did enough to beat a really good Sparks team on the road.''
In the first quarter, Lynx point guard Lindsey Whalen used her arm in a chopping motion to foul Sims in transition. Whalen was called for a common foul but it was reviewed and upgraded to a Flagrant 1. Sims stayed down on the floor but was fine and would stay in the game. Still, that physical play seemed to set the tone for the Lynx, who were a different team than in a 75-64 loss two days earlier.
''That was the beginning of the game,'' Sims said. ''It's over now. Our mindset is focused on getting better and concentrating on Game 5.''
Sims declined not to talk about that play, but it was clear it energized the Lynx.
''Each team has the mindset that you don't want to give your opponent anything easy,'' Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. ''It's kind of interesting, Magic (Johnson) is sitting there and I suspect he was thinking of when that was just a foul. Not review, flagrant, just a foul. It was a playoff foul. We have this new term of unnecessary. Well that's kind of subjective. We thought it was necessary that she not get the layup off.
''With the new rules and the world we live in, it was deemed unnecessary.''
PARTY OF FIVE
The Lynx didn't have a good performance overall from their starters in Game 3 and two of them - Whalen and Seimone Augustus - didn't score. On Sunday, four of the five starters scored in double figures. Moore, Rebekkah Brunson, Fowles and Augustus combined for 65 points and 43 rebounds. Whalen scored four points, but added eight assists.
FREE THROW DISPARITY
The Lynx made 19 of 30 free throws while the Sparks shot just 16 and made 12.
RAINING ON THE 3-POINT PARADE
The Sparks missed 17 of 22 3-point attempts. Four of the five starters missed all of their 3-pointers. Alana Beard, Ogwumike, Parker and Chelsea Gray were a combined 0-for-12.
Flying the friendly skies?
The Sparks and Lynx are on the same flight from Los Angeles to Minnesota on Monday.
TIP-INS
Actor Anthony Anderson, actress Vivica A. Fox, former WNBA player Tina Thompson and Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti were at the game. ... The Sparks went into their locker room during the national anthem in silent protest for the fourth consecutive game.
Preview: Sparks (26-8) at Lynx (27-7)
Date: October 04, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
MINNEAPOLIS -- After months of games -- hundreds of them -- and thousands of points scored, it all comes down to this.
Again.
The Minnesota Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks will end the 2017 season on Wednesday night in the same way and in the same city as they did in 2016, with one of them holding a trophy. After last year's high drama, when the Sparks came to Minneapolis and won the WNBA title on a last-second shot in Game 5, it seemed almost inevitable that the four previous contests would lead us to this moment.
After Tuesday's practices at Williams Arena, on the University of Minnesota campus, it was noted that in their last dozen regular season meetings, the Lynx and Sparks are tied in points, 908 to 908. It's a trend that surely won't continue in the season finale.
"I don't think this is going to end in a draw," joked Sparks coach Brian Agler on Tuesday. "That number is very interesting, but we don't give it much thought because it's one of those deals. These are both very good teams, they compete hard against each other, and ... to this point it's been back and forth. Both teams have had their share of success."
Indeed, both teams have gone 1-1 on the other's court to get us to this point. It appeared the Sparks would have their way in the series after taking a 26-point lead in the opening quarter of Game 1. After beating Minnesota by double digits in Game 3, Los Angeles missed a chance to clinch at home when the Lynx dominated Game 4 start to finish, sending the series back to Minnesota. If the home team is feeling the pressure, with a deafening sellout crowd expected on hand, the Lynx aren't showing it.
"I'm actually relaxed. I think I was more jittery before Game 4 because I knew what was at stake, but I'm more relaxed this time around," Minnesota forward and reigning league MVP Sylvia Fowles said. "I'm comfortable with what the coach is putting us in and what we have to get done. I'm very confident that we can actually go out there and do it."
Although the Lynx coach admitted that when teams are this familiar with one another, there's less coaching that goes into a winner-take-all meeting.
"We told them Game 5 is time for the players. Coaches get out of the way. This is about players making plays. Recognizing your opportunities. Recognizing those moments that you can take advantage of your defender," Cheryl Reeve said. "At this point the plays are what they are, it's about what you can do out of those plays. It's the little things you're willing to do within a play, to keep playing and obviously the hustle plays on the glass. That's what it's about."
Wednesday's winner will become just the second franchise in WNBA history to win the title four times. The Sparks were previously league champs in 2001, 2002 and 2016 while Minnesota captured titles in 2011, 2013 and 2015.
Date: October 04, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
MINNEAPOLIS -- After months of games -- hundreds of them -- and thousands of points scored, it all comes down to this.
Again.
The Minnesota Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks will end the 2017 season on Wednesday night in the same way and in the same city as they did in 2016, with one of them holding a trophy. After last year's high drama, when the Sparks came to Minneapolis and won the WNBA title on a last-second shot in Game 5, it seemed almost inevitable that the four previous contests would lead us to this moment.
After Tuesday's practices at Williams Arena, on the University of Minnesota campus, it was noted that in their last dozen regular season meetings, the Lynx and Sparks are tied in points, 908 to 908. It's a trend that surely won't continue in the season finale.
"I don't think this is going to end in a draw," joked Sparks coach Brian Agler on Tuesday. "That number is very interesting, but we don't give it much thought because it's one of those deals. These are both very good teams, they compete hard against each other, and ... to this point it's been back and forth. Both teams have had their share of success."
Indeed, both teams have gone 1-1 on the other's court to get us to this point. It appeared the Sparks would have their way in the series after taking a 26-point lead in the opening quarter of Game 1. After beating Minnesota by double digits in Game 3, Los Angeles missed a chance to clinch at home when the Lynx dominated Game 4 start to finish, sending the series back to Minnesota. If the home team is feeling the pressure, with a deafening sellout crowd expected on hand, the Lynx aren't showing it.
"I'm actually relaxed. I think I was more jittery before Game 4 because I knew what was at stake, but I'm more relaxed this time around," Minnesota forward and reigning league MVP Sylvia Fowles said. "I'm comfortable with what the coach is putting us in and what we have to get done. I'm very confident that we can actually go out there and do it."
Although the Lynx coach admitted that when teams are this familiar with one another, there's less coaching that goes into a winner-take-all meeting.
"We told them Game 5 is time for the players. Coaches get out of the way. This is about players making plays. Recognizing your opportunities. Recognizing those moments that you can take advantage of your defender," Cheryl Reeve said. "At this point the plays are what they are, it's about what you can do out of those plays. It's the little things you're willing to do within a play, to keep playing and obviously the hustle plays on the glass. That's what it's about."
Wednesday's winner will become just the second franchise in WNBA history to win the title four times. The Sparks were previously league champs in 2001, 2002 and 2016 while Minnesota captured titles in 2011, 2013 and 2015.
Cheat Sheet - WNBA Finals
(1) Minnesota vs. (2) Los Angeles
Best-of-Five (2-2-1 Format)
Game 1 – Sunday, Sept. 24
Game 2 – Tuesday, Sept. 26
Game 3 – Friday, Sept. 29
Game 4 – Sunday, Oct. 1
Game 5 – Wednesday, Oct. 4
Series Price – per BookMaker.eu
Minnesota -160
Los Angeles +140
Betting Notes - Minnesota
-- Minnesota swept Washington 3-0 in the semifinals, winning all three games by double digits. The Lynx went 2-1 against the spread in the series.
-- Including the playoffs, the Lynx have won six straight games by 10-plus points and they’ve covered the number in four of those games.
-- The ‘over’ went 2-1 in the semifinals.
-- Minnesota has gone 17-2 SU and 9-10 ATS at the Xcel Energy Center this season while the ‘under’ produced a 10-9 record.
-- The Lynx were 13-5 SU and 11-7 ATS on the road this season.
-- The ‘under’ has gone 6-1 in the last seven away games for Minnesota.
Betting Notes – Los Angeles
-- Los Angeles advanced to the WNBA Finals with a three-game sweep over Phoenix in the semifinals.
-- The Sparks went 2-1 versus the number and only failed to cover Game 3 as they nipped the Mercury 89-87 as 4 ½-point road favorites.
-- Los Angeles will bring a 10-game winning streak into the finals and the club has gone 9-1 ATS during this run while the ‘under’ is 7-3 over this span.
-- The Sparks went 18-1 SU and 14-5 ATS at home this season.
-- Los Angeles went 11-9 SU and 10-8 ATS away from home this season.
-- Similar to Minnesota, the ‘under’ has been a solid wager for L.A. on the road lately with a 5-2 mark in its last seven.
2017 Regular Season Encounters
July 6 – Minnesota 88 (-6.5) vs. Los Angeles 77 (Under 166.5)
August 11 - Los Angeles 70 (+5.5) at Minnesota 64 (Under 161.5)
August 27 – Los Angeles 78 (-2.5) vs. Minnesota 67 (Under 155.5)
2016 WNBA Finals
Game 1 – Los Angeles 78 (+6.5) at Minnesota 76 (Under 161)
Game 2 – Minnesota 79 (-7) vs. Los Angeles 60 (Under 159)
Game 3 – Los Angeles 92 (+1) vs. Minnesota 75 (Over 159.5)
Game 4 – Minnesota 85 (+1) at Los Angeles 79 (Over 160)
Game 5 – Los Angeles 77 (+5.5) at Minnesota 76 (Under 156.5)
WNBA Finals History – 1997-2016
-- The league went to a best-of-five format during the 2005 season. In the 12 series, we’ve seen five sweeps (3-0), four matchups go to a decisive Game 7 and three series end in four games (3-1).
-- The Sparks have won the WNBA Championship three times, including last year’s victory over Minnesota.
-- The previous title for the Sparks came in 20012 when the franchise pulled off the rare repeat.
-- Los Angeles failed to three-peat in 2003 as it was defeated by the now defunct Detroit Shock.
-- Since the 2011 season, Minnesota has won three championships and finished runner-up twice. The victories included two sweeps.
-- The Lynx have alternated titles the last six years and if that trend continues, they’ll be champions this seasons.
(1) Minnesota vs. (2) Los Angeles
Best-of-Five (2-2-1 Format)
Game 1 – Sunday, Sept. 24
Game 2 – Tuesday, Sept. 26
Game 3 – Friday, Sept. 29
Game 4 – Sunday, Oct. 1
Game 5 – Wednesday, Oct. 4
Series Price – per BookMaker.eu
Minnesota -160
Los Angeles +140
Betting Notes - Minnesota
-- Minnesota swept Washington 3-0 in the semifinals, winning all three games by double digits. The Lynx went 2-1 against the spread in the series.
-- Including the playoffs, the Lynx have won six straight games by 10-plus points and they’ve covered the number in four of those games.
-- The ‘over’ went 2-1 in the semifinals.
-- Minnesota has gone 17-2 SU and 9-10 ATS at the Xcel Energy Center this season while the ‘under’ produced a 10-9 record.
-- The Lynx were 13-5 SU and 11-7 ATS on the road this season.
-- The ‘under’ has gone 6-1 in the last seven away games for Minnesota.
Betting Notes – Los Angeles
-- Los Angeles advanced to the WNBA Finals with a three-game sweep over Phoenix in the semifinals.
-- The Sparks went 2-1 versus the number and only failed to cover Game 3 as they nipped the Mercury 89-87 as 4 ½-point road favorites.
-- Los Angeles will bring a 10-game winning streak into the finals and the club has gone 9-1 ATS during this run while the ‘under’ is 7-3 over this span.
-- The Sparks went 18-1 SU and 14-5 ATS at home this season.
-- Los Angeles went 11-9 SU and 10-8 ATS away from home this season.
-- Similar to Minnesota, the ‘under’ has been a solid wager for L.A. on the road lately with a 5-2 mark in its last seven.
2017 Regular Season Encounters
July 6 – Minnesota 88 (-6.5) vs. Los Angeles 77 (Under 166.5)
August 11 - Los Angeles 70 (+5.5) at Minnesota 64 (Under 161.5)
August 27 – Los Angeles 78 (-2.5) vs. Minnesota 67 (Under 155.5)
2016 WNBA Finals
Game 1 – Los Angeles 78 (+6.5) at Minnesota 76 (Under 161)
Game 2 – Minnesota 79 (-7) vs. Los Angeles 60 (Under 159)
Game 3 – Los Angeles 92 (+1) vs. Minnesota 75 (Over 159.5)
Game 4 – Minnesota 85 (+1) at Los Angeles 79 (Over 160)
Game 5 – Los Angeles 77 (+5.5) at Minnesota 76 (Under 156.5)
WNBA Finals History – 1997-2016
-- The league went to a best-of-five format during the 2005 season. In the 12 series, we’ve seen five sweeps (3-0), four matchups go to a decisive Game 7 and three series end in four games (3-1).
-- The Sparks have won the WNBA Championship three times, including last year’s victory over Minnesota.
-- The previous title for the Sparks came in 20012 when the franchise pulled off the rare repeat.
-- Los Angeles failed to three-peat in 2003 as it was defeated by the now defunct Detroit Shock.
-- Since the 2011 season, Minnesota has won three championships and finished runner-up twice. The victories included two sweeps.
-- The Lynx have alternated titles the last six years and if that trend continues, they’ll be champions this seasons.
WNBA
Dunkel
Wednesday, October 4
Los Angeles @ Minnesota
Game 671-672
October 4, 2017 @ 8:00 pm
Dunkel Rating:
Los Angeles
119.042
Minnesota
124.867
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 6
155
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
by 4 1/2
152
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(-4 1/2); Over
WNBA
Long Sheet
Wednesday, October 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOS ANGELES (31 - 10) at MINNESOTA (32 - 9) - 10/4/2017, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 13-9 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 12-10 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
15 of 22 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WNBA
Wednesday, October 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Los Angeles's last 7 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Los Angeles is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Minnesota's last 8 games at home
Minnesota is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
Dunkel
Wednesday, October 4
Los Angeles @ Minnesota
Game 671-672
October 4, 2017 @ 8:00 pm
Dunkel Rating:
Los Angeles
119.042
Minnesota
124.867
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 6
155
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
by 4 1/2
152
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(-4 1/2); Over
WNBA
Long Sheet
Wednesday, October 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOS ANGELES (31 - 10) at MINNESOTA (32 - 9) - 10/4/2017, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 13-9 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 12-10 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
15 of 22 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WNBA
Wednesday, October 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Los Angeles's last 7 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Los Angeles is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Minnesota's last 8 games at home
Minnesota is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
