Cnotes 2019 WNBA News - Notes - Picks Thru The Playoffs !

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Young is the No. 1 pick in WNBA draft
April 10, 2019
By The Associated Press



NEW YORK (AP) Jackie Young said it was a dream come true to be taken first in the WNBA draft.


The Notre Dame guard, who decided to enter the draft early and skip her senior season, was selected No. 1 by the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday night.


''Since I was a little girl I always wanted to play in the WNBA and now I have my chance,'' she said.


She's the second Irish player to be drafted first after entering early joining Jewell Loyd, who had the honor in 2015.


It's the third consecutive year the Aces have had the No. 1 pick. They took Kelsey Plum in 2017 when the franchise was still in San Antonio. The Aces then drafted A'ja Wilson last season with the No. 1 pick when the franchise moved to Las Vegas.


Young wasn't thrilled that she didn't have much time to make her decision after the Irish lost the championship game Sunday night to Baylor. She had 24 hours to decide whether she wanted to turn pro or go back to play for the Irish.


''It was definitely a hard process for me,'' Young said. ''I had to sit down, talk to my family, talk to Coach (Muffet) McGraw and make the best decision for me.''


Young was the first of five Notre Dame players to be drafted. Arike Ogunbowale went fifth to Dallas. Brianna Turner went 11th to the Atlanta Dream. She was later traded to the Phoenix Mercury for Marie Gulich. Jessica Shepard was taken 16th by the Minnesota Lynx. Marina Mabrey was the fifth Notre Dame player to go, drafted 19th by the Los Angeles Sparks.


''It's a historic moment for our program,'' Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said. ''We've had a lot of accomplishments, but this one stands alone. It's probably something that will never happen again. Because of the injury to Bri and Jess coming in, it's atypical of having that kind of class. But it's incredible what they accomplished.''


Tennessee is the only school to have that occur with college players, in 2008. Candace Parker was taken first. Alexis Hornbuckle was drafted fourth. Shannon Bobbitt and Nicky Anosike went back-to-back in the second round and Alberta Auguste was taken in the third round.


Asia Durr went second to the New York Liberty. The Louisville guard, who was a two-time AP All-American, was the No. 2 scorer in school history. The Indiana Fever then took Mississippi State center Teaira McCowan at No. 3. Chicago drafted a UConn player for the second consecutive season taking Katie Lou Samuelson fourth reconnecting her with former Huskies teammate Gabby Williams.


Another UConn player went sixth with Napheesa Collier headed to Minnesota. She could provide some help for the Lynx, who will be missing Maya Moore for the season as she sits out to focus more on things other than basketball. The Lynx had a busy draft taking Shepard and Cierra Dillard of Buffalo in the second round. They also traded Natisha Hiedeman, whom they drafted 16th to Connecticut for Lexie Brown. They drafted Kenisha Bell of Minnesota in the third round.


The Los Angeles Sparks took Baylor center Kalani Brown seventh. It's been a whirlwind 72 hours for the 6-foot-7 center as she helped Baylor win a national championship on Sunday.


Australian Alanna Smith, who helped Stanford win the Pac-12 Tournament title was drafted eighth by Phoenix. The Mercury are coached by fellow Aussie Sandy Brondello. Kristine Anigwe went ninth to Connecticut. The Cal center, who led the nation in rebounding, was the national defensive player of the year. Washington took Kiara Leslie with the 10th pick and Ezi Magbegor closed out the opening round by going to defending champion Seattle.


Chinese sensation Han Xu was drafted 14th by the New York Liberty. The 6-foot-9 center became the first Chinese player drafted since 1997. There was some talk that Han wouldn't be able to play this summer as she would have to compete for the Chinese national team. She said that she expected to play for New York this summer.


The WNBA season opens on May 24th with training camps opening up a few weeks earlier.
 

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WNBA MVP Stewart done for 2019
April 17, 2019
By The Associated Press



NEW YORK (AP) Reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart is expected to miss the upcoming season after she ruptured the Achilles tendon in her right ankle.


Stewart injured the leg on Sunday in the EuroLeague Women championship game in Hungary. She flew to Los Angeles where test results confirmed the injury.


The Seattle Storm announced the diagnosis on Wednesday.


''As we all know there are highs and lows throughout a career,'' Stewart posted on her Twitter account. ''This is just another obstacle that I will overcome. I'm thankful that I have so many people in my corner to help me every step of the way. I'm feeling every emotion possible at this point but just know that the bounce back will be real and I'll be back better than ever.''


She will undergo surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at a date to be determined. She is expected to make a full recovery for the start of the 2020 season.


Stewart was playing for Dynamo Kursk, a Russian club, when she appeared to land awkwardly on the foot of fellow WNBA star Brittney Griner after attempting a jumper late in the first half against UMMC Ekaterinburg. She immediately grabbed at her lower right leg while grimacing in obvious pain.


Stewart was attended to by trainers on the court before being helped to the locker room while not putting any weight on her right leg.


''This is a tough time for Stewie and our hearts go out to her,'' Storm CEO and General Manager Alisha Valavanis said. ''The Storm family is behind her and we will support Stewie in every way we can as she begins her journey back to the court.''


The 24-year-old Stewart won four national titles at UConn, and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 WNBA draft. She won both the league and finals MVP awards while leading the Storm to the franchise's third WNBA title this past season.


Stewart has played overseas in the offseason since she joined the WNBA. Her Dynamo Kursk squad fell 91-67 after she left the game.


The WNBA season begins May 24.
 

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CBS signs multiyear deal with WNBA
April 22, 2019
By The Associated Press



NEW YORK (AP) The WNBA is nearly doubling its national TV exposure with a multiyear deal with CBS Sports.


CBS Sports Network will broadcast 40 WNBA games beginning next month when the season opens. The Minnesota Lynx vs. the Chicago Sky on May 25 will be the first game on the CBS Sports Network.


''Through our partnership with CBS Sports Network, the WNBA is joining an elite lineup of premium sports programming,'' said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. ''We thank CBS Sports for making such a meaningful commitment to women's basketball and for providing another platform to showcase the world-class athletes of the WNBA.''


The league, which will begin its 23rd season on May 24, also has a deal with ESPN to show 16 regular-season telecasts, including three on ABC. Last year, the WNBA had a strong regular season with combined average viewership across ESPN2 and NBA TV up 31% over 2018. The CBS deal is the latest in an active offseason for the WNBA with AT&T as a new marquee partner, new uniforms by Nike and a rebranding of the league with a new logo.


All-Star Sue Bird and the defending WNBA champion Seattle Storm will make six appearances on CBS Sports Network this season. That includes a WNBA Finals rematch against former league MVP Elena Delle Donne and the Washington Mystics on June 14.


The TV channel will use local broadcast feeds for now, similar to what NBA TV does for WNBA games. The upcoming NBA TV schedule of WNBA games has not been finalized yet, but nearly 50 games are expected to be broadcast - the same as last year.


''We are truly excited to partner with the WNBA, bringing the country's premier women's sports league to CBS Sports Network. This partnership is one of the biggest and most impactful women's sports programming arrangements ever at CBS Sports, offering national exposure of 40 games per year,'' said CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus. ''This agreement provides great live content throughout the summer in prime time and on weekends, and aligns two great brands in the WNBA and CBS Sports. We look forward to working with the WNBA for many years to come.''


CBS executive vice president of programming Dan Weinberg said the WNBA was exactly what CBS was looking for to bolster its schedule.


''We are looking to partner with established brands that are growing with dedicated fan bases,'' he said in a phone interview. ''The WNBA checks every one of those boxes. (Playing in the) spring-summer lends itself to our programming schedule. We are clearly and obviously talking about the best basketball players in the world at the highest level. Associating ourselves with WNBA, it's a great powerful established brand with popularity across the country.''


The sides are still discussing expanding the coverage to include features and other WNBA programming.


''It's going to be beyond highlights,'' said David Denenberg, who is the Senior Vice President, Global Media Distribution and Business Affairs for NBA Entertainment. ''Whether it's features we develop or CBS develops, we want to do more.''


It's unclear how the WNBA will decide which games will air on ESPN or CBS Sports Network going forward after this year. The league didn't seem too concerned.


''Suffice it to say we have enough games we think we'll put together a robust schedule for everyone,'' Denenberg said. ''We'll announce the CBS schedule, ESPN schedule. I think we're going to well serve all our partners.''
 

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LA Sparks acquire G Alexis Jones from Lynx for Odyssey Sims
April 22, 2019
By The Associated Press



LOS ANGELES (AP) The Los Angeles Sparks have acquired guard Alexis Jones from the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for guard Odyssey Sims.


Jones shot 38% from 3-point range and 86% from the free throw line in a limited role during her rookie season last year. She was drafted 12th overall by the Lynx in 2017 after playing collegiately at Duke and then Baylor.


Sparks general manager Penny Toler cited Jones' experience in winning the 2017 WNBA championship with the Lynx as a benefit of the deal announced Monday.


Sims was acquired before the 2017 season in a trade with the Dallas Wings. She started 24 of 34 games for the Sparks last year, averaging 8.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists.


The Sparks open the season May 26 at Las Vegas.




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Mercury star Taurasi likely out 12 weeks after back surgery
April 25, 2019
By The Associated Press



PHOENIX (AP) Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi has undergone back surgery to alleviate symptoms from a disk protrusion and will miss the start of the season.


The team said in a statement Thursday that Taurasi had the procedure on Wednesday. Taurasi had been experiencing pain and muscle weakness during offseason workouts, leading to the surgery.


She is expected to return in 10 to 12 weeks. Phoenix opens the season May 25 against Seattle.


The 36-year-old Taurasi has played 14 WNBA seasons, all with the Mercury, and sat out in 2015 to rest. The league's all-time leading scorer is a three-time WNBA champion, nine-time All Star and was the 2009 MVP.




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Ogwumike traded, reunited with sister
April 27, 2019
By The Associated Press



NEW YORK (AP) The Ogwumike sisters are back together.


The Connecticut Sun traded Chiney Ogwumike to Los Angeles for the Sparks' 2020 first-round pick on Saturday. The move reunites Ogwumike with her sister, Nneka, who plays for the Sparks. The two played together in college at Stanford.


''I am absolutely thrilled to be playing with my sister,'' Chiney Ogwumike told the AP in a phone interview. ''Basketball has always been a family thing for me.''


Chiney Ogwumike was the No. 1 pick by the Sun in 2014 and she has been one of the most popular players in the franchise's history. She's had to miss two seasons because of injuries. She missed the 2015 WNBA season with a knee injury and sat out 2017 because of an Achilles tendon injury. Both were suffered while she played overseas.


''I absolutely loved and appreciated my time in Connecticut,'' Chiney Ogwumike said. ''I love the organization and they were my family away from home. They believed in me in my darkest days after I got hurt twice. Connecticut will always be home.''


Last season, Ogwumike was an All-Star and averaged 14.4 points and 7.3 rebounds. She shot 60.3% from the field, the third-highest mark in the league.


''Chiney Ogwumike is one of the most athletic, versatile and efficient front-court players in the WNBA,'' Sparks general manager Penny Toler said. ''Chiney provides us additional inside scoring, rebounding and rim protection. She will be a great addition to our roster.''


The Ogwumikes become the second pair of sisters in the WNBA to play for the same team, according to the league. The Millers, Coco and Kelly, played for Atlanta in 2010.


''It's been a long time coming, but I'm glad we can pick up where we left off,'' Nneka Ogwumike told the AP in a text. ''Playing with my sis was always a dream, so I'm excited to pursue another championship dream with her on the court, by my side.''


While injured, Ogwumike started working for ESPN and last year became a full-time basketball analyst for the network. At 27, she is one of the youngest analysts at ESPN and one of the few women in that role. ESPN has studios in Los Angeles.


The Sun had a 21-13 record in 2017 when Ogwumike was hurt and the same mark this past year when she was healthy.


Trading Ogwumike helps Connecticut clear up some salary cap space.


''It gives us some flexibility on the cap on a year when we'll have a boatload of players come off contract,'' Sun general manager and coach Curt Miller said. ''It also gives us an asset we can turn around this year or we can play out how the season goes and how LA does and see who is coming into the draft.''


Miller was sad to see Ogwumike go.


''I truly enjoyed coaching Chiney,'' he said. ''She was the consummate pro with a tremendous work ethic. She was easy to coach and brought the same positive attitude and energy every single day to the court and the locker room. You know what you can expect every single day with Chiney and that's what makes her special.'
'
 

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Los Angeles Sparks re-sign Gray
April 30, 2019
By The Associated Press



LOS ANGELES (AP) The Los Angeles Sparks have re-signed two-time WNBA All-Star guard Chelsea Gray.


Gray averaged a career-high 14.9 points, 5.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in 2018, earning All-Star honors for the second straight year. She is currently playing for Cukurova Mersin in the Turkish league playoffs. The Sparks begin their season on May 26.


Gray will be entering her fourth season with the Sparks. She was drafted 11th overall by the Connecticut Sun in 2014 and was acquired by Los Angeles in 2016. Gray led the WNBA in 3-point percentage in 2017, making 48.2% from beyond the arc.




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WNBA G Williams charged in fight
April 30, 2019
By The Associated Press



PAHOKEE, Fla. (AP) WNBA free agent guard Riquna Williams has been arrested after authorities say she attacked her ex-girlfriend at a Florida home.


According to an arrest report, Williams forced her way inside and repeatedly struck Alkeria Davis in the head and pulled her hair. Two men told Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies they spent 10 minutes trying to break up the fight in December.


When they finally separated the women, authorities say 28-year-old Williams grabbed a firearm from her blue Camaro, placed it on the trunk and pointed it at one man, saying ''you'll get all 18'' before speeding off.


Davis said she and Williams had been together on and off for five years and had broken up a month earlier. She told authorities she thought Williams was jealous they were no longer together. She said Williams had never been violent in the past.


Davis was treated by paramedics for a small lump on her head.


Authorities said before entering the home, that Williams hit Davis' car with a skateboard.


Williams was booked Monday for burglary and aggravated assault charges. A judge ordered that she remain jailed in lieu of a $20,000 bond.


A spokeswoman for the WNBA says the league is aware of the situation and gathering more information.




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Tina Charles adds filmmaker to resume
May 6, 2019
By The Associated Press



NEW YORK (AP) Tina Charles can add filmmaker to her already impressive resume.


The WNBA star produced a documentary about her father Rawlston and his Brooklyn-based record store and music label - known as Charlie's Calypso City and Charlie's Records, respectively - and it debuted over the weekend at the Tribeca Film Festival.


''I put my heart and soul into this and was so excited to let the world know about my father,'' Charles said in a phone interview Sunday.


Charles acknowledged she was nervous and excited before the film ''Charlie's Records'' premiered Friday night. The documentary was so well-received that the film festival added a second showing on Saturday night.


She was so happy that her dad enjoyed the film.


''He was speechless, didn't have any words,'' Charles said. ''He saw the hard work I had put in, he was with me every step of the way, so he saw everything I was doing.''


Charlie's Records opened in 1972, five years after his arrival from his native Tobago. He wanted to create a place where immigrants from his area could hang out and where Calypso music, an Afro-Caribbean style that originated in Trinidad, could flourish. The store continues to operate on Fulton Street in Brooklyn - a few minutes' drive from where the filmmaker's WNBA team practices now. Mementos from his daughter's basketball career adorn the walls of the store.


''He's an unsung hero. It was really neat for me to tell the story,'' the New York Liberty star said.


Charles, who is the youngest of her father's six children, was just a child during the record label's heyday. She was hanging out at her father's store in 2017 when former UConn teammate Kalana Greene suggested that Charles make a documentary about her father.


She initially thought the project would be a good one for Spike Lee and the WNBA All-Star was able to get a meeting with the director to pitch the idea. Lee remembered hearing the music blasting on Fulton Street as he was growing up.


''When I told him about it, he saw how passionate I was,'' she said. ''He said, `You know you have to do your own movie. You have to go through this. Nobody else is going to tell your father's story the way it needs to be told other than you.''


Lee gave Charles two DVDs. One was ''4 Little Girls,'' which he directed, and the other was a Kobe Bryant DVD. He signed them saying, ''Do your damn movie'' on one and ''All the best Tina'' on the other. They've served as inspiration for her during the filmmaking process.


Charles did not play overseas during the past two WNBA offseasons as she usually has, instead spending nearly every free moment working on the film. In addition to filming and researching in New York, she flew to Trinidad and Tobago to interview famous Calypso performers. She even landed an interview with Prime Minister Keith Rowley.


Charles had no background in making movies, but she was fortunate to meet Jane Rosenthal - one of the founders of the Tribeca Film Festival.


''She took me under her wing and sealed the deal on the documentary,'' said Charles, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 WNBA draft after an outstanding college career at UConn.


''She was sort of like coach (Geno) Auriemma, that she got the best out of me and not let me be complacent,'' Charles added. ''Not settle on the depth of creativity.''


Charles was used to being interviewed, having played professionally since graduating from UConn and knew how to get the best responses out of her father and other people she spoke to for the film.


Charles' teammates from the Liberty took in the premiere Friday night. The documentary had special meaning for guard Kia Nurse.


''I called my grandparents right after because they are from Trinidad. My dad is from there as well. I told them there's this whole movie, you're going to love it,'' she said. ''These are all songs that we listened to with my grandparents at Christmas. I didn't know the whole background to it, but as they were playing the music through the movie I was like, My grandma loves these, we dance to them at Christmas. It's her happiest time of year.' I can see how happy his music makes people even when they are far away from home and that's really special to me.''


Charles thinks she isn't done being a filmmaker.


''In my mind, thinking what can I do next?'' she said. ''I know there are so many other unsung heroes out there like my father. WNBA players doing great things off the court that's not documented. A lot of things are going through my mind. How can I continue to put individuals out there?''


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Dream's McCoughtry recovering (knee)
May 9, 2019
By The Associated Press



ATLANTA (AP) Atlanta Dream forward Angel McCoughtry's status for this season is uncertain as she continues to recover from a serious knee injury.


Atlanta opened training camp this week without McCoughtry, the two-time Olympian and two-time WNBA scoring champion. Coach Nicki Collen said Thursday she has to prepare as if McCoughtry could miss the full season.


''We are prepared to be without her for the entire `19 season,'' Collen said. ''That is the approach I went into with free agency, that we couldn't wait on her and we had to be prepared.''


Collen said McCoughtry, 32, will be evaluated ''month to month, strength test to strength test.'' She said McCoughtry has good range of motion in the knee but still has ''a lot of strength-building to do.''


McCoughtry, a five-time All-Star, suffered torn ligaments in her left knee on Aug. 7, 2018 and missed the playoffs as the Dream lost to Washington in the semifinals.


Collen said McCoughtry's uncertain status led the team to acquire forward Nia Coffey in a draft-day trade with Las Vegas and sign free-agent forward Haley Peters.


Collen said the team will be patient with McCoughtry's rehabilitation.


''She's not a spring chicken anymore,'' Collen said. ''... This is her first major injury. We have to take it slow and steady and get her strong. ... I wouldn't expect her out on the court anytime soon.''


McCoughtry has averaged 19.2 points in nine seasons, all with Atlanta. She sat out the 2017 season and returned to average 16.5 points and a career-high 6.0 rebounds before the injury last season.


Guard Blake Dietrick said having to finish last season without the high-scoring McCoughtry will help the Dream prepare for being without the forward for at least part of this season.


''Everybody has to step up and I think we're ready for that because Angel went down last year and we're prepared to play without her,'' Dietrick said. ''We'll be ready for that.''
 

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Mystics top AP WNBA preseason poll
May 22, 2019
By The Associated Press



NEW YORK (AP) The Washington Mystics sit atop the preseason Associated Press WNBA poll for the first time.


The runner-up from last season's WNBA Finals received five first-place votes from the 14-person national media panel Wednesday. It's the first time in the four-year history of the poll that Washington is No. 1.


''It's nice when you go to the finals, people assume if you have a young talented team you can be a contender the following year,'' Washington coach Mike Thibault said. ''It's hard to do. We've worked since I got here to contend every year. The players have gone through the process physically and mentally to know what it feels like. You want to learn from the loss, I hope.''


Washington is led by Elena Delle Donne, who was the panel's preseason player of the year. She is receiving treatment for a leg injury and may miss the start of the season.


''She put us on her back last year for some long stretches,'' Thibault said. ''Everyone saw her value in the Atlanta series when she played and didn't play. She's comfortable in her own shoes here. Players with her know they are playing with someone special.''


Thibault is impressed with how Delle Donne's leadership has improved.


''I think that's one of the biggest things she's learned how to do is speak up when she needs to,'' he said.


Delle Donne was joined on the AP preseason all-WNBA team by Liz Cambage and A'ja Wilson of Las Vegas, Tiffany Hayes of Atlanta and Brittney Griner of Phoenix. There was a three-way tie for preseason rookie of the year between New York's Asia Durr, Las Vegas' Jackie Young and Minnesota's Napheesa Collier.


Las Vegas is picked to finish second, also garnering five first-place votes. Los Angeles is third and Phoenix fourth. The Aces made a huge acquisition last week, trading for Cambage . They added one of the best players in the world and made themselves instant title contenders. The Sparks added Chiney Ogwumike via trade, reuniting her with her sister Nneka. They received three first-place votes and followed the Aces in the poll.


Chiney Ogwumike's former team the Connecticut Sun is fifth. Atlanta rounded out the top half of the rankings.


The Seattle Storm, who won the title last year, are picked seventh. Seattle will be without reigning MVP Breanna Stewart for the season after she injured her Achilles overseas. Storm point guard Sue Bird is also sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury.


Minnesota, Chicago, Dallas, New York and Indiana completed the poll.


The WNBA tips off its 23rd season Friday. The first regular season power poll will be released on Tuesday, May 28.
 

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Storm's Bird needs surgery, will be out
May 21, 2019
By The Associated Press



SEATTLE (AP) Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird needs arthroscopic surgery on her left knee and will be out indefinitely, another big blow for the defending WNBA champs.


The Storm said Tuesday that the 11-time All-Star has a loose body in her knee. Bird said it's something doctors have noticed in the past but that never affected her on the court until she started to get ready for the upcoming season, when she noticed she was having trouble sprinting and jumping.


Bird will undergo surgery in Connecticut in the near future and will return to Seattle for rehab. She said there is no estimate on when she can return, but the short WNBA season may make it challenging to come back before the end.


''I've been here before so I guess that is a good thing. I know what to expect and how to approach it,'' Bird said. ''I've already gone through the roller coaster of emotions because just getting to the point of knowing I had to have surgery took a lot doctors and a lot of MRIs and things like that. In some bizarre way it's nice to know what the plan is and you can kind of wrap your head around that. You can have your down moment but then kind of be like, `OK, this is how we're going to move forward.' So that's where I am.''


The news about Bird is the third significant setback for Seattle in recent weeks. Reigning league MVP Breanna Stewart is out for the season after tearing her Achilles tendon playing overseas. The status of head coach Dan Hughes is uncertain. He underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his digestive tract.


Fansided.com first reported on Bird's surgery. Bird did not play in either of Seattle's preseason games.


The Storm open the season hosting Phoenix on Saturday.


''The most important thing to us is that Sue is healthy and strong. Based on her feedback and evaluation from her longtime surgeon and our medical team, it was determined the best course of action was a scope,'' Storm CEO and general manager Alisha Valavanis said. ''We have confidence this will support Sue's full recovery and we look forward to her return to the court.''


This will be the second time in her Seattle career Bird has been sidelined by knee problems for most, if not all, of a WNBA season. She missed the 2013 season after undergoing surgery to remove a cyst from her left knee.


Bird won her third WNBA title last season at age 37 after helping Seattle to a three-game sweep of Washington in the league finals. But it was Game 5 of the Western Conference finals that will be remembered as perhaps Bird's best game as a professional. She scored 14 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter as Seattle rallied to oust Phoenix.


''It happened so recently you don't want to get too high on something that was recent, but when it's all said and done I'm pretty sure that will be the defining moment of my career,'' Bird said recently, prior to news of her knee problem.


Bird averaged 10.1 points and a career-high 7.1 assists per game last season, while also shooting a career-best 46.6% from the field and 44.8% on 3s. Her absence is going to put more on the plate of second-year guard Jordin Canada and Jewell Loyd. Bird and Stewart contributed an average of 32 points per game combined last season for the Storm.


''This is my opportunity to step up and have a big role and lead my team,'' Canada said. ''That's all I'm focused on.''
 

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Cambage traded from Dallas to Vegas
May 16, 2019
By The Associated Press



The Liz Cambage trade saga is finally over.


The 6-foot-8 Australian was traded from Dallas to Las Vegas on Thursday for Moriah Jefferson, Isabelle Harrison and the Aces' first two picks in 2020.


''The journey it took to get here will make a great story one day,'' said Bill Laimbeer, president and coach of the Aces. ''Everyone in the Aces family is excited to welcome Liz to Las Vegas.


''She brings an attitude and physical presence that we need. There is no doubt about her physical ability, but what we respect most about her is her basketball IQ. That is what we are about. We had to give up some quality players and people to make this trade happen.''


Cambage, who finished second behind Breanna Stewart in WNBA MVP balloting last year, said in January she no longer wanted to play in Dallas. Potential deals the past few weeks never materialized. All of which weighed on Cambage, who took to social media with emotional posts this week. Cambage is in Australia and is expected to get to Las Vegas this weekend.


The 27-year-old center set a league record last season by scoring 53 points against New York. She averaged 23 points and 9.7 rebounds last year.


The move gives the Aces a formidable frontcourt by pairing Cambage with rookie of the year A'ja Wilson.


Dallas receives a point guard in Jefferson and a talented post player in Harrison. Jefferson was the No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft by the franchise when it was in San Antonio. She averaged 13.9 points as a rookie but injured her knee in 2017.


She was limited to just 16 games last season. Harrison was the No. 12 pick in 2015 by Phoenix, but missed her rookie season with a knee injury. She had a breakout year in 2017, averaging 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds. She sat out last season because of a medical issue.


The Wings also acquired Imani McGee-Stafford from the Atlanta Dream, giving up a 2020 third round draft pick for the 6-foot-7 center.


''We made a series of transactions today that I believe benefit our team now and in the future,'' Dallas Wings President and CEO Greg Bibb said.


He said talks concerning Cambage began in January, adding that Jefferson and Harrison were the players Dallas sought.


''While Moriah may ultimately decide to sit out the 2019 season, we are willing to wait for her first appearance in a Wings uniform,'' Bibb said. ''We believe she is an elite-level point guard and we are excited for her to join her hometown team.''


Cambage was the No. 2 pick in the 2011 draft. She played that season and in 2013 for the Tulsa Shock but sat out in 2012 and again from 2014-2017. The franchise moved to Dallas in 2016. Cambage returned to the WNBA last season with Dallas and hit it off with Wings coach Fred Williams. Cambage took it hard when Williams was fired a few weeks before the end of the season.
 

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SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:30 PM Dallas Wings Atlanta Dream State Farm Arena
8:00 PM Indiana Fever New York Liberty Westchester County Center


SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY MAY 25, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
3:30 PM Phoenix Mercury Seattle Storm Angel of the Winds Arena
7:30 PM Washington Mystics Connecticut Sun Mohegan Sun Arena
8:00 PM Chicago Sky Minnesota Lynx Target Center


SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY MAY 26, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:00 PM Los Angeles Sparks Las Vegas Aces Mandalay Bay Events Center
SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY MAY 28, 2019


Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:00 PM Indiana Fever Connecticut Sun Mohegan Sun Arena


SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY MAY 29, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:00 PM Seattle Storm Minnesota Lynx Target Center
 

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WNBA's new season ready to tip off
May 23, 2019
By The Associated Press



NEW YORK (AP) It's been a busy offseason for the WNBA with big names changing places, a new commissioner and a few injuries to some of the sport's greatest players.


The league will tip off its 23rd season on Friday with many teams hoping to win the championship this year. The defending champion Seattle Storm may be extremely hard-pressed to repeat. Reigning MVP Breanna Stewart suffered an Achilles injury in the winter while playing for a Russian club team. She'll be sidelined for the season.


The Storm took another hit this week when it was announced that veteran point guard Sue Bird was going to be sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury. Seattle is also missing coach Dan Hughes for an indeterminate amount of time as he battles cancer.


''The most important thing to us is that Sue is healthy and strong. Based on her feedback and evaluation from her longtime surgeon and our medical team, it was determined the best course of action was a scope,'' Storm CEO and general manager Alisha Valavanis said. ''We have confidence this will support Sue's full recovery and we look forward to her return to the court.''


With the Storm short-handed, Washington, Las Vegas and Los Angeles are the favorites to win the title. The Mystics lost to the Storm in the WNBA Finals last season. The Aces added 6-foot-8 Australian star Liz Cambage last week. The runner-up for the MVP in 2018 will give Las Vegas a dynamic duo in the front court, pairing her with last season's rookie of the year A'ja Wilson.


The Sparks added Chiney Ogwumike from the Connecticut Sun, pairing her with her sister Nneka. The sisters will have to carry the load a little more in the early part of the season as Candace Parker is sidelined with a hamstring injury for a few weeks.


Here are a few other tidbits for the upcoming season.


MISSING IN ACTION:
Stewart, Bird and Parker aren't the only players not playing for the early part of the season because of injury. Angel McCoughtry is still recovering from a knee injury she suffered last year. Diana Taurasi is out for at least a month while recovering from a back injury. It isn't just injuries that are sidelining some of the league's top players. Skylar Diggins-Smith gave birth to a baby boy this spring and hopes to return to the Dallas Wings lineup at some point this season. Maya Moore decided to take a year away from playing basketball to focus on her family and ''some ministry dreams that have been stirring in my heart for many years.''

NEW LADY IN CHARGE:
The WNBA has a new leader as the league hired Cathy Engelbert as its commissioner last week. The previous four leaders of the WNBA had been known as president.


''Commissioner, first of all, honored and humbled to have that title. And it comes with awesome responsibility ... just really humbled,'' Engelbert said.


Since 2015, Engelbert has been CEO of Deloitte US, an accounting organization that works with Fortune 500 companies. She was the first woman to hold that job. Engelbert won't start till around the All-Star Break in late July.


MORE TV OPTIONS: The league struck a deal to broadcast 40 of its games on the CBS Sports Network . That nearly doubles the amount of games on national television from last year. The TV channel will use local broadcast feeds for now, similar to what NBA TV does for WNBA games. The league also has a deal with ESPN to show 16 regular-season telecasts, including three on ABC. The upcoming NBA TV schedule of WNBA games has not been finalized yet, but nearly 50 games are expected to be broadcast - the same as last year.


NEW OWNERSHIP: The New York Liberty found a new owner in the offseason as the team was bought by an investment group led by Brooklyn Nets minority owner Joseph Tsai. Tsai, co-founder of the e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, bought a 49 percent interest in the Nets in April. The team played an exhibition game at Barclays Center and drew more than 4,000 fans. The team will play most of its home games this season in Westchester, but Tsai said at the exhibition game that he would welcome more games at Barclays in the future.
 

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WNBA Preview Capsules
May 23, 2019
By The Associated Press



NEW YORK (AP) A team-by-team look at the WNBA. Teams are listed in predicted order of finish.


LAS VEGAS ACES


2018: 14-20, 9th place; missed playoffs


COACH: Bill Laimbeer, 2nd season.


POWER POLL RANKING: 2nd.


OUTLOOK: Las Vegas added Liz Cambage which turned the Aces into an instant title contender as they now boast one of the best frontcourts in the league. The Aces also drafted Jackie Young with the No. 1 pick giving them more talent. The only real question might be how quickly Laimbeer can get the team to play together with the new pieces.


---


WASHINGTON MYSTICS


2018: 22-12, 3rd place; lost to Seattle in WNBA Finals.


COACH: Mike Thibault, 6th season.


POWER POLL RANKING: 1st.


OUTLOOK: The Mystics reached the finals but just didn't have enough to overcome Seattle when Elena Delle Donne got hurt. Washington will try to win the franchise's first championship. Most of last year's team is back and the Mystics will have Emma Meesseman back for most of the season. She sat out last year while helping Belgium prepare for the FIBA World Cup.


---


ATLANTA DREAM


2018: 23-11, 2nd place; lost in semifinals to Washington.


COACH: Nicki Collen, 2nd season.


POWER POLL RANKING: 6th.


OUTLOOK: Atlanta has a talented backcourt led by Tiffany Hayes and Renee Montgomery and solid frontcourt play as well with Elizabeth Williams and Jessica Breland. The Dream weren't far off from reaching the finals. Angel McCoughtry's return from the ACL injury she suffered in August could bolster the team to make a late season run.


---


LOS ANGELES SPARKS


2018: 19-15, 7th place; lost in second round to Washington.


COACH: Derek Fisher, 1st season.


POWER POLL RANKING: 3rd.


OUTLOOK: Los Angeles added Chiney Ogwumike to an already talented frontcourt, teaming her with sister Nneka. The pair out of Stanford will need to carry the load on offense for a few weeks while Candace Parker recovers from a hamstring injury. They'll definitely have help from All-Star guard Chelsea Gray. New coach Derek Fisher will try and get the Sparks going after spending years in the NBA.


---


CONNECTICUT SUN


2018: 21-13, 4th place; lost to Phoenix in second round.


COACH: Curt Miller, 4th season.


POWER POLL RANKING: 5th.


OUTLOOK: The Sun have nearly everyone back from last year's team except for Ogwumike. The team went 21-13 without her in 2017 and had the same record last season. The Sun players feel this might be their best opportunity to get out of the second round of the playoffs and make a run to the title led by Jasmine and Alyssa Thomas. With Ogwumike leaving, it opens up more minutes for All-Star Jonquel Jones.


---


PHOENIX MERCURY


2018: 20-14, 5th place; lost to Seattle in semifinals.


COACH: Sandy Brondello, 6th season.


POWER POLL RANKING: 4th.


OUTLOOK: Phoenix will have to do without Diana Taurasi for at least the first month of the season because of a back injury. There is still plenty of talent on the roster led by 6-foot-8 center Brittney Griner. She has help from DeWanna Bonner and rookie Alanna Smith, who excelled at Stanford.


---


MINNESOTA LYNX


2018: 18-16, 7th place; lost to Los Angeles in the first round.


POWER POLL RANKING: 9th.


COACH: Cheryl Reeve, 10th season.


OUTLOOK: Lindsay Whalen's retired from the WNBA and coaching at her alma mater Minnesota. Maya Moore is taking the year off. Yet Reeve didn't sit idle in the offseason, acquiring guard Odyssey Sims as well as drafting Napheesa Collier. Add those two to veterans Sylvia Fowles and Seimone Augustus and the Lynx should be in the playoff hunt again this season.


---


SEATTLE STORM


2018: 26-8, 1st place; won WNBA title.


COACH: Dan Hughes, 2nd season.


POWER POLL RANKING: 7th.


OUTLOOK: It's been a rough offseason for the Storm, who lost Breanna Stewart to an Achilles injury and Sue Bird to a knee injury. The team also will be without head coach Dan Hughes indefinitely as he battles cancer. The Storm might find themselves back in the lottery unless Jewell Loyd and Natasha Howard get some help from second-year guard Jordin Canada.


---


CHICAGO SKY


2018: 13-21, 10th place; missed playoffs.


COACH: James Wade, 1st season.


POWER POLL RANKING: 9th.


OUTLOOK: There's no doubt the Sky can put a lot of points on the board, but the question is can new coach James Wade help them on the defensive end. Chicago added first-round pick Katie Lou Samuelson to a talented core led by guards Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley. Chicago also has a talented pair of second-year players in Gabby Williams and Diamond DeShields. This might be one of the most exciting teams to watch this season.


---


DALLAS WINGS


2018: 15-19, 8th place; lost to Phoenix in first round.


COACH: Brian Agler, 1st season.


POWER POLL RANKING: 10th.


OUTLOOK: The future looks bright for Dallas even if the present might be a struggle early on. The Wings traded Cambage to Las Vegas for Moriah Jefferson and Isabelle Harrison. Jefferson is working her way back from an injury and it's unclear if she'll play this season. Harrison will help bolster the frontcourt in the absence of Cambage. The Wings will also have to play without All-Star guard Skylar Diggins-Smith who is working her way back into shape after giving birth to a baby boy this spring. The Wings did bolster their team in the draft, taking Notre Dame star Arike Ogunbowale.


---


NEW YORK LIBERTY


2018: 7-27, 11th place; missed playoffs.


COACH: Katie Smith, 2nd Season.


POWER POLL RANKING: 11th.


OUTLOOK: New ownership has given optimism to the Liberty players and their fans. The team will try and produce on the court this season after suffering through one of the worst years in franchise history. The draft was helpful with New York taking Asia Durr with the No. 2 pick and getting a potential steal in the second round with 6-foot-9 Chinese center Han Xu


---

INDIANA FEVER



2018: 6-28, 12th place; missed playoffs.


COACH: Pokey Chatman, 3rd season.


POWER POLL RANKING: 12th.


OUTLOOK: The Fever suffered a blow when Victoria Vivians got hurt overseas this winter, sidelining the second-year player for the season. Indiana did add her college teammate Teaira McCowan in the draft and are building a solid young group to complement veteran Candice Dupree.
 

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Lynx acquire frontcourt help in 2 deals
May 21, 2019
By The Associated Press



MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The Minnesota Lynx acquired Stephanie Talbot from Phoenix and Alaina Coates from Chicago in two separate trades on Tuesday for draft picks next year.


Talbot started 24 games in 2017 and eight in 2018, averaging 4.0 points and 2.3 rebounds. She stepped up for the Mercury late last season after the team moved DeWanna Bonner to power forward in place of Sancho Lyttle, who was injured. Phoenix received a second-round pick in the 2020 draft.


Coates, who played for South Carolina's 2017 NCAA championship team, was the No. 2 pick in the draft that year for the Sky. She didn't play that year because of an ankle injury that cut short her senior season in college. She averaged 3.4 points and 3.2 rebounds last season for the Sky. Chicago received a third-round pick in the draft.


The Sky traded for Jantel Lavender on Monday from Los Angeles for a second-round pick making Coates more expendable.


Lavender adds depth in the frontcourt for Chicago. She averaged 5.2 points and 3.7 rebounds last season.
 

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Mystics top AP WNBA preseason poll
May 22, 2019
By The Associated Press



NEW YORK (AP) The Washington Mystics sit atop the preseason Associated Press WNBA poll for the first time.


The runner-up from last season's WNBA Finals received five first-place votes from the 14-person national media panel Wednesday. It's the first time in the four-year history of the poll that Washington is No. 1.


''It's nice when you go to the finals, people assume if you have a young talented team you can be a contender the following year,'' Washington coach Mike Thibault said. ''It's hard to do. We've worked since I got here to contend every year. The players have gone through the process physically and mentally to know what it feels like. You want to learn from the loss, I hope.''


Washington is led by Elena Delle Donne, who was the panel's preseason player of the year. She is receiving treatment for a leg injury and may miss the start of the season.


''She put us on her back last year for some long stretches,'' Thibault said. ''Everyone saw her value in the Atlanta series when she played and didn't play. She's comfortable in her own shoes here. Players with her know they are playing with someone special.''


Thibault is impressed with how Delle Donne's leadership has improved.


''I think that's one of the biggest things she's learned how to do is speak up when she needs to,'' he said.


Delle Donne was joined on the AP preseason all-WNBA team by Liz Cambage and A'ja Wilson of Las Vegas, Tiffany Hayes of Atlanta and Brittney Griner of Phoenix. There was a three-way tie for preseason rookie of the year between New York's Asia Durr, Las Vegas' Jackie Young and Minnesota's Napheesa Collier.


Las Vegas is picked to finish second, also garnering five first-place votes. Los Angeles is third and Phoenix fourth. The Aces made a huge acquisition last week, trading for Cambage . They added one of the best players in the world and made themselves instant title contenders. The Sparks added Chiney Ogwumike via trade, reuniting her with her sister Nneka. They received three first-place votes and followed the Aces in the poll.


Chiney Ogwumike's former team the Connecticut Sun is fifth. Atlanta rounded out the top half of the rankings.


The Seattle Storm, who won the title last year, are picked seventh. Seattle will be without reigning MVP Breanna Stewart for the season after she injured her Achilles overseas. Storm point guard Sue Bird is also sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury.


Minnesota, Chicago, Dallas, New York and Indiana completed the poll.


The WNBA tips off its 23rd season Friday. The first regular season power poll will be released on Tuesday, May 28.
 

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Armadillo: Friday's six-pack


Boston Bruins are -$155 to win the Stanley Cup finals. Other props:


— Bruins in 4: 10-1


— Bruins in 5: 7-2


— Bruins in 6: 9-2


— Bruins in 7: +$360


— St Louis in 4: 15-1


— St Louis in 5: 17-2


— St Louis in 6: 5-1


— St Louis in 7: 11-2




**********


Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here…….


13) How is it possible that the voting for NBA awards determines which players can get max contracts going forward? Who agreed to this?


“A player is eligible to sign a designated veteran contract if they’ve logged at least eight years of NBA service time and either
a) earned an All-NBA team in the most recent season or
b) earned two of them over the past three seasons.”


So the media helps determine who can get a max contract? How is this a good idea?


12) Klay Thompson, Bradley Beal didn’t make any of the top three All-NBA teams, so they can’t get a max contract. Same for Karl-Anthony Towns.


I’m pretty sure Thompson sacrifices his individual numbers for the betterment of one of the best teams in NBA history, but he isn’t eligible for a max contract. Wow.


11) Raptors 105, Bucks 99— Toronto grabs a 3-2 series lead with road win here; Fred Van Vleet scored 21 points in 37:00 off bench; Raptors were +28 with Van Vleet on the floor.


10) College administrators are all on the gravy train.
— Scott Woodward bolted Texas A&M for LSU.
— Ross Bjork bolted Ole Miss for Texas A&M.


These are big time fundraising jobs that pay six figures.


9) Eight teams from the SEC and AAC will play home-and-home series over the next two college basketball seasons:


Georgia-Memphis, Houston-South Carolina, Ole Miss-Wichita State, Vanderbilt-SMU


8) LSU-Mississippi State played a 17-inning game in the SEC baseball tournament that ended at 4:03am Thursday; SEC Network apparently did a postgame show afterwards. Watching a game you don’t care about until 4am is one thing. Watching the postgame show would be weird.


7) Baseball stuff:
— Mets put 2B Robinson Cano, 3B Jeff McNeil on IL.


— Bronx put P CC Sabathia on IL.
— Tampa Bay put 3B Yandy Diaz on IL.


6) High temperature in Las Vegas Wednesday was 67, six degrees lower than the previous low high temp for May 22.


5) Minnesota Twins have hit 6+ homers in four different games this year; the rest of the major leagues have done it only three times (Dodgers, Cubs, Bronx).


Twins have hit 98 homers, allowed 58.


4) Jared Walsh allowed a run pitching the 9th inning Thursday; that was only the 4th major league game for the Angels’ first baseman, who is 3-9 hitting so far in the big leagues. Not often a position player pitches in his 4th career game.


3) Agent Scott Boras has pulled another stunt to try and put more money in his own wallet.


Last June, Braves picked Carter Stewart with the #8 overall pick of the MLB Draft. Stewart didn’t sign and pitched a season at a junior college this spring; now the kid has signed with a Japanese pro team- he signed a 6-year deal.


If you had a 19-year old kid, would you want him spending the next six years in Japan? He’ll make more money up front than he would if he got a signing bonus and played his way thru the minor leagues, but will it increase his chances of becoming a big leaguer? Only time will tell.


One thing for sure; Boras makes more money up front, too.


2) Some day in late September, a couple of baseball teams who miss the playoffs a by a couple games will play the “what if?” game as to whether they should’ve signed Craig Kimbel/Dallas Keuchel early this season, when everyone had the chance to do so.


Teams don’t like to give up draft picks to sign free agents, but these guys are proven starts; hell, Kimbrel was the closer on last year’s World Series champs. Makes you wonder what is going on.


1) Michigan coach John Beliein quit the Wolverines and is now the coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers; Wolverines alum Juwan Howard is the new coach at Michigan.


Hypothetical question: Who would be better off had Beilein stayed at Michigan and Howard became Cleveland’s coach? Would it make any difference at all?
 

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WNBA


Friday, May 24



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


Dallas Wings
Dallas is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
Dallas is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games
Dallas is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Dallas is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Dallas's last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games on the road
Dallas is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Atlanta
Dallas is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Atlanta
Dallas is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Dallas's last 12 games when playing Atlanta
Dallas is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Dallas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Dallas's last 9 games when playing on the road against Atlanta


Atlanta Dream
Atlanta is 17-4-1 ATS in its last 22 games
Atlanta is 17-5 SU in its last 22 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Atlanta's last 9 games
Atlanta is 10-2-1 ATS in its last 13 games at home
Atlanta is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Atlanta's last 21 games at home
Atlanta is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Dallas
Atlanta is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games when playing Dallas
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Atlanta's last 12 games when playing Dallas
Atlanta is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Atlanta's last 9 games when playing at home against Dallas


Indiana Fever
Indiana is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Indiana is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Indiana is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Indiana is 4-20 SU in its last 24 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Indiana's last 16 games on the road
Indiana is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing New York
Indiana is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing New York
Indiana is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing on the road against New York


New York Liberty
New York is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
New York is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New York's last 7 games at home
New York is 2-6-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Indiana
New York is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing Indiana
New York is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana




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




WNBA
Long Sheet


Friday, May 24



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


DALLAS (0 - 0) at ATLANTA (0 - 0) - 5/24/2019, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 3-3 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 4-2 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

INDIANA (0 - 0) at NEW YORK (0 - 0) - 5/24/2019, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 4-2 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 5-1 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




WNBA
Dunkel


Friday, May 24




Dallas @ Atlanta


Game 601-602
May 24, 2019 @ 7:30 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Dallas
110.008
Atlanta
111.849
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 2
177
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta
by 8 1/2
165
Dunkel Pick:
Dallas
(+8 1/2); Over


Indiana @ New York



Game 603-604
May 24, 2019 @ 8:00 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Indiana
109.607
New York
108.763
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana
by 1
156
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New York
by 2 1/2
159 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Indiana
(+2 1/2); Under
 

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FRIDAY, MAY 24
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS



DAL at ATL 07:30 PM
ATL -9.0
O 164.5



IND at NY 08:00 PM
IND +2.0
U 158.5
 

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McCowan's layup at buzzer lifts Fever to win over Liberty
May 24, 2019
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WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) Teaira McCowan's WNBA debut was a memorable one, hitting the game-winning layup at the buzzer.


The rookie's shot lifted Indiana to an 81-80 victory over the New York Liberty on Friday night in the season opener for both teams.


''I haven't ever hit a game-winner before,'' said the third pick in the draft, who finished with 11 points. ''Not in AAU, high school or college.''


Trailing by one after Tina Charles made two free throws with seven seconds left, Candice Dupree drove the lane and dished it off to McCowan, who laid it in just before the buzzer sounded. The officials did a quick video review confirming the basket counted.


''I always tell her to keep her hands up,'' Dupree said. ''I yelled at her as I drove, `T' your hands.''


McCowan was part of one of the greatest game-winning shots when she was at Mississippi State when teammate Morgan William hit a 15-footer in overtime in the Final Four in 2017 to end UConn's record 111-game winning streak.


''This is definitely one of the top five I've been part of,'' said McCowan said with a smile.


Tiffany Mitchell led Indiana with 22 points. Her free throw with 2:16 left in the game gave Indiana a 79-78 lead. Neither team could score until the final seven seconds.


Tina Charles, who had 32 points and 12 rebounds, hit two free throws after she was fouled on a rebound with seven seconds remaining that gave New York a one-point lead.


The loss was the 14th in a row for the Liberty dating back to last season. Charles didn't see this as a continuation of the streak from last year.


''Last year is in the past, you can only focus on this year,'' she said.


This was the Liberty's first regular season game under new owner Joe Tsai. An investment group led by the Brooklyn Nets minority owner bought the Liberty in late January. Tsai, co-founder of the e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, bought a 49 percent interest in the Nets last year. Tsai was in attendance along with new WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and acting WNBA President Mark Tatum. Engelbert starts officially on July 17 after finishing out her current job as CEO of Deloitte USA next month. The trio met at the half.


Indiana got off to a rough start, missing its first eight shots before Shenise Johnson's layup nearly 5 minutes into the game. Johnson sat out last year while recovering from an ACL tear suffered in 2017 and then a hamstring injury. Indiana built a 39-33 lead at the half despite 16 points by Charles. The lead grew to 54-42 with 3:19 left in the third before Reshanda Gray and Bria Hartley rallied New York, which scored 18 of the final 20 points to end the period. Gray's putback with three seconds left capped the run and made it 60-56 for the Liberty.


MAKING THEIR DEBUTS: Besides McCowan, Asia Durr and Han Xu got their first minutes in the league playing for New York. Durr, who was drafted second by the Liberty, finished with eight points. Han played 65 seconds.


''It was fun, exciting. First time playing in a game that counts,'' Durr said. ''Got my feet wet. I was super impressed with how we played. We could have done better.''


UP NEXT:


Fever: At Connecticut on Tuesday


Liberty: At Indiana on June 1.
 

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Breland's 17 points help Dream rally past Wings, 76-72
May 24, 2019
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ATLANTA (AP) One year after a stout defense helped Atlanta advance to the WNBA semifinals, the Dream turned to that strength to help cap a comeback in their 2019 opener.


Jessica Breland scored 17 points, including a late go-ahead three-point play, and Atlanta held Dallas without a field goal in the final 2 minutes as the Dream rallied to beat the Wings 76-72 on Friday night.


Center Elizabeth Williams said Atlanta coach Nicki Collen expects defense to make decisive stands.


''At the end of games she trusts us to get stops,'' Williams said.


The Dream led the WNBA in field goal percentage defense (42.3) last season. The Wings made 26 of 74 shots (35.1 percent).


Dallas led 55-47 before Atlanta won the final period, 29-17.


''It was ugly but I think we did what we do and that's battle,'' Collen said. ''... It took a little while to get everyone on the same page, but we just don't give up.''


Renee Montgomery had 15 points for the Dream.


Allisha Gray had 14 points off the bench to lead Dallas. Rookie Arike Ogunbowale had 12 points. Another rookie, Brooke McCarty-Williams, had eight points and eight assists.


Imani McGee-Stafford's layup gave Dallas a 67-65 lead. McCarty-Williams' steal set up Gray's layup, stretching the lead to four points. Another steal by Gray set up her free throws for a 71-65 advantage.


Following a 3-pointer by Montgomery, Brittney Sykes made two of three free throws and grabbed the rebound on the miss to set up Breland's go-ahead three-point play with 1:17 remaining.


The Dream led 20-14 before the Wings scored the final five points of the first period to launch a 15-0 run for a 29-20 advantage. McGee-Stafford's offensive rebound and basket capped the run.


Sykes' 3-pointer snapped Atlanta's scoring drought, but Dallas led 39-34 at halftime. Every Wings player in uniform scored in the half, including five players off the bench.


Marie Guilich scored all of her six points in the final quarter to help Atlanta rally. Tiffany Hayes, a first-team all-WNBA selection last year, scored only five points while making only two of eight shots from the field. She missed each of her four 3-point attempts.


MAJOR VOIDS


The Dream are without two-time league scoring champion Angel McCoughtry, who was not in uniform but sat on the bench as she continues to recover from a left knee injury late in the 2018 season. Collen recently described McCoughtry's status as ''month to month.''


The Wings must regroup after trading 6-foot-8 Australian Liz Cambage to Las Vegas on May 16 for Moriah Jefferson, Isabelle Harrison and the Aces' first two draft picks in 2020. Cambage was the runner-up to Breanna Stewart in last season's WNBA MVP vote.


Dallas also is without All-Star guard Skylar Diggins-Smith, who gave birth this spring.


HOME AGAIN


Following two seasons at Georgia Tech, the Dream have returned to State Farm Arena, also the home of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. Before a two-year renovation, the facility was called Philips Arena.


The attendance was 3,070.
 

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SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY MAY 25, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
3:30 PM Phoenix Mercury Seattle Storm Angel of the Winds Arena
7:30 PM Washington Mystics Connecticut Sun Mohegan Sun Arena
8:00 PM Chicago Sky Minnesota Lynx Target Center




*******************************




MLB MAY'S OPINIONS AND BEST BETS:


DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD




05/24/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -1150




Totals...............1-3-0.........25.00%....-11.50




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BEST BETS:


DATE........................ATS................... ..UNITS..................O/U..................UNITS.............TOTALS




05/24/2019.............1 - 1......................-0.50...................0 - 2................-11.00..............-11.50




Totals.....................1 - 1......................-0.50....................0 - 2................-11.00..............-11.50
 

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Saturday’s 6-pack


Updated Week 1 odds for the NFL:


— Falcons @ Vikings (-4, 47.5)


— Redskins @ Eagles (-9, 46.5)


— Bills @ Jets (-3.5, 38.5)


— Ravens (-4.5, 37) @ Dolphins


— 49ers @ Buccaneers (-1, 49)


— Chiefs (-3.5, 51.5) @ Jaguars


Quote of the Day
“I’m not hesitating on that. I am a Hall of Famer. My numbers speak for itself. My numbers are better than Troy Aikman, but he has Super Bowl rings.”
Donovan McNabb


Saturday’s quiz
How many teams are in the Canadian Football League?


Friday’s quiz
WNBA teams play 34 regular season games each season.


Thursday’s quiz
Bill Laimbeer is the head coach/GM of the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA.


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Saturday’s List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind…….


13) George Springer leads the American League in homers and RBIs; he bats leadoff. No leadoff hitter has ever led their league in homers or RBI for a full season.


Springer hurt his left leg in Friday night’s game and appears headed to the IL.


12) Fran Fraschilla posted a note on Twitter this week that college basketball coaches spend 30% of their time on actual basketball. NBA coaches spend 99% of their time on basketball, and that is the appeal of the NBA to guys like Brad Stevens, Billy Donovan, John Beilein.


11) From 2011-18, when Max Scherzer started a game, his teams went 176-85 in those games.


This season, Washington is 2-9 when Scherzer starts. Go figure.


10) Findlay Prep in Las Vegas, which has won three National High School Invitational basketball championships, isn’t expected to field a team next season. Findlay had a run of 11 consecutive appearances in the national tournament stopped this year- the school is going to look for a new campus and could resume play for the 2020-21 season.


Since starting the program in the 2006-07 season, Findlay is 378-43; they could have three alums taken in the NBA Draft in June.


9) Raiders-Packers might play a preseason game in Winnipeg this summer. Seriously.


8) There are four NFL head coaches who played QB in either the Arena League or the Indoor Football League:
— Jay Gruden: Tampa Bay Storm, Orlando Predators, Nashville Kats
— Matt LaFleur, Omaha Beef, Billings Outlaws


— Matt Nagy: New York Dragons, Carolina Cobras, Georgia Force, Columbus Destroyers
— Sean Payton: Chicago Bruisers, Pittsburgh Gladiators


7) Baseball stuff:
— A’s put DH Khris Davis (oblique) on IL.
— Marlins put C Chad Wallach (concussion) on IL.
— Arizona put OF David Peralta (AC joint) on IL.
— Mets signed Ervin Santana, Matt Kemp to contracts.


6) This week in 1935 in Cincinnati, the first-ever night baseball game was played; there were 20,422 fans there to see the Reds beat the Phillies, 2-1.


5) Kansas Jayhawks get Silvio DeSousa eligible to play this coming basketball season, which is very good news for them.


4) Former Baylor football coach Art Briles is the new coach at Mount Vernon HS in Texas.


3) In case you were wondering, the 2011 Mets went 77-85; they left 1,257 men on base that year, the most of any team in this decade. Six of the top nine teams on this list won 91+ games.


#8 on the list are the 2016 Cubs, who won the World Series that year.


2) Tres Tinkle dropped out of the NBA Draft and will return to Oregon State for his senior year; he is a very good player, but his dad is also the OSU head coach. Beavers finished 10-8 in Pac-12 games last year, their first winning season in conference play this century.


1) Chicago Bears are -4 over Green Bay in Week 1 this season; Bears are getting 59% of the money so far, in wagering at William Hill sportsbooks nationwide; of the 16 Week 1 games, that is the game where the money is most evenly divided.
 

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