WNBA 2019: 4-Week Progress Report

As Mark Twain is alleged to have said, reports of the demise of the WNBA – no Stewart, no Taurasi, serious illness befalling a prominent coach, no more (Moore) – are pre-mature. The planet’s best and most competitive women’s pro basketball league trudges along – quite entertainingly, I might add!!

New WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert

While the WNBA is certainly facing a crossroads at the conclusion of the season – among other things, the Collective Bargaining Agreement is set for re-negotiation – for now, the game’s afoot.

Through four weeks and 49 games, here’s what an average 2019 WNBA game looks like, numerically.

Possessions: 79.0

Points: 77.6  [PPP: 0.982]

FG: 28.9 – 69.2, .418

3FG: 6.46 – 19.65, .329

3PAr/Usage rate: .284

FT: 13.3 – 16.7, .799

(Off – Tot) Reb: 9.8 – 35.8  [OR% .275]

TO: 15.0  [TO% .163]

[All data reflects play through Thursday, June 20.  An explanation of the criteria is available here.]

No. 1 Washington Mystics, 6-3 (9.5)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 3]

KK:  +2; (3 Road Wins – 1 Home Loss) / No. 3 overall (tied)

Flow:  +4.11; (46.2 stops OF opp [No. 5] – 42.1 stops BY opp [No. 2] / No. 1 overall

Striping:  +2.22; (+3.50) conversions [No. 1] – (+1.28) opp conversions [No. 5] / No. 1 overall

SPOR-t:  +44; (574 [No. 3] – 530 [No. 6]) / No. 4 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Mystics have been the best shooting (.450) and scoring (85.6 ppg) through four weeks.

No. 2 Connecticut Sun, 8-1 (12.5)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 1]

KK:  +3; (3 Road Wins – 0 Home Losses) / No. 1 overall (tied)

Flow:  +2.11; (46.8 stops OF opp [No. 2] – 44.7 stops BY opp [No. 4] / No. 4 overall

Striping:  +0.17; (+1.28) conversions [No. 8] – (+1.11) conversions [No. 2] / No. 6 overall

SPOR-t:  +114; (578 [No. 2] – 464 [No. 2]) / No. 1 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Sun’s rugged boardwork has earned a No. 2 rating both offensively (.314) and defensively (.782).

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%: Indiana

3FG%: Chicago, Connecticut

PPG: Connecticut, Washington

OR%: Connecticut, Minnesota

TO%: Washington

SPOR-t: Connecticut

No. 3 Chicago Sky, 5-2 (19.5)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 10]

KK:  +2; (2 Road Wins – 0 Home Losses) / No. 3 overall (tied)

Flow:  +0.14; (46.6 stops OF opp [No. 4] – 46.4 stops BY opp [No. 9] / No. 6 overall

Striping:  +1.14; (+2.50) conversions [No. 2] – (+1.36) opp conversions [No. 8] / No. 2 overall

SPOR-t:  -10; (533 [No. 5] – 543 [No. 7]) / No. 8 overall

Abacus Revelation: The streaky Sky rank No. 2 in both FG% (.444) and 3FG% (.364).

No. 4 Las Vegas Aces, 4-4 (21.5)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 8]

KK:  0; (2 Road Wins – 2 Home Losses) / No. 6 overall (tied)

Flow:  +2.88; (49.1 stops OF opp [No. 1] – 46.3 stops BY opp [No. 8] / No. 2 overall

Striping:  -1.75; (+0.38) conversions [No. 11] – (+2.13) opp conversions [No. 10] / No. 11 overall

SPOR-t:  +76; (525 [No. 6] – 449 [No. 1]) / No. 2 overall

Abacus Revelation: This No. 2 scoring squad (82.9 ppg) also ranks No. 1 (.805) in defensive rebounding.

No. 5 Seattle Storm, 5-4 (22.5)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 4]

KK:  +3; (3 Road Wins – 0 Home Losses) / No. 1 overall (tied)

Flow:  +2.56; (45.7 stops OF opp [No. 6] – 43.1 stops BY opp [No. 3] / No. 3 overall

Striping:  -1.94; (+0.72) conversions [No. 10] - (+2.67) opp conversions [No. 12] / No. 12 overall

SPOR-t:  +10; (523 [No. 7] – 513 [No. 4]) / No. 6 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Storm attempt 5.33 more FT’s per game than their opposition, WNBA-best.

ABACUS INFOMERCIAL

Scoring Pace 49 games

100+ points: 2 games
90-99 points: 9 games
80-89 points: 32 games
70-79 points: 34 games
60-69 points: 16 games
<60 points: 5 games  

No. 6 Minnesota Lynx, 4-5 (26.5)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 2]

KK:  -2; (1 Road Win – 3 Home Losses) / No. 9 overall (tied)

Flow:  -0.11; (45.2 stops OF opp [No. 6] – 45.3 stops BY opp [No. 7] / No. 7 overall

Striping:  +0.28; (+1.61) conversions [No. 5] – (+1.33) opp conversions [No. 7] / No. 5 overall

SPOR-t:  +30; (520 [No. 8] – 490 [No. 3]) / No. 5 overall

Abacus Revelation: The new-look Lynx commit almost 18 TO’s a game (.198), worst in the league.

No. 7 Indiana Fever, 4-5 (27)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 5]

KK:  -1; (2 Road Wins – 3 Home Losses) / No. 8 overall

Flow:  +0.56; (42.0 stops OF opp [No. 12] – 41.4 stops BY opp [No. 1] / No. 5 overall

Striping:  0.00; (+1.44) conversions [No. 7] – (+1.44) conversions [No. 9] / No. 7 overall

SPOR-t:  +1; (599 [No. 1] – 598 [No. 11]) / No. 7 overall

Abacus Revelation: The sure-handed Fever ranks No. 1 in Turnover Percentage (.137).

No. 8 Los Angeles Sparks, 4-4 (28)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 6]

KK:  +1; (3 Road Wins – 2 Home Losses) / No. 5 overall

Flow:  -3.25; (46.8 stops OF opp [No. 3] – 50.0 stops BY opp [No. 12] / No. 10 overall

Striping:  +0.88; (+2.19) conversions [No. 4] – (+1.31) opp conversions [No. 6]) / No. 3 overall

SPOR-t:  -58; (487 [No. 10] – 545 [No. 8]) / No. 10 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Sparks’ free-throw differential (-6.38) ranks last in the league.

ABACUS INFOMERCIAL

Scoring Differential 49 games

1-5 points: 13 games

6-10 points: 17 games

11-15 points: 9 games

16-20 points:  4 games

>20: 6 games

No.9 Dallas Wings, 2-5 (29)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 7]

KK:  -2; (0 Road Wins – 2 Home Losses) / No. 9 overall (tied)

Flow:  -0.86; (44.4 stops OF opp [No. 8] – 45.3 stops BY opp [No. 5] / No. 8 overall

Striping:  -0.43; (+0.79) conversions [No. 9] – (+1.21) conversions [No. 4] / No. 8 overall (tied)

SPOR-t:  +47; (561 [No. 4] – 514 [No. 5]) / No. 3 overall

Abacus Revelation: No Cambage, no problem. The Wings top the league OR% (.354) – over 13 per game.

No. 10 Phoenix Mercury, 2-5 (35)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 9]

KK:  0; (1 Road Win – 1 Home Loss) / No. 6 overall (tied)

Flow:  -1.57; (44.1 stops OF opp [No. 9] – 45.7 stops BY opp [No. 7] / No. 9 overall

Striping:  -0.43; (+2.21) conversions [No. 3] – (+2.64) opp conversions [No. 11] / No. 8 overall (tied)

SPOR-t:  -106; (450 [No. 12] – 556 [No. 9]) / No. 11 overall

Abacus Revelation: Despite losing 3 of 4 games, the Mercury attempted eight more FT’s per game than their opponents during Weeks 3 & 4.

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%: New York

3FG%: New York, Seattle

PPG: NONE

OR%: Los Angeles

TO%: Chicago, Las Vegas

SPOR-t: Atlanta, New York, Phoenix

No. 11 New York Liberty, 3-6 (36)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 10]

KK:  -3; (1 Road Win – 4 Home Losses) / No. 11 overall (tied)

Flow:  -4.00; (44.1 stops OF opp [No. 10] – 48.1 stops BY opp [No. 11] / No. 11 overall (tied)

Striping:  +0.50; (1.61) conversions [No. 5] – (+1.11) opp conversions [No. 2] / No. 4 overall

SPOR-t:  -56; (502 [No. 9] – 558 [No. 10]) / No. 9 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Liberty have struggled on the offensive backboard (No. 11, .248) through four weeks.

No. 12 Atlanta Dream, 2-5 (45)

[2-week Abacus Rank: No. 12]

KK:  -3; (0 Road Wins – 3 Home Losses) / No. 11 overall (tied)

Flow:  -4.00; (43.3 stops OF opp [No. 11] – 47.3 stops BY opp [No. 10] / No. 11 overall (tied)

Striping:  -0.86; [+0.21) conversions [No. 12] – (+1.07) conversions [No. 1] / No. 10 overall

SPOR-t:  -127; (483 [No. 11] – 610 [No. 12]) / No. 12 overall

Abacus Revelation: During Weeks 3 & 4, the Dream played the league’s best FG defense (.346) and second-best 3FG “D” (.262).

Abacus Revelation for the Road / Random Ranking – 3PAr (usage rate for 3FG’s)

Washington .365 [230 3FGA’s in 631 FGA’s]

Minnesota .322 [188 3FGA’s in 584 FGA’s]

Phoenix .303 [138 3FGA’s in 455 FGA’s]

New York .295 [192 3FGA’s in 650 FGA’s]

Connecticut .294 [190 3FGA’s in 646 FGA’s]

Atlanta .291 [138 3FGA’s in 475 FGA’s]

Chicago .286 [140 3FGA’s in 489 FGA’s]

Los Angeles .283 [165 3FGA’s in 583 FGA’s]

Dallas .273 [132 3FGA’s in 484 FGA’s]

Seattle .246 [146 3FGA’s in 593 FGA’s]

Indiana .233 [148 3FGA’s in 634 FGA’s]

Las Vegas .213 [119 3FGA’s in 558 FGA’s]