Indeed, through 8+ weeks and 119 total games, the average
WNBA team was attempting 21.5 3FG’s per game, a usage rate (3PAr) of .311.
These numbers stand in stark contrast to this season’s NBA play, where a team
attempted 34.6 treys per game, nearly two of every five shots (.392 3PAr)
emanating from behind the arc.
So (to quote Mr. Buffet) if you find yourself in that
nostalgaic rage, honey, jump right into the WNBA when it re-starts this
weekend.
What’s been missing from the “W” this season – despite the
return of fans to arenas – has been any semblance of home-court advantage. The
“homegirls” have been defeated essentially every other game, 59 losses in 119
games.
Here’s what the average 2021 WNBA game performance looks
like, numerically.
[All data reflects play through Sunday, July 11. An explanation of the criteria is available
here.]
Possessions: 80.5
Points: 81.7 [PPP: 1.015]
FG: 29.8 – 69.2, .432
3FG: 7.4 – 21.5, .343
3PAr/Usage rate: .311
FT: 14.6 – 18.1, .807
(Off – Tot) Reb: 8.3 – 35.3
[OR% .235]
TO: 14.0 [TO% .153]
No. 1 Seattle Storm, 16-5
(10.5)
[6-week Abacus Rank: No. 1
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 3
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 2]
KK: +5; (8 Road Wins
– 3 Home Losses) / No. 1 overall (tied)
Flow: +3.33; (46.2 stops
OF opp [No. 4] – 42.9 stops BY opp [No. 3] / No. 2 overall
Striping: +1.64;
(+3.07) conversions [No. 3] - (+1.43) opp conversions [No. 2] / No. 2 overall
SPOR-t: +22; (524
[No. 5] – 502 [No. 5]) / No. 5 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Storm rank No. 1 in 3FG% (.392) and No. 2 in 3FG defense (.307).
No. 2 Connecticut Sun, 14-6 (11.5)
[6-week Abacus Rank: No. 4
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 1
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 1]
KK: +5; (6 Road Wins
– 1 Home Loss) / No. 1 overall (tied)
Flow: +2.20; (44.5 stops
OF opp [No. 7] – 42.3 stops BY opp [No. 1] / No. 3 overall
Striping: +0.05;
(+1.90) conversions [No. 7] – (+1.85) conversions [No. 5] / No. 6 overall
SPOR-t: +100; (579
[No. 1] – 479 [No. 2]) / No. 1 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Sun ranked first in both OR% (.318) and DR% (.824) during Weeks 7 & 8.
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%: Connecticut, Las
Vegas, Minnesota
3FG%: Las Vegas, New
York, Seattle
PPG: Seattle
OR%: Dallas
TO%: Atlanta,
Washington
SPOR-t: Connecticut, Las
Vegas
No. 3 Las Vegas Aces, 15-6
(17)
[6-week Abacus Rank: No. 2
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 2
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 3]
KK: +4; (7 Road Wins
– 3 Home Losses) / No. 3 overall
Flow: +6.33; (48.7 stops
OF opp [No. 1] – 42.3 stops BY opp [No. 2] / No. 1 overall
Striping: -1.74;
(+0.36) conversions [No. 11] – (+2.10) opp conversions [No. 7] / No. 11 overall
SPOR-t: +71; (553
[No. 3] – 482 [No. 3]) / No. 2 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Laimbeer Crew ranks No.1 in FG shooting (.467) and FG defense (.406).
No.4 Dallas Wings,
9-12 (19.5)
[6-week Abacus Rank: No. 10
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 9
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 7]
KK: 0; (5 Road Wins –
5 Home Losses) / No. 6 overall (tied)
Flow: -0.95; (43.6 stops
OF opp [No. 9] – 44.5 stops BY opp [No. 6] / No. 7 overall
Striping: +1.33; (+2.90)
conversions [No. 4] – (+1.57) conversions [No. 3] / No. 3 overall
SPOR-t: +46; (567
[No. 2] – 521 [No. 7]) / No. 3 overall
Abacus Revelation: Dallas missed the fewest FT’s in the WNBA (2.08 per game) during Weeks 5 – 8.
ABACUS INFOMERCIAL
Scoring Pace 119 games
100+ points: 15 games
90-99 points: 40
games
80-89 points: 79
games
70-79 points: 68
games
60-69 points: 31
games
<60 points: 5
games
No. 5 Chicago Sky, 10-10
(20)
[6-week Abacus Rank: No. 5
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 7
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 8]
KK: +1; (7 Road Wins
– 6 Home Losses) / No. 5 overall
Flow: +0.80; (47.5 stops
OF opp [No. 2] – 46.7 stops BY opp [No. 10] / No. 5 overall
Striping: +1.28; (+2.18)
conversions [No. 5] – (+0.90) opp conversions [No. 1] / No. 4 overall
SPOR-t: +17; (516
[No. 6] – 499 [No. 4]) / No. 6 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Sky have squandered the fewest FT opportunities (2.45 per game) in the “W”.
No. 5 Minnesota Lynx, 12-7
(20)
[6-week Abacus Rank: No. 9
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 8
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 12]
KK: +3; (6 Road Wins
– 3 Home Losses) / No. 4 overall
Flow: +1.89; (46.4 stops
OF opp [No. 3] – 44.5 stops BY opp [No. 5] / No. 4 overall
Striping: -0.42; (+2.03)
conversions [No. 6] – (+2.45) opp conversions [No. 9] / No. 8 overall
SPOR-t: +34; (511
[No. 7] – 477 [No. 1]) / No. 4 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Lynx shot a sizzling .504 from the field during Weeks 7 & 8.
No. 7 Washington Mystics,
8-10 (29.5)
[6-week Abacus Rank: No. 6
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 4
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 7]
KK: -1; (3 Road Wins
– 4 Home Losses) / No. 8 overall (tied)
Flow: -2.00; (43.7 stops
OF opp [No. 8] – 45.7 stops BY opp [No. 8] / No. 8 overall
Striping: +0.86;
(+3.39) conversions [No. 2] – (+2.53) opp conversions [No. 12] / No. 5 overall
SPOR-t: -12; (509
[No. 8] – 521 [No. 7]) / No. 8 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Mystics led the league in Striping (a near 7-point boost) during Weeks 5 –
8.
ABACUS INFOMERCIAL
Scoring Differential
119 games
1-5 points: 33 games
6-10 points: 33 games
11-15 points: 16
games
16-20 points: 16 games
>20: 21 games
No. 8 New York Liberty,
7-10 (30.5)
[6-week Abacus Rank: No. 8
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 10
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 4]
KK: 0; (5 Road Wins –
5 Home Losses) / No. 6 overall (tied)
Flow: -3.29; (45.5 stops
OF opp [No. 6] – 48.8 stops BY opp [No. 12] / No. 11 overall
Striping: 1.83;
(3.43) conversions [No. 1] – (+1.60) opp conversions [No. 4] / No. 1 overall
SPOR-t: -131; (421
[No. 12] – 552 [No. 11]) / No. 12 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Liberty lead the “W” in 3FG usage (42.5% of their shots).
No. 9 Phoenix Mercury,
9-10 (33.5)
[6-week Abacus Rank: No. 7
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 6
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 9]
KK: -1; (6 Road Win –
7 Home Losses) / No. 8 overall (tied)
Flow: +0.11; (43.4 stops
OF opp [No. 10] – 43.3 stops BY opp [No. 4] / No. 6 overall
Striping: -0.97;
(+1.16) conversions [No. 9] – (+2.13) opp conversions [No. 8] / No. 9 overall
SPOR-t: -59; (501
[No. 10] – 560 [No. 12]) / No. 10 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Mercury logged 8.40 more FTA’s than their opponents during Weeks 5 - 8.
No. 10 Atlanta Dream, 6-13
(37)
[6-week Abacus Rank: No. 10
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 11
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 6]
KK: -4; (3 Road Win –
7 Home Losses) / No. 10 overall
Flow: -2.63; (42.5 stops
OF opp [No. 11] – 45.1 stops BY opp [No. 7] / No. 10 overall
Striping: -1.58;
[+0.89) conversions [No. 10] – (+2.47) conversions [No. 10] / No. 10 overall
SPOR-t: -6; (543 [No.
4] – 549 [No. 10]) / No. 7 overall
Abacus Revelation: The Dream posted a league-best .112 TO% during
Weeks 5 - 8.
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,
Indiana, Washington
3FG%: Atlanta,
Indiana
PPG: Indiana, New
York
OR%: Los Angeles
TO%: Indiana, New
York
SPOR-t: Indiana, New
York, Phoenix
No. 11 Los Angeles Sparks,
6-13 (38)
[6-week Abacus Rank: No. 10
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 9
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 11]
KK: -5; (2 Road Wins
– 7 Home Losses) / No. 11 overall
Flow: -2.37; (45.6
stops OF opp [No. 5] – 48.0 stops BY opp [No. 11] / No. 9 overall
Striping: -0.37;
(+1.68) conversions [No. 8] – (+2.05) opp conversions [No. 6]) / No. 7 overall
SPOR-t: -90; (424
[No. 11] – 514 [No. 6]) / No. 11 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Sparks ranked first in inducing enemy TO’s (.197) during Weeks 5 - 8.
No. 12 Indiana Fever, 4-16
(45)
[6-week Abacus Rank: No. 12
4-week Abacus Rank: No. 12
2-week Abacus Rank: No. 10]
KK: -7; (1 Road Win –
8 Home Losses) / No. 12 overall
Flow: -4.05; (42.1 stops
OF opp [No. 12] – 46.1 stops BY opp [No. 9] / No. 12 overall
Striping: -2.15;
(+0.33) conversions [No. 12] – (+2.48) conversions [No. 11) / No. 12 overall
SPOR-t: -42; (503
[No. 9] – 545 [No. 9]) / No. 9 overall
Abacus Revelation:
The Fever ranked No. 1 in defending 3FG’s (.276) during Weeks 5 - 8.
Abacus Revelation for
the Road / Random Ranking – Per-game Differential in Free-Throw Attempts
In its first 119 games, WNBA 2021 produced exactly 4,300
free-throw attempts – an average of 18.1 per game per team.
Las Vegas +7.86 FTA’s
per game [23.8 (No. 1) – 15.9 (No. 3)]
Phoenix +5.58 FTA’s
per game [21.4 (No. 2) – 15.8 (No. 2)]
Seattle +1.48 FTA’s
per game [17.2 (No. 8) – 15.8 (No. 1)]
Minnesota +0.26 FTA’s
per game [17.3 (No. 6) – 17.0 (No. 4)]
Connecticut -0.10
FTA’s per game [17.2 (No. 7) – 17.3 (No. 6)]
Indiana -0.70 FTA’s
per game [17.5 (No. 5) – 18.2 (No. 8)]
Chicago -1.05 FTA’s
per game [18.1 (No. 4) – 19.2 (No. 9)]
Washington -1.22
FTA’s per game [16.8 (No. 10) – 18.2 (No. 7)]
New York -1.67 FTA’s
per game [15.6 (No. 12) – 17.3 (No. 5)]
Dallas -2.10 FTA’s
per game [17.2 (No. 8) – 19.3 (No. 10)]
Atlanta -3.37 FTA’s
per game [18.9 (No. 3) – 22.3 (No. 12)]
Los Angeles -5.53
FTA’s per game [15.7 (No. 11) – 21.2 (No. 11)]
