“It’s a long road and a little wheel and it takes a lot of
turns to get there.”
That’s the epitaph for the early Charlie Daniels Band album Fire
on the Mountain, meant as a metaphor for the hardscrabble lifestyle of a
touring musician – or WNBA ballplayer, the Indiana Fever’s recent circuitous,
24-hour (the last eight on a bus) trek home from the Left Coast just the latest
example.
Just 11 months ago, a Las Vegas Aces’ game was postponed –
and subsequently deemed a forfeit – when a 36-hour commercial airline fiasco
landed them in DC just hours before the scheduled tip-off. A sidebar to this
tale of woe was the revelation – at least, to me – that WNBA teams are
prohibited by league policy from using charter air travel without prior
approval. (According to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, the cost of charter
travel would be in excess of the W’s league-wide “gate” revenue.)
Despite the rigors of the road, WNBA home teams lost more
games (93) in 2018 and posted a lower winning percentage (.544) than in any
season since 2007.
Through six weeks and 75 games this season, the home-girls
have won 47 times and posted the highest winning rate (.627) since 2009.
Here’s what an average 2019 WNBA game performance looks like,
numerically.
[All data reflects play through Thursday, July 4. An explanation of the criteria is available
here.]
Possessions: 79.1
Points: 77.6 [PPP:
0.981]
FG: 29.0 – 69.2, .419
3FG: 6.63 – 19.92, .333
3PAr/Usage rate: .288
FT: 12.9 – 16.3, .795
(Off – Tot) Reb: 9.3 – 35.4
[OR% .263]
TO: 14.6 [TO% .161]
No.
1 Washington Mystics, 9-3 (5)
[4-week Abacus Rank: No. 1
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 3]
KK: +4; (5 Road Wins
– 1 Home Loss) / No. 1 overall
Flow: +4.67; (46.6 stops
OF opp [No. 4] – 41.9 stops BY opp [No. 1] / No. 1 overall
Striping: +2.08;
(+3.50) conversions [No. 1] – (+1.42) opp conversions [No. 5] / No. 1 overall
SPOR-t: +57; (578
[No. 1] – 521 [No. 6]) / No. 2 overall
Abacus
Revelation: The sure-handed Mystics sport the loop’s scrawniest TO% (.135) through
six weeks.
No.
2 Connecticut Sun, 9-4 (21)
[4-week Abacus Rank: No. 2
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 1]
KK: +3; (3 Road Wins
– 0 Home Losses) / No. 2 overall
Flow: +0.46; (45.8 stops
OF opp [No. 6] – 45.3 stops BY opp [No. 6] / No. 5 overall
Striping: -1.04; (+0.92)
conversions [No. 10] – (+1.96) conversions [No. 9] / No. 11 overall
SPOR-t: +53; (539
[No. 4] – 486 [No. 3]) / No. 3 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Sun are the only WNBA squad with an unblemished home record at this
juncture.
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%: Las Vegas,
Washington
3FG%: Las Vegas,
Washington
PPG: Washington
OR%: Connecticut,
Minnesota
TO%: Washington
SPOR-t: Connecticut
No. 3
Las Vegas Aces, 8-5 (21.5)
[4-week Abacus Rank: No. 4
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 8]
KK: 0; (2 Road Wins –
2 Home Losses) / No. 6 overall (tied)
Flow: +3.77; (50.4 stops
OF opp [No. 1] – 46.6 stops BY opp [No. 8] / No. 2 overall
Striping: -2.23; (+0.27)
conversions [No. 12] – (+2.50) opp conversions [No. 12] / No. 12 overall
SPOR-t: +60; (509
[No. 8] – 449 [No. 1]) / No. 1 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The “W’s” most reluctant three-point shooters (.208, 3PAr) are also its most accurate
(.354).
No. 4
Seattle Storm, 8-7 (22)
[4-week Abacus Rank: No. 5
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 4]
KK: +1; (3 Road Wins
– 2 Home Losses) / No. 3 overall (tied)-3
Flow: +2.67; (46.8 stops
OF opp [No. 3] – 44.1 stops BY opp [No. 4] / No. 3 overall
Striping: -0.77; (+1.27)
conversions [No. 8] - (+2.03) opp conversions [No. 10] / No. 10 overall
SPOR-t: +36; (516
[No. 7] – 480 [No. 2]) / No. 5 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Storm’s 72.7 points allowed per game so far is second to none.
No. 5
Los Angeles Sparks, 6-6 (24)
[4-week Abacus Rank: No. 8
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 6]
KK: +1; (3 Road Wins
– 2 Home Losses) / No. 3 overall (tied)-3
Flow: -1.33; (47.2
stops OF opp [No. 2] – 48.5 stops BY opp [No. 12] / No. 7 overall
Striping: +0.58; (+2.54)
conversions [No. 3] – (+1.96) opp conversions [No. 8]) / No. 4 overall
SPOR-t: -35; (490
[No. 10] – 525 [No. 7]) / No. 9 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Sparks struggle mightily to defend the three-ball, allowing .424 opponent
accuracy during Weeks 5-6.
ABACUS INFOMERCIAL
Scoring Pace 75 games
100+ points: 4 games
90-99 points: 15
games
80-89 points: 46
games
70-79 points: 48
games
60-69 points: 29
games
<60 points: 8
games
No.
6 Minnesota Lynx, 7-6 (26)
[4-week Abacus Rank: No. 6
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 2]
KK: -1; (2 Road Wins
– 3 Home Losses) / No. 8 overall (tied)-3
Flow: +1.69; (46.1 stops
OF opp [No. 5] – 44.4 stops BY opp [No. 5] / No. 4 overall
Striping: -0.58; (+1.15)
conversions [No. 9] – (+1.73) opp conversions [No. 7] / No. 9 overall
SPOR-t: +43; (536
[No. 5] – 493 [No. 4]) / No. 4 overall
Abacus
Revelation: The streaky Lynx shot .470 (No. 2) from the field during Weeks
5-6.
No. 7
Chicago Sky, 6-7 (28)
[4-week Abacus Rank: No. 3
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 10]
KK: 0; (2 Road Wins –
2 Home Losses) / No. 6 overall (tied)
Flow: -1.92; (45.5 stops
OF opp [No. 7] – 47.4 stops BY opp [No. 10] / No. 9 overall (tied)
Striping: +1.50; (+2.65)
conversions [No. 2] – (+1.15) opp conversions [No. 2] / No. 2 overall
SPOR-t: -36; (503
[No. 9] – 539 [No. 8]) / No. 10 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Sky force opponent Turnovers at the lowest rate in the “W” (.139).
No. 7
Phoenix Mercury, 2-5 (28)
[4-week Abacus Rank: No. 10
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 9]
KK: +1; (2 Road Win –
1 Home Loss) / No. 3 overall (tied)-3
Flow: +0.10; (44.1 stops
OF opp [No. 9] – 44.0 stops BY opp [No. 2] / No. 6 overall
Striping: +0.10; (+2.35)
conversions [No. 4] – (+2.25) opp conversions [No. 11] / No. 7 overall
SPOR-t: -77; (465
[No. 12] – 542 [No. 9]) / No. 11 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Mercury buckled down on the “D” during Weeks 5-6, allowing only 69.3 ppg.
ABACUS INFOMERCIAL
Scoring Differential 75
games
1-5 points: 23 games
6-10 points: 23 games
11-15 points: 10
games
16-20 points: 9 games
>20: 10 games
No. 9
Indiana Fever, 5-9 (29)
[4-week Abacus Rank: No. 7
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 5]
KK: -1; (3 Road Wins
– 4 Home Losses) / No. 8 overall (tied)-3
Flow: -1.79; (42.2 stops
OF opp [No. 12] – 44.0 stops BY opp [No. 2] / No. 8 overall
Striping: +0.21; (+1.64)
conversions [No. 5] – (+1.43) conversions [No. 6) / No. 5 overall
SPOR-t: -10; (561
[No. 2] – 571 [No. 11]) / No. 7 overall
Abacus Revelation:
Exactly half of the Fever’s 14 games have been won by the road team.
No.10
Dallas Wings, 4-7 (31)
[4-week Abacus Rank: No. 9
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 7]
KK: -2; (0 Road Wins
– 2 Home Losses) / No. 11 overall
Flow: -2.45; (43.3 stops
OF opp [No. 10] – 45.7 stops BY opp [No. 7] / No. 11 overall
Striping: +0.77; (+1.59)
conversions [No. 6] – (+0.82) conversions [No. 1] / No. 3 overall
SPOR-t: +27; (542
[No. 3] – 515 [No. 5]) / No. 6 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Wings’ league-worst (.291) three-point shooting feeds their scoring woes
(70.5 ppg, No. 11).
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%: Atlanta,
Connecticut
3FG%: New York
PPG: Atlanta
OR%: Los Angeles
TO%: Chicago, Las Vegas
SPOR-t: Atlanta,
Phoenix
No.
11 New York Liberty, 6-7 (32.5)
[4-week Abacus Rank: No. 11
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 10]
KK: -1; (3 Road Wins
– 4 Home Losses) / No. 8 overall (tied)-3
Flow: -4.00; (44.9 stops
OF opp [No. 8] – 46.8 stops BY opp [No. 9] / No. 9 overall (tied)
Striping: +0.19; (1.35)
conversions [No. 7] – (+1.15) opp conversions [No. 2] / No. 6 overall
SPOR-t: -21; (521
[No. 6] – 542 [No. 9]) / No. 8 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Liberty rank third in per-game scoring at 79.5.
No.
12 Atlanta Dream, 2-9 (44)
[4-week Abacus Rank: No. 12
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 12]
KK: -5; (0 Road Wins
– 5 Home Losses) / No. 12 overall
Flow: -5.09; (42.7 stops
OF opp [No. 11] – 47.8 stops BY opp [No. 11] / No. 12 overall
Striping: -0.45; [+0.86)
conversions [No. 11] – (+1.32) conversions [No. 4] / No. 8 overall
SPOR-t: -135; (474
[No. 11] – 609 [No. 12]) / No. 12 overall
Abacus Revelation:
Abacus Revelation for
the Road / per-game missed three-point shots
In 75 games, WNBA players attempted 2.988 three-point shots.
They have been off-target on 1,994 of them – an average of 13.3 misses per game
per team.
Las Vegas 9.38 missed
treys [3FG%: .354, No. 1]
Indiana 11.29 missed
treys [3FG%: .342, No. 7]
Minnesota 13.00
missed treys [3FG%: .335, No. 8]
Connecticut 13.38
missed treys [3FG%: .348, No. 6]
Phoenix 13.40 missed
treys [3FG%: .353, No. 2]
Seattle 13.40 missed
treys [3FG%: .304, No. 10]
Chicago 13.46 missed
treys [3FG%: .352, No. 4]
Los Angeles 13.58
missed treys [3FG%: .351, No. 5]
New York 13.85 missed
treys [3FG%: .313, No. 9]
Atlanta 14.55 missed
treys [3FG%: .298, No. 11]
Dallas 14.64 missed
treys [3FG%: .291, No. 12]
Washington 16.42
missed treys [3FG%: .352, No. 3]
No comments:
Post a Comment