WNBA 2019 Final Report

Earlier this decade when Cheryl Reeve’s Minnesota Lynx were the WNBA’s “gold standard,” their brain-trust seemed to take a page from Red Auerbach’s old playbook by recruiting the former college teammate (Janel McCarville) of a current player (Lindsay Whalen) to fill a roster void.

In more recent times, Bill Laimbeer seems to be re-mixing the formula by which Greg Popovich has sustained NBA excellence for a couple of decades in the Central Texas former home of Big Bad Bill’s Las Vegas Aces, with their Twin Towers (Cambage and Wilson) and moderate-but-heady use of the three ball.

Heading into the post-season, though, it appears that the championship is EDD and Washington’s to lose.

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

[An explanation of the criteria is available here.]

Possessions: 79.0

Points: 78.7  [PPP: 0.996]

FG: 29.1 – 68.6, .424

3FG: 6.8 – 20.0, .338

3PAr/Usage rate: .292

FT: 13.7 – 17.3, .796

(Off – Tot) Reb: 9.0 – 34.8  [OR% .260]

TO: 14.5  [TO% .160]

No. 1 Washington Mystics, 26-8 (5)

[14-week Abacus Rank: No. 1

12-week Abacus Rank: No. 1

10-week Abacus Rank: No. 1

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:  +9; (12 Road Wins – 3 Home Losses) / No. 1 overall

Flow:  +4.26; (44.8 stops OF opp [No. 6] – 40.5 stops BY opp [No. 1] / No. 1 overall

Striping:  +1.72; (+3.62) conversions [No. 1] – (+1.90) opp conversions [No. 10] / No. 1 overall

SPOR-t:  +72; (595 [No. 1] – 523 [No. 6]) / No. 2 overall

Abacus Revelation: True Shooting Pct: .579 (No. 1); Opp. .518 (No. 6); Diff. +61 (No. 1)

No. 2 Los Angeles Sparks, 22-12 (15)

[14-week Abacus Rank: No. 4

12-week Abacus Rank: No. 5

10-week Abacus Rank: No. 4

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:  +5; (7 Road Wins – 2 Home Losses) / No. 3 overall

Flow:  +1.12; (46.7 stops OF opp [No. 2] – 45.6 stops BY opp [No. 8] / No. 5 overall

Striping:  +0.74; (+2.37) conversions [No. 2] – (+1.63) opp conversions [No. 7]) / No. 2 overall

SPOR-t:  +11; (520 [No. 7] – 509 [No. 4]) / No. 5 overall

Abacus Revelation: True Shooting Pct: .522 (No. 5); Opp. .507 (No. 5); Diff. +15 (No. 5)

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, Los Angeles

3FG%: Connecticut, Las Vegas

PPG: Washington

OR%: Connecticut, Minnesota

TO%: Connecticut

SPOR-t: Connecticut, Minnesota

No. 3 Connecticut Sun, 23-11 (16)

[14-week Abacus Rank: No. 2

12-week Abacus Rank: No. 2

10-week Abacus Rank: No. 2

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:  +6; (8 Road Wins – 2 Home Losses) / No. 2 overall

Flow:  +1.29; (45.7 stops OF opp [No. 5] – 44.4 stops BY opp [No. 4] / No. 4 overall

Striping:  -0.53; (+1.00) conversions [No. 10] – (+1.53) conversions [No. 5] / No. 9 overall

SPOR-t:  +84; (565 [No. 2] – 481 [No. 2]) / No. 1 overall

Abacus Revelation: True Shooting Pct: .509 (No. 8); Opp. .529 (No. 10); Diff. -20 (No. 9)

No. 4 Chicago Sky, 20-14 (21)

[14-week Abacus Rank: No. 3

12-week Abacus Rank: No. 4

10-week Abacus Rank: No. 5

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

Flow:  +0.97; (46.7 stops OF opp [No. 3] – 45.7 stops BY opp [No. 10] / No. 6 overall

Striping:  +0.59; (+2.01) conversions [No. 3] – (+1.43) opp conversions [No. 4] / No. 3 overall

SPOR-t:  -10; (527 [No. 6] – 537 [No. 8]) / No. 7 overall

Abacus Revelation: True Shooting Pct: .543 (No. 2); Opp. .506 (No. 4); Diff. +37 (No. 2)

No. 5 Las Vegas Aces, 21-13 (22)

[14-week Abacus Rank: No. 6

12-week Abacus Rank: No. 3

10-week Abacus Rank: No. 3

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:  +4; (8 Road Wins – 4 Home Losses) / No. 4 overall

Flow:  +2.71; (48.4 stops OF opp [No. 1] – 45.7 stops BY opp [No. 9] / No. 2 overall

Striping:  -1.85; (+0.35) conversions [No. 12] – (+2.21) opp conversions [No. 12] / No. 12 overall

SPOR-t:  +55; (529 [No. 5] – 474 [No. 1]) / No. 4 overall

Abacus Revelation: True Shooting Pct: .516 (No. 6); Opp. .495 (No. 1); Diff. +21 (No. 4)

ABACUS INFOMERCIAL

Scoring Pace 204 games

100+ points: 18 games

90-99 points: 50 games

80-89 points: 114 games

70-79 points: 135 games

60-69 points: 73 games

<60 points: 18 games

No. 6 Minnesota Lynx, 18-16 (22.5)

[14-week Abacus Rank: No. 4

12-week Abacus Rank: No. 6

10-week Abacus Rank: No. 6

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; (7 Road Wins – 6 Home Losses) / No. 6 overall (tied)

Flow:  +1.94; (46.0 stops OF opp [No. 4] – 44.1 stops BY opp [No. 3] / No. 3 overall

Striping:  -0.63; (+1.21) conversions [No. 8] – (+1.84) opp conversions [No. 9] / No. 10 overall

SPOR-t:  +62; (549 [No. 3] – 487 [No. 3]) / No. 3 overall

Abacus Revelation: True Shooting Pct: .531 (No. 3); Opp. .524 (No. 8); Diff. +7 (No. 6)

No. 7 Seattle Storm, 18-16 (27)

[14-week Abacus Rank: No. 8

12-week Abacus Rank: No. 6

10-week Abacus Rank: No. 7

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

Flow:  -0.38; (44.6 stops OF opp [No. 7] – 45.0 stops BY opp [No. 7] / No. 8 overall

Striping:  +0.13; (+1.96) conversions [No. 4] - (+1.82) opp conversions [No. 8] / No. 6 overall (tied)

SPOR-t:  -6; (508 [No. 9] – 514 [No. 5]) / No. 6 overall

Abacus Revelation: True Shooting Pct: .513 (No. 7); Opp. .526 (No. 9); Diff. -13 (No. 8)

ABACUS INFOMERCIAL

Scoring Differential 204 games

1-5 points: 56 games

6-10 points: 63 games

11-15 points: 34 games

16-20 points:  21 games

>20: 30 games

No. 8 Phoenix Mercury, 15-19 (32)

[14-week Abacus Rank: No. 7

12-week Abacus Rank: No. 8

10-week Abacus Rank: No. 7

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; (6 Road Wins – 8 Home Losses) / No. 8 overall

Flow:  +0.26; (43.9 stops OF opp [No. 8] – 43.6 stops BY opp [No. 2] / No. 7 overall

Striping:  +0.28; (+1.87) conversions [No. 5] – (+1.59) opp conversions [No. 6] / No. 5 overall

SPOR-t:  -93; (468 [No. 12] – 561 [No. 10]) / No. 12 overall

Abacus Revelation: True Shooting Pct: .529 (No. 4); Opp. .503 (No. 2); Diff. +26 (No. 3)

No. 9 Dallas Wings, 10-24 (32.5)

[14-week Abacus Rank: No. 9

12-week Abacus Rank: No. 9

10-week Abacus Rank: No. 9

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:  -7; (2 Road Wins – 9 Home Losses) / No. 10 overall (tied)

Flow:  -2.88; (42.0 stops OF opp [No. 12] – 44.9 stops BY opp [No. 6] / No. 10 overall

Striping:  +0.49; (+1.60) conversions [No. 6] – (+1.12) conversions [No. 1] / No. 4 overall

SPOR-t:  -13; (517 [No. 8] – 530 [No. 7]) / No. 8 overall

Abacus Revelation: True Shooting Pct: .484 (No. 11); Opp. .533 (No. 11); Diff. -49 (No. 12)

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, Seattle

3FG%: NONE

PPG: Atlanta

OR%: Los Angeles, Phoenix

TO%: New York

SPOR-t: Atlanta, New York, Phoenix

No. 10 Indiana Fever, 13-21 (38)

[14-week Abacus Rank: No. 11

12-week Abacus Rank: No. 10

10-week Abacus Rank: No. 10

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; (6 Road Wins – 10 Home Losses) / No. 9 overall

Flow:  -1.06; (43.6 stops OF opp [No. 10] – 44.6 stops BY opp [No. 5] / No. 9 overall

Striping:  -0.88; (+1.10) conversions [No. 9] – (+1.99) conversions [No. 11) / No. 11 overall

SPOR-t:  -17; (533 [No. 4] – 550 [No. 9]) / No. 9 overall

Abacus Revelation: True Shooting Pct: .508 (No. 9); Opp. .518 (No. 7); Diff. -10 (No. 7)

No. 10 New York Liberty, 10-24 (38)

[14-week Abacus Rank: No. 10

12-week Abacus Rank: No. 10

10-week Abacus Rank: No. 11

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:  -7; (6 Road Wins – 13 Home Losses) / No. 10 overall (tied)

Flow:  -3.91; (43.1 stops OF opp [No. 11] – 47.0 stops BY opp [No. 11] / No. 11 overall

Striping:  +0.13; (1.46) conversions [No. 7] – (+1.32) opp conversions [No. 3] / No. 6 overall (tied)

SPOR-t:  -56; (503 [No. 10] – 559 [No. 10]) / No. 10 overall

Abacus Revelation: True Shooting Pct: .504 (No. 10); Opp. .539 (No. 12); Diff. -35 (No. 10)

No. 12 Atlanta Dream, 8-26 (43)

[14-week Abacus Rank: No. 12

12-week Abacus Rank: No. 12

10-week Abacus Rank: No. 12

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:  -9; (3 Road Wins – 12 Home Losses) / No. 12 overall

Flow:  -4.32; (43.9 stops OF opp [No. 8] – 48.2 stops BY opp [No. 12] / No. 12 overall

Striping:  -0.18; [+0.96) conversions [No. 11] – (+1.13) conversions [No. 2] / No. 8 overall

SPOR-t:  -92; (469 [No. 11] – 561 [No. 11]) / No. 11 overall

Abacus Revelation: True Shooting Pct: .462 (No. 12); Opp. .503 (No. 3); Diff. -41 (No. 11)