***WNBA Friday

YTD: 37-30

Finally, we get 2 days straight of WNBA action. Painful lately with this schedule. Friday Night does not disappoint us at all with 2 out of the 3 games massive for playoff seedings.

Liberty @ Dream
The Liberty look to be without Durr still and the Dream might be missing Williams. Now I said to myself I wouldn't touch these games because the Dream has officially been eliminated but I do have a small edge on a play in this game but need to see what the total is first. Line might be PK and  total of 156.

Aces @ Sun
Courtney Williams has said all season long "we mean business this season, we want to win" so this for me is a massive game for the Sun at home, where they are 13-1 S/U up against the Aces. June 2, the Sun won 80-74 and then August 11, the Aces won 89-81. Both those games were in Las Vegas. Series tied 1-1, Aces are 19-9 and the Sun are 19-8 and whoever wins this game gets the series if they finish on equal wins. The Aces are coming from Las Vegas after an OT win and the Sun are coming off 2 straight home wins vs Storm and the Wings. They have had 4 days rest for this game and Aces just 2 days. This game should be a great game to watch, Jones is going to have to be 100% focused on this game or she won't cope with A'ja and Cambage. The guards I think is where this game will be won, Young and Plum need to show up in such a big game. Banham is a GTD but that's all I know right now. Line should be PK, maybe Sun -1 or -2 and total of 163

Mystics @ Sky
Another great game, Sky sitting in 5th trying to get into the top 4 and the Mystics trying to hold down the 1st seed and get some buffer between themselves and Number 2 seed. The Mystics have won both meetings, winning  103-85 on 5 June and then 81-74 on 26 June. They still have another game after this on the 8th, so Mystics up 2-0 in this series. The Sky bounced back nicely against the Dream after their loss to the Aces and the Mystics are now 19-3 S/U when EDD suits up. They don't even look bothered that Toliver is out and to tell you the truth, I love what the Mystics young guards are doing with her out. Yes Toliver can hit some amazing shots but she doesn't play simple basketball at times. These 2 guards right now for the Mystics do, they don't make stupid passes, they don't do anything heroic they just play simple basketball which so many teams fail to do. The Sky are up for a massive challenge in this game and they will need to play a full 40 minute game if they want to win. If they turn off for a split second, the Mystics can really score quickly and the game could be over so quickly. Line guessing would be Mystics -4.5 and 166 total.

BOL everyone.

 Las Vegas Aces @ Connecticut Sun: Sun -1.5

This Sun team has been knocked out of the single elimination the past 2 seasons. Remember, the 3rd and 4th seed play a single elimination playoff game at home vs the winners from 5v8 and 6v7 from the first round. They know how important this game is. They don't want to play a single elimination playoff game for a third year running. It would literally pull this team apart if they slip down into 3rd spot.  

do you also have some totals play for today/tonight? or maybe a strong lean?

Seen the total.for mystics v sky 173.. that's insane 

No plays on totals today, the only leans I would have is the Over in the Dream/Liberty game but not sure both teams can be trusted to hit a basket as we have seen countless times this season with both teams going scoreless for several minutes. Would not be surprised to see a 45 point quarter followed by a 25 point quarter.

I think the total is also too high in the Mystics/Sky game but the Sky don't defend very well and the Mystics shooting is outrageous at times so both are no plays.

completely insane, did not expect anything in the 170's for this game. Bringing back the 2018 totals maybe

So something very disappointing may happen next season

The players have stated that they will sit out the entire 2020 season if they cannot reach an agreement with their CBA which expires in October this season. That would be horrible for the league and also Women's basketball in general but I do understand. The average WNBA player gets $75,000 USD for the season, the highest around $117,000 and the lowest is $49,000. The season is short, so usually starts in May and playoffs finish around September-October so looking at 5 months. If you win the WNBA title the hard way, playing all 34 games, and then taking 5 games each series in the playoffs to win or lose, they will play a total of 46 games and that's if they finish in the bottom 4 of the top 8.

I do think they deserve more money as pro-athletes and some people say they don't deserve it because of some of the horrible basketball we see but we also see that in the NBA and other leagues were you think "how is that person a pro". The thing is, the WNBA especially is a great pathway for college players to set themselves up for life if they really establish themselves. Having a few good seasons in the WNBA gives you the chance of signing even bigger contracts in China and Europe. Out of 144 players last season, 90 of them played abroad during the WNBA off-season to make more money which I can understand.

I have always thought that the weekly games during the day is a little strange and when you do watch it, they stadium is empty. Do they really expect people to go during the day on a Tuesday or Wednesday when tip-off is around lunch time? Here in OZ, the WNBL is a great league. Players like Nurse, Asia Taylor, Atkins, Leilani Mitchell, Cappie and several more have come here and they play usually from Thursday-Sunday nights which works. They get a decent amount of fans, offer good cheap tickets (kids are usually free) and they create an atmosphere for the players. I think what they have done in Minny is definitely working, but teams like Liberty who are playing in a 2,000 seat capacity is just wrong, and apparently a very difficult stadium to get too. Dream, they never have the seats full either.

Really hope they don't sit out the 2020 season because if they do, it may never come back IMHO. Just hope they can reach an agreement during the off-season.

 Washington Mystics @ Chicago Sky: Sky +6.5

I may have big balls like Casey or I maybe completely stupid in fading the Mystics but I just have to with this line. The Sky were only given +1 vs the Aces, with A'ja Wilson back. The Mystics are an absolute beast of a team but when you look at their previous games, they haven't played a team with the talent that the Sky has. Their last 5 games have been against Lynx x2, Fever x2 and the Storm. All those teams struggle and I wouldn't say have amazing guards or bench players. Another thing, if we take away that make-up earthquake 2H game which the Mystics played against the Aces, the Mystics haven't played a top 5 side since July, losing 85-81 at home to the Aces but that was with no EDD. If we look again, and EDD played in a game, it dates back to June 29th when they played the Sun in Washington and demolished them 102-59. That spans over 14 games that they haven't played the Aces, Sky or Sparks and I think that the Sky can get some revenge after 2 straight losses and this is another massive game or them if they want to show they mean business. Deshields I hope explodes tonight and they limit their turnovers. I could be completely wrong and the Mystics blow the Sky out of the water by 10+.

BOL Aussie.

We're on the opposite sides here tonight.

As far as the previous 5 WAS played, I kept that in mind when I capped this game.  Lynx are actually a high scoring team, yet they couldn't score or in another sense, keep up with WAS offense.  SEA, which specializes in their defensive wizardry, couldn't contain WAS...   I've passed on WAS during their past 2 whom they covered, and I don't plan on passing on them tonight with this low line...   

CHI did not look good even vs the lowly ATL on their past game... 

Anyways, BOL to you my friend tonight.

Good news is, 1 of us will profit.  :))

Good hit Aussie...

I salvaged what I could ingame with Sky ML @-286.

This was a horrific 2nd half by WAS...

Never seen them fold like this in the 2nd half...

Nice work Aussie 

Cheers guys

Those wins for the Sky and the Sun really shook up the seedings and its game on for all teams involved in the top 8.

Damn Aussie 2-0 

and if you played your leans would have been 4-0. 

And remember  when you were thinking of quitting for a bit when you were like 8-14 or something. The cream always rises.

What kind of streak you on right now?

Nice work. 

Brutal.