WNBA 2018 10-week Progress Report

Let’s hope all the current marketing and media indicators that suggest an overall up-swing in WNBA “buzz” are accurate – it couldn’t be happening at a better time!

In a span of roughly 74 hours late last month, the league’s all-time single-game scoring record falls, then the “W” bears witness to just its seventh-ever triple-double. Both feats occurred before a home crowd during a victory in which the 100-point scoring plateau was eclipsed.

The Season by the Numbers (per-game per team) thru 153 games:

Possessions: 79.3

Points: 82.2  [PPP: 1.037]

FG: 30.2 – 68.3, .442

3FG: 6.5 – 19.2, .340

3PAr/Usage rate: .282

FT: 15.3 – 19.1, .797

(Off – Tot) Reb: 8.8 – 34.3  [OR% .257]

TO: 13.8  [TO% .153]

Stats and data represent play through Wednesday, July 25.

An explanation of the criteria for ranking is available here.

An index of bi-weekly ratings available here.

No. 1 Seattle Storm, 19-7 (7)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 1

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 1

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 1

8-week Abacus Rank: No. 1]

KK:  +6; (9 Road Wins – 3 Home Losses) / No. 1 overall

Flow:  +2.96; (44.3 stops OF opp [No. 4] – 41.3 stops BY opp [No. 2] / No. 1 overall

Striping:  +1.48; (+2.73) conversions [No. 1] - (+1.25) opp conversions [No. 5] / No. 1 overall

SPOR-t:  +40; (573 [No. 3] – 533 [No. 5]) / No. 4 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Storm drained 4.6 more treys per game than its opponents during Weeks 9 & 10.

No. 2 Connecticut Sun, 14-12 (14.5)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 3

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 1

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 1

8-week Abacus Rank: No. 3]

KK:  +3; (7 Road Wins – 4 Home Losses) / No. 4 overall

Flow:  +1.42; (43.6 stops OF opp [No. 5] – 42.2 stops BY opp [No. 4] / No. 3 overall

Striping:  +0.31; (+1.62) conversions [No. 5] – (+1.31) conversions [No. 8] / No. 6 overall (tied)

SPOR-t:  +111; (624 [No. 1] – 513 [No. 2]) / No. 1 overall

Abacus Revelation: Connecticut burned up the nets from 3-point-land (.430) during Weeks 9 & 10.

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%: Dallas, Seattle

3FG%: Seattle

PPG: Seattle

OR%: Connecticut, Dallas, Minnesota

TO%: Los Angeles, Washington

SPOR-t: Connecticut

No. 3 Dallas Wings, 14-11 (21)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 6

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 7

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 7

8-week Abacus Rank: No. 4]

KK:  +1; (5 Road Wins – 4 Home Losses) / No. 6 overall (tied-3)

Flow:  +2.12; (44.5 stops OF opp [No. 3] – 42.4 stops BY opp [No. 6] / No. 2 overall

Striping:  -0.44; (+0.64) conversions [No. 10] – (+1.08) conversions [No. 2] / No. 9 overall

SPOR-t:  +42; (575 [No. 2] – 533 [No. 5]) / No. 3 overall

Abacus Revelation: The leaky Dallas defense allowed 93 ppg during Fortnight V.

No. 3 Minnesota Lynx, 15-10 (21)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 8

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 9

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 6

8-week Abacus Rank: No. 5]

KK:  +2; (7 Road Wins – 5 Home Losses) / No. 5 overall

Flow:  +1.40; (43.6 stops OF opp [No. 6] – 42.2 stops BY opp [No. 5] / No. 4 overall

Striping:  -0.94; (+0.68) conversions [No. 9] – (+1.62) opp conversions [No. 11] / No. 10 overall

SPOR-t:  +68; (559 [No. 5] – 491 [No. 1]) / No. 2 overall

Abacus Revelation: The surprisingly erratic Lynx boast the circuit’s best scoring defense (76.9 ppg).

 No. 5 Phoenix Mercury, 15-11 (22.5)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 10

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 3

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 3

8-week Abacus Rank: No. 2]

KK:  +4; (10 Road Wins – 6 Home Losses) / No. 2 overall (tied)

Flow:  +0.46; (43.4 stops OF opp [No. 7] – 43.0 stops BY opp [No. 7] / No. 8 overall

Striping:  +1.27; (+2.54) conversions [No. 2] – (+1.27) opp conversions [No. 7] / No. 2 overall

SPOR-t:  -69; (507 [No. 11] – 576 [No. 10]) / No. 10 overall

Abacus Revelation: The enigmatic Merc dropped all three home games during a rough Fortnight V.

ABACUS INFOMERCIAL

Scoring Pace 31 games [153 overall]

100+ points: 6 games [21 overall]

90-99 points: 11 games [56 overall]

80-89 points: 24 games [95 overall]

70-79 points: 16 games [102 overall]

60-69 points: 5 games [28 overall]

<60 points: 0 games [4 overall]

No. 6 Atlanta Dream, 16-9 (25.5)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 9

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 6

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 8

8-week Abacus Rank: No. 8]

KK:  +4; (7 Road Wins – 3 Home Losses) / No. 2 overall (tied)

Flow:  +1.00; (46.1 stops OF opp [No. 1] – 45.1 stops BY opp [No. 11] / No. 6 overall

Striping:  -1.44; [-0.16) conversions [No. 11] – (+1.28) conversions [No. 7] / No. 11 overall

SPOR-t:  +17; (533 [No. 7] – 516 [No. 3]) / No. 6 overall 

Abacus Revelation: The Dream’s strong 6-0 Fortnight V featured the “W’s” best scoring (74.5 ppg) and shooting (.410) defense.

No. 7 Washington Mystics, 14-11 (26)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 2

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 5

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 5

8-week Abacus Rank: No. 6]

KK:  +1; (6 Road Wins – 5 Home Losses) / No. 6 overall (tied-3)

Flow:  -0.16; (41.8 stops OF opp [No. 10] – 41.9 stops BY opp [No. 3] / No. 9 overall

Striping:  +1.18; (+2.66) conversions [No. 2] – (+1.48) opp conversions [No. 10] / No. 3 overall

SPOR-t:  -1; (562 [No. 4] – 563 [No. 9]) / No. 7 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Mystics attempt 4.5 more 3FG’s per game than do their opponents.

No. 7 Los Angeles Sparks, 15-11 (26)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 4

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 4

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 4

8-week Abacus Rank: No. 7]

KK:  +1; (7 Road Wins – 6 Home Losses) / No. 6 overall (tied-3)

Flow:  +0.92; (42.2 stops OF opp [No. 9] – 41.3 stops BY opp [No. 1] / No. 7 overall

Striping:  +0.77; (+1.48) conversions [No. 7] – (+0.71) opp conversions [No. 1]) / No. 4 overall

SPOR-t:  -21; (521 [No. 10] – 542 [No. 7]) / No. 8 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Sparks play the best 3FG defense in the WNBA (.304).

ABACUS INFOMERCIAL

Scoring Differential 31 games [153 overall]

1-5 points: 7 games [37 overall]

6-10 points: 4 games [41 overall]

11-15 points: 5 games [30 overall]

16-20 points:  8 games [22 overall]

>20 points:  7 games [23 overall]

No. 9 Las Vegas Aces, 12-13 (31)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 12

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 11

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 10

8-week Abacus Rank: No. 9]

KK:  0; (6 Road Wins – 6 Home Losses) / No. 9 overall

Flow:  +1.04; (44.8 stops OF opp [No. 2] – 43.7 stops BY opp [No. 8] / No. 5 overall

Striping:  -3.16; (-0.98) conversions [No. 12] – (+2.18) opp conversions [No. 12] / No. 12 overall

SPOR-t:  +20; (548 [No. 6] – 528 [No. 4]) / No. 5 overall

Abacus Revelation: The on-the-rise Aces have struggled forcing turnovers all season, ranked No. 11 in TO% (.142).

No. 10 New York Liberty, 7-18 (35)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 5

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 8

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 9

8-week Abacus Rank: No. 9]

KK: -6; (3 Road Wins – 9 Home Losses) / No. 11 overall

Flow:  -1.88; (42.5 stops OF opp [No. 8] – 44.4 stops BY opp [No. 9] / No. 10 overall

Striping:  +0.34; (+1.50) conversions [No. 6] – (+1.16) opp conversions [No. 4] / No. 5 overall

SPOR-t:  -30; (523 [No. 9] – 553 [No. 8]) / No. 9 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Liberty were the league’s third-best FG shooting team (.473) during Weeks 9 & 10, despite losing four of five games.

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%: Indiana

3FG%: Indiana

PPG: Indiana, New York

OR%: Los Angeles, Phoenix

TO%: Chicago, Phoenix

SPOR-t: Indiana, Phoenix

 No. 11 Chicago Sky, 9-17 (39.5)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 6

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 12

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 12

8-week Abacus Rank: No. 11]

KK:  -5; (3 Road Wins – 8 Home Losses) / No. 10 overall

Flow:  -4.00; (40.8 stops OF opp [No. 11] – 44.8 stops BY opp [No. 10] / No. 11 overall

Striping:  0.31; (+1.77) conversions [No. 4] – (+1.46) opp conversions [No. 9] / No. 6 overall (tied)

SPOR-t:  -100; (530 [No. 8] – 630 [No. 12]) / No. 12 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Sky opposition reached 90 points four times in six tries during Weeks 9 & 10.

No. 12 Indiana Fever, 3-23 (43)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 11

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 10

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 11

8-week Abacus Rank: No. 12]

KK:  -10; (2 Road Wins – 12 Home Losses) / No. 12 overall

Flow:  -5.15; (40.2 stops OF opp [No. 12] – 45.3 stops BY opp [No. 12] / No. 12 overall

Striping:  +0.15; (+1.27) conversions [No. 8] – (+1.12) conversions [No. 3] / No. 8 overall

SPOR-t:  -76; (500 [No. 12] – 576 [No. 10]) / No. 11 overall

Abacus Revelation: The struggling Fever rank last in FG% (.407) and last in FG% defense (.474).

Abacus Revelation for the Road / Random Ranking – Pe-game Differential in Free-Throw Attempts

In its first 153 games, WNBA 2018 produced 5,857 free-throw attempts – an average of 19.1 per game per team.

Las Vegas +6.12 FTA’s per game [24.2 (No. 2) – 18.0 (No. 3)]

Dallas +4.72 FTA’s per game [25.9 (No. 1) – 21.2 (No. 11)]

Atlanta +3.60 FTA’s per game [21.8 (No. 3) – 18.2 (No. 5)]

Minnesota +2.92 FTA’s per game [18.4 (No. 6) – 15.4 (No. 1)]

Phoenix +1.15 FTA’s per game [20.4 (No. 4) – 19.2 (No. 7)]

Seattle +0.62 FTA’s per game [17.8 (No. 8) – 17.2 (No. 2)]

Washington -0.32 FTA’s per game [18.7 (No. 5) – 19.0 (No. 6)]

Chicago -1.50 FTA’s per game [18.3 (No. 7) – 19.8 (No. 8)]

Los Angeles -2.46 FTA’s per game [15.5 (No. 12) – 18.0 (No. 3)]

Connecticut -3.58 FTA’s per game [16.5 (No. 10) – 20.1 (No. 9)]

Indiana -4.15 FTA’s per game [16.0 (No. 11) – 20.1 (No. 9)]

New York -6.72 FTA’s per game [16.7 (No. 9) – 23.4 (No. 12)]