WNBA 2019: 10-Week Progress Report

The WNBA’s Las Vegas-centric All-Star Extravaganza provided to the league and its new Commissioner a plush platform from which to promote the league and women’s ball overall – fittingly enough, one of the designated team captains missed the “game” due to injury.

The absence of the sport’s biggest names didn’t inhibit the “elite” who fast-paced their way to 250 combined points on over 100 possessions apiece. Shots were falling at a hearty 49% clip – though about league average from three-point range. Turnovers, free throws and defense ranged from minimal to non-existent.

The Indiana Fever’s relatively obscure but sharp-shooting Erica Wheeler copped MVP honors in the first All-Star selection of her five-year career.

For non-participants in the Gala, a five-day break from (for many) a year-round job is the nectar of the gods. 

Here’s a handful of established veterans to keep an eye on as the season enters its final trimester … players prone to make the proper play in the most tense of moments: Jessica Breland (Atlanta), Shenise Johnson (Indiana), Briann January (Phoenix), Jantel Lavender (Chicago) and Jasmine Thomas (Connecticut).

That’s a quintet – none of whom can boast more than a single All-Star selection – that’ll step up to the task, whatever it requires.

Here’s what an average 2019 WNBA game performance looks like, numerically.

[All data reflects play through Monday, August 5.  An explanation of the criteria is available here.]

Possessions: 78.6

Points: 77.1  [PPP: 0.981]

FG: 28.7 – 68.8, .418

3FG: 6.7 – 20.0, .330

3PAr/Usage rate: .291

FT: 12.9 – 16.2, .799

(Off – Tot) Reb: 9.2 – 35.2  [OR% .260]

TO: 14.5  [TO% .161]

No. 1 Washington Mystics, 15-7 (9)

[8-week Abacus Rank: No. 1

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 1

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 1

2-week Abacus Rank: No. 3]

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

Flow:  +3.73; (44.6 stops OF opp [No. 7] – 40.9 stops BY opp [No. 1] / No. 2 overall

Striping:  +1.23; (+3.30) conversions [No. 1] – (+2.07) opp conversions [No. 10] / No. 2 overall

SPOR-t:  +40; (586 [No. 1] – 546 [No. 9]) / No. 4 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Mystics’ nine road victories are 50% higher than anyone else’s total.

No. 2 Connecticut Sun, 16-6 (14.5)

[8-week Abacus Rank: No. 4

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 2

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 2

2-week Abacus Rank: No. 1]

KK:  +4; (5 Road Wins – 1 Home Loss) / No. 2 overall (tied)

Flow:  +1.09; (46.0 stops OF opp [No. 5] – 45.9 stops BY opp [No. 4] / No. 4 overall

Striping:  -0.32; (+1.20) conversions [No. 9] – (+1.52) conversions [No. 4] / No. 7 overall

SPOR-t:  +87; (561 [No. 2] – 474 [No. 2]) / No. 1 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Sun misfire on a league-high 5.14 FTA’s per game.

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%: Chicago, Las Vegas

3FG%: Chicago, Connecticut

PPG: Connecticut

OR%: Connecticut, Dallas, Minnesota

TO%: Connecticut

SPOR-t: Connecticut, Minnesota

No. 3 Las Vegas Aces, 11-5 (19)

[8-week Abacus Rank: No. 2

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 3

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 4

2-week Abacus Rank: No. 8]

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

Flow:  +3.91; (50.0 stops OF opp [No. 1] – 46.1 stops BY opp [No. 8] / No. 1 overall

Striping:  -1.80; (+0.54) conversions [No. 12] – (+2.35) opp conversions [No. 12] / No. 12 overall

SPOR-t:  +59; (508 [No. 7] – 449 [No. 1]) / No. 2 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Aces attempt a league-best 5.09 more FT’s per game then their opponents through 10 weeks.

No. 4 Los Angeles Sparks, 13-8 (21.5)

[8-week Abacus Rank: No. 5

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 5

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 8

2-week Abacus Rank: No. 6]

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

Flow:  -0.10; (46.6 stops OF opp [No. 3] – 46.7 stops BY opp [No. 10] / No. 8 overall

Striping:  +1.07; (+2.74) conversions [No. 2] – (+1.67) opp conversions [No. 6]) / No. 3 overall

SPOR-t:  -6; (515 [No. 5] – 521 [No. 6]) / No. 8 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Sparks stiffened their work (No. 4, .767) on the D-board during Weeks 9 & 10.

No. 5 Chicago Sky, 12-9 (22)

[8-week Abacus Rank: No. 6

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 7

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 3

2-week Abacus Rank: No. 10]

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

Flow:  +0.14; (46.8 stops OF opp [No. 2] – 46.6 stops BY opp [No. 9] / No. 6 overall

Striping:  +1.36; (+2.55) conversions [No. 3] – (+1.19) opp conversions [No. 2] / No. 1 overall

SPOR-t:  -33; (494 [No. 9] – 527 [No. 7]) / No. 9 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Sky are playing the WNBA’s No. 2 3-point defense (.314).

ABACUS INFOMERCIAL

Scoring Pace 131 games

100+ points: 6 games

90-99 points: 32 games

80-89 points: 62 games

70-79 points: 92 games

60-69 points: 57 games

<60 points: 13 games  

No. 6 Minnesota Lynx, 10-11 (24)

[8-week Abacus Rank: No. 7

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 6

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 6

2-week Abacus Rank: No. 2]

KK:  -1; (4 Road Wins – 5 Home Losses) / No. 8 overall

Flow:  +1.19; (46.4 stops OF opp [No. 4] – 45.2 stops BY opp [No. 5] / No. 3 overall

Striping:  -0.64; (+1.26) conversions [No. 8] – (+1.90) opp conversions [No. 8] / No. 10 overall

SPOR-t:  +46; (538 [No. 4] – 492 [No. 3]) / No. 3 overall

Abacus Revelation: A consistent effort on the glass (top-tier at both ends of the floor) keep Coach Reeve’s Lynx in the mix.

No. 7 Phoenix Mercury, 11-10 (26)

[8-week Abacus Rank: No. 8

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 7

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 10

2-week Abacus Rank: No. 9]

KK:  +2; (4 Road Wins – 2 Home Losses) / No. 5 overall

Flow:  +0.90; (44.2 stops OF opp [No. 9] – 43.3 stops BY opp [No. 2] / No. 5 overall

Striping:  +0.48; (+2.48) conversions [No. 4] – (+2.00) opp conversions [No. 9] / No. 5 overall

SPOR-t:  -79; (468 [No. 12] – 547 [No. 10]) / No. 11 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Mercury not only attempt 2.76 more FT’s per game than their opposition (No. 2), but also miss only 2.10 FTA’s per game, fewest in the league … quite a quinella.

No. 7 Seattle Storm, 12-11 (26)

[8-week Abacus Rank: No. 3

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 4

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 5

2-week Abacus Rank: No. 4]

KK:  0; (4 Road Wins – 4 Home Losses) / No. 7 overall

Flow:  +0.09; (45.6 stops OF opp [No. 6] – 45.5 stops BY opp [No. 6] / No. 7 overall

Striping:  -0.22; (+2.04) conversions [No. 5] - (+2.26) opp conversions [No. 11] / No. 6 overall

SPOR-t:  +9; (507 [No. 8] – 498 [No. 5]) / No. 6 overall

Abacus Revelation: The pesky Storm rank No. 1 in forcing Opponent Turnovers (.188).

ABACUS INFOMERCIAL

Scoring Differential 131 games

1-5 points: 40 games

6-10 points: 36 games

11-15 points: 22 games

16-20 points:  15 games

>20: 18 games

No.9 Dallas Wings, 6-16 (30)

[8-week Abacus Rank: No. 9

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 10

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 9

2-week Abacus Rank: No. 7]

KK:  -6; (0 Road Wins – 6 Home Losses) / No. 11 overall

Flow:  -2.45; (43.5 stops OF opp [No. 12] – 46.0 stops BY opp [No. 7] / No. 10 overall

Striping:  +0.57; (+1.73) conversions [No. 6] – (+1.16) conversions [No. 1] / No. 4 overall

SPOR-t:  +20; (513 [No. 6] – 493 [No. 4]) / No. 5 overall

Abacus Revelation: Dallas opponents attempted 10 more FT’s per game than the Wings during Weeks 9 & 10.

No. 10 Indiana Fever, 8-15 (35)

[8-week Abacus Rank: No. 10

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 9

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 7

2-week Abacus Rank: No. 5]

KK:  -4; (4 Road Wins – 8 Home Losses) / No. 10 overall

Flow:  -1.17; (43.7 stops OF opp [No. 11] – 44.8 stops BY opp [No. 3] / No. 9 overall

Striping:  -0.43; (+1.30) conversions [No. 7] – (+1.74) conversions [No. 7) / No. 9 overall

SPOR-t:  -2; (546 [No. 3] – 548 [No. 11]) / No. 7 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Fever struggle to force Turnovers, ranking No. 11 in Opponent TO% (.147).

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%: Dallas, New York

PPG: NONE

OR%: Phoenix

TO%: Chicago, New York

SPOR-t: Atlanta, Phoenix

No. 11 New York Liberty, 8-13 (38)

[8-week Abacus Rank: No. 11

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 11

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 11

2-week Abacus Rank: No. 10]

KK:  -2; (4 Road Wins – 6 Home Losses) / No. 9 overall

Flow:  -3.19; (44.4 stops OF opp [No. 8] – 47.6 stops BY opp [No. 11] / No. 11 overall

Striping:  -0.36; (1.10) conversions [No. 10] – (+1.44) opp conversions [No. 3] / No. 8 overall

SPOR-t:  -56; (488 [No. 10] – 544 [No. 8]) / No. 10 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Liberty have been earning 20 Free Throw attempts per game over the last four weeks of play.

No. 12 Atlanta Dream, 5-17 (47)

[8-week Abacus Rank: No. 12

6-week Abacus Rank: No. 12

4-week Abacus Rank: No. 12

2-week Abacus Rank: No. 12]

KK:  -7; (1 Road Win – 8 Home Losses) / No. 12 overall

Flow:  -4.32; (44.0 stops OF opp [No. 10] – 48.3 stops BY opp [No. 12] / No. 12 overall

Striping:  -0.73; [+0.84) conversions [No. 11] – (+1.57) conversions [No. 5] / No. 11 overall

SPOR-t:  -95; (470 [No. 11] – 565 [No. 12]) / No. 12 overall

Abacus Revelation: The Dream have yet to make 50% of their FG attempts in a ballgame this season, also have shot less than 40% in 15 of their 22 games.

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

In its first 131 games, WNBA 2019 produced 4,236 free-throw attempts – an average of 16.2 per game per team. [Worthy of note. FTA’s are down about three per team per game from last season.]

Las Vegas +5.09 FTA’s per game [20.3 (No. 1) – 15.2 (No. 5)]

Phoenix +2.76 FTA’s per game [15.5 (No. 6) – 12.7 (No. 1)]

Connecticut +2.18 FTA’s per game [17.7 (No. 3) – 15.5 (No. 6)]

Seattle +1.91 FTA’s per game [15.4 (No. 7) – 13.5 (No. 2)]

Washington +1.77 FTA’s per game [15.4 (No. 8) – 13.6 (No. 3)]

Atlanta +1.14 FTA’s per game [17.4 (No. 4) – 16.3 (No. 7)]

Minnesota +0.43 FTA’s per game [14.7 (No. 10) – 14.2 (No. 4)]

New York -1.52 FTA’s per game [18.8 (No. 2) – 20.3 (No. 12)]

Indiana -2.22 FTA’s per game [15.6 (No. 5) – 17.8 (No. 10)]

Chicago -3.19 FTA’s per game [14.4 (No. 11) – 17.6 (No. 8)]

Los Angeles -3.76 FTA’s per game [13.9 (No. 12) – 17.6 (No. 9)]

Dallas -5.05 FTA’s per game [14.7 (No. 9) – 19.7 (No. 11)]