Friday, September 22, 2017

WNBA 2017: Final Power Rankings


While the fruits of Title IX’s Gender Equity march on through a fifth decade and the league a third, three WNBA squads perhaps took equity a bit too literally on the competitive level this season. Two, the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm, scored and allowed exactly the same number of points (2,784 and 2,808 respectively) while another, the Dallas Wings, decided to finish first in scoring and last in points allowed (2,929 and 3,019 respectively). Not all good deeds go unpunished, as all three qualified for the playoffs, albeit at the entry level.

While its rosters are more chock-full of size, skill and athleticism than ever before (maybe even more than any other current pro sports league), the WNBA becomes more and more a coaches’ league with every passing season. The circuit’s two stalwarts are piloted by Cheryl Reeve and Brian Agler, both of whom cut their teeth on the battle-tested Detroit Shock staff of Bill Laimbeer, whose New York Liberty broke free of mediocrity to close their season on a ten-game run.

But it’s tough not to pull for a basketball “lifer” like the Mystics’ Mike Thibault, whose first head coaching gig back in the ‘80’s was in the World Basketball League, a summer loop for under-sized (no taller than 6’4”) dudes. Likewise, hats off to WNBA lifer Vickie Johnson, who had her young Stars taking strides towards respectability in the season’s closing weeks.

And how ‘bout those Connecticut Sun, expected to be bottom-feeders without the on-court stylings of one, Chiney Ogwumike? But the voodoo of Coach of the Year Curt Miller created Jonquel Jones in her stead and a playoff squad in the process.

On the other hand, the dysfunctional Atlanta Dream, perhaps the WNBA version of the cursed Clippers, wasted no time in cutting ties with a big name like Michael Cooper.

The Season by the Numbers (per-game per team)

Possessions: 78.1
Points: 81.5  [PPP: 1.043]
FG: 30.0 – 67.9, .441
3FG: 5.91 – 17.48, .338
3PAr/Usage rate: .257
FT: 15.7 – 19.6, .801
(Off – Tot) Reb: 8.83 – 33.9  [OR% .261]
TO: 13.0  [TO% .145]

Home teams were 121-83 (.593); the team who committed fewer TO’s was 125-65 (.658).


An explanation of the ranking criteria is available here. An index of the season’s bi-weekly ratings is available here.


No. 1 Minnesota Lynx, 27-7 (10)
[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 1
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 1
6-week Abacus Rank: No. 1
8-week Abacus Rank: No. 1
10-week Abacus Rank: No. 1
12-week Abacus Rank: No. 1
14-week Abacus Rank: No. 1]

KK:  +10; (12 Road Wins – 2 Home Loss) / No. 1 overall
Flow:  +5.62; (44.8 stops OF opp [No. 1] – 39.2 stops BY opp [No. 1] / No. 1 overall
Striping:  -0.16; (+1.09) conversions [No. 4] – (+1.25) opp conversions [No. 11] / No. 7 overall
SPOR-t:  +128; (628 [No. 1] – 500 [No. 2]) / No. 1 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Lynx increased their per game 3FG attempts by two while making 41% over their final seven games.


No. 2 Los Angeles Sparks, 26-8 (14)
[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 8
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 5
6-week Abacus Rank: No. 5
8-week Abacus Rank: No. 5
10-week Abacus Rank: No. 3
12-week Abacus Rank: No. 3
14-week Abacus Rank: No. 2]

KK:  +9; (10 Road Wins – 1 Home Loss) / No. 2 overall
Flow:  +4.03; (43.6 stops OF opp [No. 3] – 39.6 stops BY opp [No. 2] / No. 2 overall
Striping:  -0.13; (+1.07) conversions [No. 5] – (+1.21) opp conversions [No. 7]) / No. 6 overall
SPOR-t:  +51; (563 [No. 6] – 512 [No. 3]) / No. 4 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Sparks forced 92 TO’s in 385 opponent possessions during Weeks 15 & 16 – not quite one out of every four possessions.


ABACUS INFOMERCIAL
Masters of the Craft (Part 1)

Which teams are performing the rudimentary skills of the game most proficiently at both ends of the floor? Let’s consider six elements of play: FG shooting, three-point shooting, Points per Game, Offensive Rebounding, the matter of turnovers and the SPOR-t score of our ratings. These teams hold a Top Four rank offensively and defensively:

FG%: Los Angele, Minnessota
3FG%: Minnesota
PPG: Los Angeles, Minnesota
OR%: Minnesota, New York
TO%: Dallas
SPOR-t: Connecticut, Minnesota, New York


No. 3 New York Liberty, 22-12 (18)
[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 5
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 7
6-week Abacus Rank: No. 6
8-week Abacus Rank: No. 6
10-week Abacus Rank: No. 7
12-week Abacus Rank: No. 6
14-week Abacus Rank: No. 6]

KK: +5; (9 Road Wins – 4 Home Losses) / No. 3 overall
Flow:  +1.85; (43.3 stops OF opp [No. 5] – 41.4 stops BY opp [No. 5] / No. 4 overall
Striping:  -0.32; (+0.68) conversions [No. 10] – (+1.00) opp conversions [No. 7] / No. 9 overall
SPOR-t:  +102; (594 [No. 2] – 492 [No. 1]) / No. 2 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Liberty successfully defended their home court for the season’s final seven weeks.


No. 4 Washington Mystics, 18-16 (18.5)
[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 2
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 3
6-week Abacus Rank: No. 4
8-week Abacus Rank: No. 2
10-week Abacus Rank: No. 2
12-week Abacus Rank: No. 2
14-week Abacus Rank: No. 4]

KK:  +1; (7 Road Wins – 6 Home Losses) / No. 5 overall (tied)
Flow:  +0.41; (41.4 stops OF opp [No. 8] – 40.9 stops BY opp [No. 3] / No. 6 overall
Striping:  +0.50; (+1.74) conversions [No. 2] – (+1.24) opp conversions [No. 10] / No. 2 overall
SPOR-t:  +8; (580 [No. 4] – 572 [No. 7]) / No. 5 overall

Abacus Revelation: A Mystics’ game this season averaged fewer than three TO’s per team per quarter.


No. 5 Connecticut Sun, 21-13 (21)
[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 11
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 7
6-week Abacus Rank: No. 3
8-week Abacus Rank: No. 4
10-week Abacus Rank: No. 4
12-week Abacus Rank: No. 4
14-week Abacus Rank: No. 3]

KK:  +4; (9 Road Wins – 5 Home Losses) / No. 4 overall
Flow:  +2.21; (44.1 stops OF opp [No. 2] – 41.9 stops BY opp [No. 6] / No. 3 overall
Striping:  -0.51; (+0.71) conversions [No. 9] – (+1.22) conversions [No. 8] / No. 11 overall
SPOR-t:  +78; (593 [No. 3] – 515 [No. 4]) / No. 3 overall

Abacus Revelation: In their final six games, the Sun measured +5.50 in FTA’s, best in the loop.



ABACUS INFOMERCIAL
Scoring Pace 33 games [204 overall]

100+ points: 5 games [23 overall]
90-99 points: 7 games [69 overall]
80-89 points: 23 games [146 overall]
70-79 points: 17 games [112 overall]
60-69 points: 11 games [46 overall]
<60 points: 3 games [12 overall]


No. 6 Phoenix Mercury, 18-16 (22.5)
[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 7
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 2
6-week Abacus Rank: No. 2
8-week Abacus Rank: No. 3
10-week Abacus Rank: No. 5
12-week Abacus Rank: No. 5
14-week Abacus Rank: No. 5]

KK:  +1; (9 Road Win – 8 Home Losses) / No. 5 overall (tied)
Flow:  +0.47; (42.6 stops OF opp [No. 6] – 42.1 stops BY opp [No. 7] / No. 5 overall
Striping:  +0.46; (+0.81) conversions [No. 8] – (+0.35) opp conversions [No. 1] / No. 3 overall
SPOR-t:  -42; (517 [No. 11] – 559 [No. 6]) / No. 9 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Merc’s rate of conversion slipped from 49% to 45% during Weeks 15 & 16.


No. 7 Dallas Wings, 16-18 (29)
[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 3
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 9
6-week Abacus Rank: No. 8
8-week Abacus Rank: No. 9
10-week Abacus Rank: No. 10
12-week Abacus Rank: No. 9
14-week Abacus Rank: No. 8]

KK:  -1; (6 Road Wins – 7 Home Losses) / No. 7 overall
Flow:  -3.56; (40.6 stops OF opp [No. 10] – 44.2 stops BY opp [No. 11] / No. 11 overall
Striping:  +0.44; (+0.99) conversions [No. 6] – (+0.54) conversions [No. 2] / No. 4 overall
SPOR-t:  -31; (569 [No. 5] – 600 [No. 10]) / No. 7 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Wings’ opposition posted the lowest usage rate for three-point shots (.231) for the season.


ABACUS INFOMERCIAL
Scoring Differential 33 games [204 overall]

1-5 points: 10 games [49 overall]
6-10 points: 5 games [64 overall]
11-15 points: 8 games [41 overall]
16-20 points:  3 games [22 overall]
>20:  7 games [28 overall]



No. 8 Seattle Storm, 15-19 (30)
[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 9
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 5
6-week Abacus Rank: No. 9
8-week Abacus Rank: No. 8
10-week Abacus Rank: No. 9
12-week Abacus Rank: No. 10
14-week Abacus Rank: No. 9]

KK:  -2; (5 Road Wins – 7 Home Losses) / No. 8 overall
Flow:  -0.03; (40.9 stops OF opp [No. 9] – 40.9 stops BY opp [No. 3] / No. 7 overall
Striping:  +0.31; (+1.84) conversions [No. 1] - (+1.53) opp conversions [No. 12] / No. 5 overall
SPOR-t:  -74; (521 [No. 11] – 595 [No. 11]) / No. 10 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Storm limited opponents to seven Offensive Rebounds per game during their final five games – down from the normal surrender of 10+.


No. 9 Chicago Sky, 12-22 (31.5)
[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 11
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 10
6-week Abacus Rank: No. 10
8-week Abacus Rank: No. 10
10-week Abacus Rank: No. 8
12-week Abacus Rank: No. 7
14-week Abacus Rank: No. 7]

KK:  -5; (8 Road Wins – 13 Home Losses) / No. 9 overall (tied)
Flow:  -3.09; (42.2 stops OF opp [No. 7] – 45.3 stops BY opp [No. 12] / No. 10 overall
Striping:  +0.97; (+1.68) conversions [No. 3] – (+0.71) opp conversions [No. 4] / No. 1 overall
SPOR-t:  -83; (522 [No. 9] – 605 [No. 11]) / No. 11 overall

Abacus Revelation: The enigmatic Sky won twice as many road games (8) as home games this season.


No. 10 Atlanta Dream, 12-22 (35.5)
[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 4
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 4
6-week Abacus Rank: No. 7
8-week Abacus Rank: No. 7
10-week Abacus Rank: No. 6
12-week Abacus Rank: No. 8
14-week Abacus Rank: No. 10]

KK:  -5; (3 Road Wins – 8 Home Losses) / No. 9 overall (tied)
Flow:  -0.68; (43.3 stops OF opp [No. 4] – 44.0 stops BY opp [No. 10] / No. 8 overall
Striping:  -0.93; [-0.29) conversions [No. 12] – (+0.63) conversions [No. 3] / No. 12 overall
SPOR-t:  +1; (545 [No. 7] – 544 [No. 5]) / No. 6 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Dream finished the season dead last in both three-point accuracy (.293) and three-point usage (.217).


ABACUS INFOMERCIAL
Masters of the Craft (Part 2)

Are not the exceptionally inept worthy of some recognition? Here are the teams that hold a Bottom Four offensive and defensive ranking in our key elements of play: FG shooting, three-point shooting, PPG, Offensive Rebounding, Turnovers and SPOR-t.

FG%: Dallas
3FG%: Indiana, Washington
PPG: Atlanta, Indiana
OR%: Chicago, Indiana, Seattle
TO%: Chicago, Seattle
SPOR-t: Chicago, Indiana, Seattle


No. 11 San Antonio Stars, 8-26 (39)
[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 12
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 11
6-week Abacus Rank: No. 12
8-week Abacus Rank: No. 12
10-week Abacus Rank: No. 11
12-week Abacus Rank: No. 11
14-week Abacus Rank: No. 11]

KK:  -9; (2 Road Wins – 11 Home Losses) / No. 12 overall
Flow:  -2.68; (40.1 stops OF opp [No. 11] – 42.8 stops BY opp [No. 8] / No. 9 overall
Striping:  -0.34; (+0.37) conversions [No. 11] – (+0.71) opp conversions [No. 4] / No. 10 overall
SPOR-t:  -35; (541 [No. 8] – 576 [No. 8]) / No. 8 overall

Abacus Revelation: After starting 1-16, the young Stars played a respectable 7-10 post ASG.


No. 12 Indiana Fever, 9-25 (43)
[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 6
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 12
6-week Abacus Rank: No. 11
8-week Abacus Rank: No. 11
10-week Abacus Rank: No. 12
12-week Abacus Rank: No. 12
14-week Abacus Rank: No. 12]

KK:  -8; (3 Road Wins – 11 Home Losses) / No. 11 overall
Flow:  -4.56; (38.4 stops OF opp [No. 12] – 43.0 stops BY opp [No. 9] / No. 12 overall
Striping:  -0.28; (+0.94) conversions [No. 7] – (+1.22) conversions [No. 8] / No. 8 overall
SPOR-t:  -118; (496 [No. 12] – 614 [No. 12]) / No. 12 overall

Abacus Revelation: On the season, the Fever were out-rebounded by seven per game, the weakest showing in the league.


Abacus Revelation for the Road / Random Ranking – Missed Shot (FGA) Differential

In its 204 games, WNBA players attempted 27,716 field goals, misfiring 15,497 times. Here’s each team’s total missed FGA’s for the season in comparison with its opponent’s total.

Seattle 171 fewer misses  [1143 (No. 1) – 1314 (No. 5)]
Chicago 140 fewer misses  [1282 (No. 7) – 1422 (No. 1)]]
Minnesota 108 fewer misses  [1200 (No. 3) – 1308 (No. 6)]
Los Angeles 81 fewer misses  [1168 (No. 2) – 1249 (No. 9)]
Phoenix 63 fewer misses  [1236 (No. 4) – 1299 (No. 8)]
New York 1 more miss  [1351 (No. 8) – 1350 (No. 2)]
Washington 15 more misses  [1357 (No. 10) – 1342 (No. 3)]
Connecticut 35 more misses  [1354 (No. 9) – 1319 (No. 4)]
San Antonio 35 more misses  [1275 (No. 5) – 1240 (No. 10)]
Atlanta 117 more misses  [1418 (No. 11) – 1301 (No. 7)]
Indiana 126 more misses  [1278 (No. 6) – 1152 (No. 12)]
Dallas 234 more misses  [1435 (No. 12) – 1201 (No. 11)]