Cnotes August WNBA Best Bets + Pod's

[CNOTES]

Preview: Sparks (15-7) at Liberty (9-12)

Date: August 10, 2013 1:00 PM EDT


Key performances from reserve players helped both the Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty to wins in their previous games.

Los Angeles hopes Jantel Lavender can complement Candace Parker as another viable inside option, while more consistency from Alex Montgomery could help New York chase down its fourth straight playoff berth.

The Sparks travel to New York on Saturday, wrapping up a season-long five-game trip.

After starting the season 0-4 on the road, Los Angeles (15-7) has won six of seven away from home and three in a row. The first two of those victories came without Candace Parker as Lavender combined for 27 points.

With Parker back Thursday at Indiana, Lavender returned to the bench, but provided a season-high 18 points along with nine rebounds in a 74-64 win.

"I just wanted to come in like I started the game," said Lavender, who averaged 5.4 points prior to the last three contests. "Candace is a great player. I just did the little things, rebounded and set screens."

Parker had 17 points and six rebounds in her first contest since claiming MVP honors in the All-Star Game on July 27. She and Lavender were a combined 16 of 28 from the field as Los Angeles tallied 50 points in the paint.

"Lindsey (Harding) did a great job of getting us in sets where she knew we could score," Lavender said. "It just came down to us really executing and making sure we got to the end of the play, and we did that a lot."

While Los Angeles holds second place in the Western Conference by a healthy margin, New York (9-12) is virtually tied with Washington for the East's fourth and final playoff spot after a 93-88 home win over the Mystics on Tuesday.

"I think we can turn things around," said Cappie Pondexter, who finished with 21 points and eight assists. "Instead of taking our anger out on each other, we made big plays down the stretch. When we have that kind of mentality, we can play with anyone."

Alex Montgomery scored a career-high 21 points off the bench, including 13 in the second quarter. The 10th overall pick in the 2011 draft had never scored more than 13 in a game.

Second-leading scorer Essence Carson (14.3 ppg) is sidelined for the season with a torn ACL, so more outbursts from Montgomery could be crucial to help lessen the pressure on Pondexter, who averages 18.2 points.

"She can be a good scoring threat for us," Pondexter said. "It's what we need if we're going to make a playoff push."

Los Angeles won the first meeting 97-89 on July 4 despite 34 points, six assists and five steals from Pondexter. The Liberty allowed the Sparks to shoot 64.5 percent and surrendered their most points since a 102-70 loss at Minnesota on June 21, 2012.

Kristi Toliver led the Sparks with 29 points, and is averaging 24.0 points over her last three contests versus New York.

A Liberty win would mark the third straight season series split.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Dream (11-6) at Fever (10-11)

Date: August 10, 2013 7:00 PM EDT


After a superb start to the year, the Atlanta Dream have struggled mightily over the last month.

Getting back on track could prove difficult with another road game in store.

Atlanta tries to avoid a sixth consecutive road loss Saturday night when it faces the Indiana Fever.

While the Dream (11-6) looked like a force to be reckoned with after opening a franchise-best 10-1, things haven't gone their way of late. Atlanta has averaged 70.5 points - 10.2 less than its first 11 contests - during a 1-5 stretch, with each of those losses coming on the road.

The Dream saw their woes continue last Saturday in an 82-76 loss at Phoenix. MVP candidate Angel McCoughtry had 33 points and eight assists but also committed a season high-tying seven turnovers for the second straight game. McCoughtry is averaging a WNBA-worst 4.3 turnovers per game.

Atlanta held an 18-6 edge in transition and outscored the Mercury 48-36 in the paint, but it shot 39.4 percent - including 2 for 17 from 3-point range. The Dream took a three-point lead into halftime before getting outscored 18-9 in the third quarter.

"I just thought we just kind of went a little cold in the third," coach Fred Williams said. "(We) got a little stagnant there some. We were just trying to find our way with a few players to get a nice combination in there."

While Atlanta dropped two of three to the Fever (10-11) in last season's Eastern Conference semifinals, it has controlled the series so far this year. After spoiling Indiana's home opener with an 86-77 victory May 31, the Dream cruised to a 76-60 win June 25.

McCoughtry averaged 22.5 points in those victories, including a 29-point effort at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

"You don't stop Angel, that's not what you do," Fever coach Lin Dunn said. "What you want to try to do is try to limit her touches, make it hard for her, make somebody else beat you. I think it will be an interesting matchup for us."

The Fever completed a home-and-home sweep of conference-leading Chicago before falling 74-64 to Los Angeles on Thursday. Tamika Catchings had 17 points for Indiana, which trailed 27-13 after the first quarter.

"We've got to learn from this game, we've got to get better," said Dunn, whose team was outscored 50-30 in the paint. "We've got to get our mental and physical and emotional energy back, cause I thought we looked kind of lethargic the whole game.

"When we are not communicating and not reacting at a high level, it's tough for us."

The Fever, holding teams to a WNBA-low 68.1 points per game, allowed the Sparks to shoot 54.5 percent.

"We just got to get back to where we're doing the things defensively that we need to do," Lin said.

Indiana, 5-7 on its own court, hasn't suffered eight home losses since 2001.

The Fever continue to play without injured guard Katie Douglas (back), and Atlanta's Sancho Lyttle is also sidelined with a broken foot. Dream guard Tiffany Hayes (knee) could miss a seventh consecutive game.

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA
Dunkel

Atlanta at Indiana
The Dream look to build on their 18-8 ATS record in their last 26 games versus the Fever. Atlanta is the pick (+3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Fever favored by only 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+3 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10

Game 601-602: Los Angeles at New York (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 117.265; New York 109.537
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 7 1/2; 150
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles by 4 1/2; 154 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-4 1/2); Under

Game 603-604: Atlanta at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 112.402; Indiana 113.747
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 1 1/2; 145
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 3 1/2; 141 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+3 1/2); Over




WNBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, August 10

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LOS ANGELES (15 - 7) at NEW YORK (9 - 12) - 8/10/2013, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) in a road game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 29-48 ATS (-23.8 Units) in road games after a win by 10 points or more since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 72-50 ATS (+17.0 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1997.

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLANTA (11 - 6) at INDIANA (10 - 11) - 8/10/2013, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 63-89 ATS (-34.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 10-7 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 11-6 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




WNBA

Saturday, August 10

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. NEW YORK
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Los Angeles's last 24 games when playing New York
Los Angeles is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
New York is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Los Angeles
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 6 games when playing at home against Los Angeles

7:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. INDIANA
Atlanta is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing Indiana
Indiana is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 5 games

 

[CNOTES]

Saturday, August 10

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Los Angeles - 1:00 PM ET Los Angeles -5 500 POD # 3

New York - Under 152 500 POD # 4

Atlanta - 7:00 PM ET Indiana -4 500 POD # 1

Indiana - Over 142 500 POD # 2

 

[johnnylightning]

Zellous is out tonight for the Fever, cut and paste this to your other sites

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Sun (6-14) at Mystics (10-13)
Date: August 11, 2013 4:00 PM EDT


The Washington Mystics put an end to their slide in impressive fashion with a victory over the league's best team.

Seeking back-to-back wins for the first time in nearly a month, they'll host the struggling Connecticut Sun on Sunday.

Washington (10-13) ended a four-game skid with a 79-75 road win over Minnesota on Thursday. The victory ended the Lynx's 10-game winning streak and firmly placed the Mystics - who squandered a late 14-point lead in a 93-88 loss at New York on Tuesday - back in position for a playoff spot.

"We're desperate for a win and we played with desperation," said coach Mike Thibault, who coached the Sun for 10 years before being fired last November.

"If we can play with that kind of energy and effort at both ends every night we might have a little bit better record."

Matee Ajavon provided the go-ahead layup with 21.3 seconds left, two of her 18 points, while Ivory Latta scored 24 - her most since also tallying 24 on June 8 - on 9-of-11 shooting.

"This was a big game for us," said Latta, averaging a team highs of 14.0 points and 4.3 assists. "I think our season should turn around from this game. We just have to learn from it and continue to play well and together as a team."

Latta scored 17 in a 66-62 win at Connecticut on June 7, snapping a nine-game losing streak in the series.

The Sun (6-14) have the league's worst record and are coming off back-to-back home losses, including a 77-61 defeat to Chicago on Friday. They'll likely need Tina Charles to play more efficiently to improve on a 2-7 road record.

Charles was 2 of 18 for five points against the Sky as Connecticut shot 32.1 percent. The WNBA's reigning MVP is shooting a career-worst 39.6 percent on the season after converting 49.9 percent of her field goals last year. She has shot better than 50 percent only three times in 20 games and not since a July 12 loss to Chicago.

"I've said this before, and they've heard this before, but when we don't knock shots down, we lose our focus defensively," coach Anne Donovan said after her team was 1 for 14 from 3-point range while allowing Chicago to go 7 for 15.

Charles scored a game-high 21 in the first meeting but was just 10 for 25.

Connecticut's average rebounding margin of minus-2.4 is one of the worst in the league, while Washington claimed a 44-24 rebounding advantage against Minnesota - the most rebounds allowed by the Lynx this season.

 

[johnnylightning]

The WNBA was rewarding under bettors at a great clip of 61.2 percent for the first half of the season.

That trend has continued in the second half of the season as the ladies just keep playing under the total.

Through 24 post All-Star break games, the under has gone 15-9 for a percentage of 62.5.

In Saturday's afternoon matchup, the Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty kept it as close as can be. The teams played under the 153 total as they combined for 152 points. The under in that affair made it eight straight games in a row for scorelines staying under.

The Atlanta Dream and Indiana Fever played over the total in their Saturday evening tilt snapping the string of under games in the league.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Shock (7-16) at Mercury (11-11)

Date: August 11, 2013 6:00 PM EDT


The Russ Pennell era got off to a solid start with a much-needed win over the Western Conference's worst team.

The Phoenix Mercury would appear to have a good chance to make it two in a row with a second consecutive home matchup against the Tulsa Shock on Sunday.

One day after sixth-year coach Corey Gaines was fired, Phoenix (11-11) held on for a 70-67 win over Tulsa in Pennell's first game as interim coach. The Mercury, allowing a WNBA-worst 83.9 points per game, outscored the Shock 5-2 in the final two minutes Friday and came through with a big defensive stop on the Shock's final possession.

"I thought it was very appropriate we had to win it on the defensive end with a stop," Pennell said. "We made some careless mistakes that we have to correct, but overall I couldn't be more pleased with the effort and the attitude."

Diana Taurasi scored 23 points and Candice Dupree added 20 and nine rebounds for the Mercury, who had dropped seven of their previous nine.

"Everything has been different for the last two days, walking into the locker room not knowing what to expect, not knowing what to do in practice until he (Pennell) obviously put the structure together," said Taurasi, who leads the West with 21.5 points per game.

"Tonight is the same. Every word we're listening. We don't know what he is going to say, or how he is going to react to things. Little by little we are getting used to it."

The Mercury were without star rookie Brittney Griner, who is dealing with a left ankle injury suffered during Tuesday's 80-65 loss to Seattle. If the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft can't go Sunday, expect Phoenix to again look for Taurasi early and often.

"I'm not the smartest coach in the world, but I do know she (Taurasi) can play and we're trying to get her the ball in clutch moments for sure," Pennell said.

Tulsa (7-16), meanwhile, fell to a WNBA-worst 2-10 on the road with its third defeat in four games overall.

"It's a heartbreaking loss for us," coach Gary Kloppenburg. "Because I felt we played well enough to win. We just needed another couple shots for us to go down, a couple more free throws and it is probably a different result."

Elizabeth Cambage had 19 points and a season-high six blocks for the Shock, who were outrebounded 40-25, including 13-8 on the offensive glass.

"We had a few defensive lapses," said Cambage, whose team is allowing 79.6 points per contest to rank 11th in the league. "Defense wins games. A lack of rebounds killed us."

Tulsa, which fell 108-103 in overtime to Phoenix on June 16 in this season's only previous matchup, has dropped 12 of 14 in the series.

 

[johnnylightning]

going to help you I get better info than your cut and paste jobs, waiting on someone else to post

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Lynx (17-4) at Sky (14-7)

Date: August 11, 2013 6:00 PM EDT


Coming off their first loss in over a month, Maya Moore and the WNBA-leading Minnesota Lynx have a very tough task in store.

In one of this season's biggest showdowns, the Lynx visit Elena Delle Donne and the Chicago Sky in a matchup of first-place teams Sunday.

The Lynx (17-4) had won 10 straight and 18 in a row at home before falling 79-75 to Washington on Thursday. Moore had 24 points while Lindsay Whalen and Seimone Augustus combined for 37, but Minnesota was outrebounded 44-24, including 14-7 on the offensive glass.

With center Janel McCarville sidelined with a concussion, backups Amber Harris and Devereaux Peters combined for zero points and five rebounds in 23 minutes.

"Disappointing to not just lose a game but to get destroyed on the glass, really disappointing," coach Cheryl Reeve said. "We had a player down in the post and we did a very, very poor job of filling the void.

"We've won 10 out of 11 games, we're a great team - but we were not that tonight."

The Lynx could have their hands full again versus Chicago (14-7), which is outrebounding opponents by a WNBA-best 4.9 boards per game. Minnesota, though, is second at plus-4.4.

The Sky suffered a home-and-home sweep at the hands of Indiana before bouncing back Friday with a 77-61 victory at Connecticut. Epiphanny Prince scored 23 points and Delle Donne added 19 and nine rebounds for Chicago, which held a 46-36 edge on the glass.

"Sometimes you're on, sometimes you're off," Sylvia Fowles, averaging a league-high 11.6 rebounds, said of the team's previous two games. "We definitely were hungry after those last two losses, so we tried to come in and be more focused tonight. Just go out there and do what we can do."

Seeking its first playoff appearance in franchise history, Chicago holds a slim lead over Atlanta in the East.

"We want to stay at the top of the conference," Prince said. "And we know that Atlanta is right behind us. We came out. We were focused. We had a game plan and we executed it."

The Sky, who are holding opponents to a WNBA-low 39.4 percent shooting, limited the Sun to 25 of 78 (32.1 percent) from the field.

"This (game) was more about us and what we needed to do, especially on the defensive end of the floor," coach Pokey Chatman said. "It's something that we need to become more consistent with, and I thought we were throughout every quarter. We were really active with our hands and got a lot of deflections."

Delle Donne, the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, leads the Sky with 17.9 points per game. Moore is averaging a team-high 17.2 points for Minnesota.

The Sky and Lynx split last season's two-game series, with each team winning at home. Prince led the way with 26 points in Chicago's 83-70 victory at Allstate Arena on Sept. 11.

Chicago is 8-2 at home this season, and Minnesota is a WNBA-best 7-3 on the road.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Liberty (9-13) at Dream (11-7)

Date: August 11, 2013 6:00 PM EDT


The lone blemish to the Atlanta Dream's stellar start was a loss to the New York Liberty in early June.

They've been mired in a tailspin since the end of that month, though.

Atlanta hopes a return home helps it get back on track as it hosts the up-and-down Liberty on Sunday night.

The Dream (11-7) appeared to be the class of the WNBA after beginning the season 10-1, but they've dropped six of seven since the beginning of July and have fallen 1 1/2 games behind Chicago for the Eastern Conference lead.

Atlanta, though, has been without Sancho Lyttle, who suffered a fractured left foot in a 94-72 loss to Minnesota on July 9 that began the slump. She's expected to miss at least another two weeks after having surgery.

Each of the Dream's defeats have come on the road, including Saturday's 80-66 loss to Indiana. Angel McCoughtry, the league's second-leading scorer, netted a team-high 17 points.

Coach Fred Williams wasn't making excuses but noted his gameplan couldn't be utilized after Indiana All-Star Shavante Zellous was scratched before the game due to a foot injury.

``It changed our plans a little because we worked on penetration,' Williams said. ``Now, you drive and kick, with a shooter outside, it changes plans at the last minute.'

Atlanta, though, is the league's only unbeaten home team at 8-0 and posted a 75-56 win over the Liberty on June 7 as McCoughtry finished with 15 points and 10 assists.

McCoughtry had another 15 points but shot only 4 of 16 from the field two days later in a 76-67 defeat at New York that marked the Dream's only loss until their current slump.

New York (9-13) will need another solid effort to ruin Atlanta's perfect home mark, though it's coming off an 85-67 loss to Los Angeles on Saturday. The Liberty have split their last six games, alternating wins and losses.

Cappie Pondexter scored a game-high 22 points and hit 7 of 15 from the field, but she also committed a team-worst four turnovers.

"We're just too inconsistent right now," Pondexter said. "You never know what team you're going to get.'

That's also a good assessment of how she and New York have played against Atlanta this season. The Liberty finished with 19 turnovers while being routed in the first meeting as Pondexter went 2 for 12 from the field and scored a season-worst six points.

She helped New York bounce back in the second matchup with 17 points and six assists.

The Liberty have won three of the last four versus the Dream.

 

[johnnylightning]

The San Antonio Silver Stars announced today that they have reached a contractual buyout agreement with forward DeLisha Milton-Jones. The 15-year veteran and two-time Olympic gold medalist was placed on waivers.
Milton-Jones, signed by the Silver Stars on March 7, appeared in 15 games for the Stars in 2013, averaging 9.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 27.2 minutes. Previously, she played for the Los Angeles Sparks,
“The Silver Stars family appreciates what DeLisha has brought to the program since her arrival in San Antonio,” said head coach and general manager Dan Hughes. “We wish her much success moving forward.”
In 15 WNBA seasons, the University of Florida product has appeared in 450 games, averaging 11.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 30.1 minutes. She won the Wade Trophy in 1997.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Silver Stars (8-14) at Storm (9-12)

Date: August 11, 2013 9:00 PM EDT


After cruising to their first road win over the Seattle Storm in six years, the San Antonio Silver Stars have a chance to do more damage at KeyArena.

The Silver Stars try to inch closer to the Storm as these Western Conference rivals meet again in Seattle on Sunday night.

Since a 92-88 win July 29, 2007, San Antonio (8-14) had dropped 10 consecutive road matchups in the series before handily beating Seattle 77-56 on Friday. With another victory Sunday, the Silver Stars can move within one-half game of Seattle (9-12) for the fourth and final playoff spot in the West.

"To their (credit), they played like they're in a dogfight and there's playoff implications," Storm guard Tanisha Wright told the team's official website. "That's how they played. We didn't play like that at all. The good thing is we've got a day in between, we play them again on Sunday, and we can try to redeem ourselves."

Slowing down Danielle Robinson could prove key if Seattle hopes to get back on track. The third-year guard, who continues to impress while helping fill in for the injured Becky Hammon, had 14 points and eight assists.

"D-Rob makes it so easy," said Shenise Johnson, who led the Storm with 15 points. "There's no one guarding her because she's always inside the lane and if you can hit that open shot you'll have 15 a game. She's so quick. Did you see her out there? I love having her as a teammate."

Robinson is averaging a league-high 7.0 assists for the Silver Stars, who improved to 3-8 on the road thanks largely to making 30 of 60 shots.

"We haven't done that all year," said coach Dan Hughes, whose team took a 47-29 lead into halftime. "I'd like to spread it out through some of the other games."

The Storm are trying to avoid a fourth home loss in five tries after getting outplayed in almost every facet of the game. Seattle was limited to 38.9 percent shooting, committed 21 turnovers and was outscored 34-24 in the paint.

"We just couldn't get going," said Shekinna Stricklen, who had a game-high 16 points and a career-best three blocks. "They were knocking down shots, and we just couldn't get into a rhythm. We'll go in Saturday, watch film, work on what we need to work on, and fix it."

Stricklen is averaging 17.7 points in her last three games, 7.4 more than her season mark.

Seattle and San Antonio rank as the worst rebounding teams in the league with averages of 30.3 and 31.6, respectively.

While the Silver Stars continue to play without Hammon and Sophia Young, the Storm are without fellow stars Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson.

San Antonio hasn't won back-to-back road games since winning seven straight from June 24-Aug. 19 of last season.

 

[johnnylightning]

We all felt that something was going to happen eventually but the news finally broke Thursday afternoon that the Mercury have decided to make a change at the head coaching spot. Former University of Arizona and Grand Canyon University coach Russ Pennell has been tabbed by Merc brass to run the team for the rest of the season. In addition to Gaines release, assistant coach Earl Cureton was informed of the same. This change was needed but the question still remains: what is to come of the Mercury and the rest of the season?As someone who's been calling for this change a few years now, I can't say that it'll make a huge difference at this point in the season. I am glad that the move was made but there's issues within the group of players that needs to be fixed in order for this team to improve. Even with all the injuries and mishaps so far in Phoenix, the difference between every team and the Mercury are quite obvious: the commitment level to defense, or the lack thereof, in Phoenix is a huge problem.
It's almost universally known to the WNBA faithful that if you want to get away with playing no defense, go to Phoenix. The team's "phantom" defense has seemingly become contagious. Players with a history of being quality defensive players, such as Alexis Hornbuckle and Krystal Thomas, seem to have taken on the concept after a year in the program. Phoenix defenders have made a habit crowding your man and then fouling hard to make up for the lack of effort. The players actually playing defense to get stops, Brittney Griner and Brianna Gilbreath, have had their strengths nullified by the fact that the only way the team has been able to get those stops is by sitting back in a zone that gives players a bit of help once they're inevitably beat.
To be completely honest, I've been a fan of the Mercury since 2004 when Diana Taurasi first donned the jersey and this team is probably the most talented that's ever set foot onto the floor of the US Airways Center. The problem with the defense, IMO, is that they seem to know this. But just taking the floor and being talented doesn't win you games. One can only hope that Pennell takes a page out of Minnesota's book: the league's most consistent team over the last couple years goes out and plays each night with the heart and determination of a team that doesn't have three Olympians and another player that's borderline. They leave everything they have on the floor for each other every night. Combine that with the talent they have and that's what puts them over the top each game.
If anything, this move needs to be a gut check for each and every player on the roster. The obvious difference between Phoenix and every other team in the league comes down to effort. I can't say that I've watched a game this season where a team is essentially allowing the other team to score. Pushing the other way and just trying to outscore the other team worked in 2007 when they had Diana, Cappie Pondexter, and Penny Taylor, arguably three of the top ten players in the world at that time. But this is a different league. There are no longer "scrubs" in the league nor are there any "gimme" games in the WNBA. (Although Phoenix has seemed that way of late.) No disrespect to the players in the league of old, but frankly this is the first real season where you could take a roster of players that aren't in the league and compete each night.
I've heard great things about Pennell and think that he could definitely create a home for himself if he creates an identity for this team. It's something that's been missing all year.
Yes, uptempo was the excuse this team fell back on with Gaines at the helm but this team really hasn't been that. The ball hasn't been pushed as it was back in the glory years of Mercury success. The secondary break is non-existent, which is absurd to me because if we had success running a secondary break with Le'coe Willingham and Tangela Smith being key factors in it, we could have success with Candice Dupree and Brittney Griner.
It's also high time to get Taurasi back on the wing. It's clearly weighing on her to have to be the primary ball handler and top scoring threat. With the roster that's in place now, I don't see this happening so maybe COO and now-General Manager Amber Cox has some strings she can pull but frankly the effort needs to improve or the Mercury may need to clean house this fall from number 4 on down the totem pole.
Is Pennell the answer for the future? That's to be determined

 

[johnnylightning]

JNOTES: San Antonio beat Seattle 77-56 on Friday at KeyArena. Shenise Johnson led San Antonio with 15 points. Stricklen had 16 points and three blocks for Seattle ... The win snapped a 10-game losing streak in Seattle for the Silver Stars ... The season series is split at one game each ... Stricklen is averaging 17.7 points in her past three games ... San Antonio is seeded fifth in Western Conference standings, Seattle is fourth ... The Silver Stars are 4-2 in their past six games ... The Storm is holding its annual “Teddy Bear Toss” on Sunday. Fans can bring teddy bears or purchase them at KeyArena for $7.50 to be donated to Warm 106.9’s Teddy Bear Patrol.

San Antonio	Ht	PPG
F	Danielle Adams	6-1	13.5
F	Shenise Johnson	5-11	10.1
C	Jayne Appel	6-4	5.4
G	Danielle Robinson	5-9	11.4
G	Jia Perkins	5-8	13.2

Seattle	Ht	PPG
F	Shekinna Stricklen	6-2	10.3
F	Tina Thompson	6-2	12.8
C	Camille Little	6-2	11.2
G	Temeka Johnson	5-3	10.1
G	Tanisha Wright	5-11	11.0

J

 

[CNOTES]

Sunday, August 11

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Connecticut - 4:00 PM ET Washington -4.5 500 POD # 5

Washington - Over 149 500 POD # 9

Tulsa - 6:00 PM ET Phoenix -6 500 POD # 2

Phoenix - Over 156 500 POD # 7

Minnesota - 6:00 PM ET Chicago +2 500 POD # 3

Chicago - Under 158.5 500 POD # 6

New York - 6:00 PM ET New York +8 500 POD # 4

Atlanta - Over 149.5 500 POD # 10

San Antonio - 9:00 PM ET San Antonio +5.5 500 POD # 1

Seattle - Under 140 500 POD # 8

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA
Dunkel

Minnesota at Chicago
The Lynx look to build on their 4-1 ATS record in their last 5 road games. Minnesota is the pick (-2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Lynx favored by 5 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-2 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 11

Game 651-652: Connecticut at Washington (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 103.637; Washington 112.341
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 8 1/2; 146
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 4 1/2; 149 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-4 1/2); Under

Game 653-654: New York at Atlanta (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 107.481; Atlanta 111.607
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 4; 153
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 8; 150 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New York (+8); Over

Game 655-656: Tulsa at Phoenix (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tulsa 110.708; Phoenix 111.495
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1; 160
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 5; 156 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tulsa (+5); Over

Game 657-658: Minnesota at Chicago (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 120.164; Chicago 114.900
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 5 1/2; 154
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 2 1/2; 158 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-2 1/2); Under

Game 659-660: San Antonio at Seattle (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 111.000; Seattle 111.492
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 144
Vegas Line & Total: Seattle by 5 1/2; 140 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (+5 1/2); Over




WNBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, August 11

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CONNECTICUT (6 - 14) at WASHINGTON (10 - 13) - 8/11/2013, 4:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 91-59 ATS (+26.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 237-292 ATS (-84.2 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 72-99 ATS (-36.9 Units) in August or September games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 42-67 ATS (-31.7 Units) when playing with 2 days rest since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 146-189 ATS (-61.9 Units) vs. division opponents since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 37-57 ATS (-25.7 Units) off an upset win as an underdog since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 6-4 against the spread versus CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 9-1 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW YORK (9 - 13) at ATLANTA (11 - 7) - 8/11/2013, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 80-54 ATS (+20.6 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1997.
NEW YORK is 51-31 ATS (+16.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 6-5 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 6-5 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TULSA (7 - 16) at PHOENIX (11 - 11) - 8/11/2013, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TULSA is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in road games on Sunday games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 19-36 ATS (-20.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 7-20 ATS (-15.0 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in August or September games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) on Sunday games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 11-25 ATS (-16.5 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 11-23 ATS (-14.3 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 6-19 ATS (-14.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 1-11 ATS (-11.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15+ games after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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MINNESOTA (17 - 4) at CHICAGO (14 - 7) - 8/11/2013, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 61-44 ATS (+12.6 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) as a favorite this season.
MINNESOTA is 53-34 ATS (+15.6 Units) in road games against Eastern conference opponents since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 53-34 ATS (+15.6 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1997.

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

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SAN ANTONIO (8 - 14) at SEATTLE (9 - 12) - 8/11/2013, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) on Sunday games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 96-64 ATS (+25.6 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1997.
SEATTLE is 79-54 ATS (+19.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.
SAN ANTONIO is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) on Sunday games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

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

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WNBA

Sunday, August 11

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Trend Report
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4:00 PM
CONNECTICUT vs. WASHINGTON
Connecticut is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Connecticut's last 5 games when playing Washington
Washington is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games

6:00 PM
TULSA vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tulsa's last 6 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Tulsa is 5-1-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Phoenix's last 10 games when playing Tulsa
Phoenix is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games when playing Tulsa

6:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. CHICAGO
Minnesota is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Chicago
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
Chicago is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chicago's last 8 games

6:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. ATLANTA
New York is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of New York's last 13 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Atlanta's last 13 games when playing at home against New York

9:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. SEATTLE
San Antonio is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Seattle
San Antonio is 6-13 SU in its last 19 games
Seattle is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Seattle's last 6 games when playing at home against San Antonio


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WNBA

Sunday, August 11

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WNBA betting: Under trend continues following All-Star break
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The WNBA was rewarding under bettors at a great clip of 61.2 percent for the first half of the season.

That trend has continued in the second half of the season as the ladies just keep playing under the total.

Through 24 post All-Star break games, the under has gone 15-9 for a percentage of 62.5.

In Saturday's afternoon matchup, the Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty kept it as close as can be. The teams played under the 153 total as they combined for 152 points. The under in that affair made it eight straight games in a row for scorelines staying under.

The Atlanta Dream and Indiana Fever played over the total in their Saturday evening tilt snapping the string of under games in the league.

Sunday features five matchups.

 

[johnnylightning]

JNOTE'S Lynx update: The Lynx, playing without starting center Janel McCarville, had their 10-game winning streak ended at home Thursday by a Washington team that beat them up on the boards (a 44-24 edge). So now, with McCarville still questionable because of a concussion, the Lynx have to play the Sky, the best rebounding team in the WNBA. Maya Moore has scored a total of 50 points in her past two games, shooting 19-for-30. Seimone Augustus is averaging 18.8 points and is shooting 57.7 percent in four August games. Lindsay Whalen has averaged 17.3 points over her past three games, but she is coming off a five-turnover game vs. Washington. Whether McCarville plays or not, the Lynx need more out of backup post players Amber Harris and Devereaux Peters, neither of whom scored Thursday. The loss, coupled with a win by Los Angeles on Saturday, cut the Lynx’s lead in the Western Conference to two games.
Sky update: Chicago ended a two-game losing streak with a victory Friday in Connecticut. The Sky leads the Eastern Conference by one game over Atlanta. The Lynx get their first look at Elena Delle Donne, the clear front-runner for Rookie of the Year. Delle Donne’s size and skill — she can post up, pass or score on the perimeter — has already made her one of the most difficult matchups in the league. She is first among rookies and sixth in the league in scoring (17.9). Being surrounded by top talent has helped. C Sylvia Fowles is averaging 15.5 points and 11.6 rebounds. G Epiphanny Prince is averaging 15.4 points, and F Swin Cash is averaging 9.0 points .

 

[johnnylightning]

JNOTES It could have been worse. Mercury starters DeWanna Bonner and Brittney Griner were evaluated Saturday and both are listed as day-to-day.
Bonner has been diagnosed with a bruised right knee. Griner, the No. 1 overall pick in April's WNBA draft, has a left ankle sprain. Both are likely to miss Friday's Mercury game vs. the Tulsa Shock at U.S. Airways Center.
It was a scary sight for the Mercury (10-11) and their fans on Tuesday night during a loss to the Seattle Storm when Bonner went down at 4:44 of the third quarter in visible pain and clutching her right knee; then about three minutes later, Griner also went down in pain after twisting her left ankle.
Both players got up on their own and limped off the court.
Just about everyone thought the worst when Griner got injured as she had missed six games and been most limited when she did play because of a left knee injury. (She currently plays with a brace on her left knee.)
There was a collective sigh of relief when replays showed she twisted her ankle while stretching for a defensive rebound and didn't injury her knee. X-Rays taken while the fourth quarter was being played came back negative.
Griner will still likely miss some time on the court.
It also looked like Bonner suffered a more serious injury when she fell to the floor after her knee seemed to buckle while trying to grab a loose ball. You could see the agony on her face and her movements. The original diagnosis given after the game was a sprained knee.
The Mercury are already without forward Penny Taylor, who was out for more than a year with a left knee injury and came back to play this season for six games before needing arthroscopic surgery on her right knee.

 

[johnnylightning]

Minnesota Lynx (17-4) at Chicago Sky (14-7), 5 p.m., Allstate Arena

Where to Listen: BOB 106.1 FM

Where to watch: WNBA LiveAccess

For the second time this season, the Lynx will battle the top team in the East. Earlier this season, the Lynx hosted the then Eastern conference leading Atlanta Dream and defeated them.

They will hope for the same results this time around against the Sky, but they will have to do it on the road.

For Minnesota fans, it will be their first look at rookie Elena Delle Donne, who will likely win the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award. Minnesota will be looking to rebound (no pun intended, you’ll get this later on. I hope) after losing to the Washington Mystics at home on Friday. It was a rare home loss for the Lynx and losing two in a row isn’t on coach Cheryl Reeve’s agenda.

The Sky sit one game ahead of the Atlanta Dream (11-6), while the Lynx are two games above the Los Angeles Sparks (16-7) for the Western Conference lead.

Last time out

The Lynx are coming off of their fourth loss of the season on Friday night at the Target Center at the hands of the Washington Mystics (10-13). It was a rare home loss. Going into the game, Minnesota had won 18 consecutive games at home.

In the 79-75 loss, it never seemed like the Lynx got started offensively. They trailed 45-40 at half and stayed in the game, but was never able to take control.

It was the second time this season the Lynx were beaten by Washington.

Lynx small forward Maya Moore had a team-high 24 points, while shooting 9-of-15 from the field. Point guard Lindsay Whalen finished with 19 points and five assists, but had a game-high five turnovers and shot just 8-of-18 from the field. Shooting guard Seimone Augustus finished with 18 points.

The Lynx were outrebounded 44-24, which coach Cheryl Reeve noted in the postgame press conference ultimately was the difference in the game.

Chicago is coming off of a 77-61 road win on Friday against the Connecticut Sun. Guard Epiphanny Prince had a team-high 23 points. Rookie of the Year leader Elena Delle Donne had 19 points is less than 22 minutes of play. She added nine assists and two blocks as well.

Sylvia Fowles, a former teammate of Seimone Augustus at LSU, finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Point guard Courtney Vandersloot added 10 points as well. Chicago remained one of the best rebounding teams in the league, as it outrebounded Connecticut (6-14) 46-to-36.

The Lynx and Sky haven’t matched up yet this season. The squads faced off twice last season and split the series.

Minnesota lost 70-83 on the road against Chicago. The Lynx scored just seven points in the second quarter and trailed 40-29 at half and things didn’t get much better from there. Prince led Chicago with 26 points, while Vandersloot added 17. Carolyn Swords added 10.

The Lynx were without Augustus, who had a sprained right ankle. Moore led the way with 18 opints and seven assists. Rebekkah Brunson finished with 17, while Candice Wiggins (now with Tulsa) finished with 14 points off the bench.

The Lynx were outrebounded in this one as well, 31-21, proving that this one might come down to rebounding as well.

Key matchup: Moore vs. Delle Donne

To be honest, the Lynx will probably throw the rookie forward a few defenders in hope they can get her out of the groove of things. Not many teams have been able to do that.

Moore has been improving defensively, but it’s still a part of her game that needs improvement.

Offensively, Moore has been solid and should be able to keep up with the Delaware rookie. Moore is averaging 17. 2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and is averaging 25 points in her last two games. She ranks eighth in the league in scoring this season.

Delle Donne has taken the league by storm as has been a matchup nightmare for teams. Her ability to play virtually any position on the court isn’t something the league has seen before. She’s averaging 17.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game and is shooting 45 percent from the 3-point line.

At 6’5”, the Lynx could choose to sub in Amber Harris to guard Delle Donne as well, but she is coming off a subpar game against Washington.

Injury report

Lynx center Janel McCarville, who missed Friday’s game against Washington, is questionable with a concussion.

For Chicago, center Carolyn Swords (knee), is out for the season, while guard Sharnee Zoll-Norman (thumb) is expected to miss up to four weeks.