Monday, August 9, 2021

WNBA 2021 at the Olympic Break – Seattle “Storm”-ing to a Repeat?

 

Each of the WNBA’s top five scorers at the Olympic hiatus – Washington’s Tina Charles, Connecticut’s Jonquel Jones, Seattle’s Breanna Stewart, Phoenix’s Brittney Griner and Las Vegas’s A’ja Wilson – stand at least 6’4” … which may answer the question “What has become of post play in modern basketball?”

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)]