Wednesday's Best WNBA Bets
By Covers.com STAFF
Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever (-10, 145)
The point guard tandem of Tully Bevilaqua and Briann January has the Fever at the top of the WNBA standings.
Bevilaqua and January are not among Indiana's double-digit scorers. But they have combined to average 12.5 points and 5.4 assists while splitting the position virtually in half.
Bevilaqua is an 11-year veteran with plenty of international experience with her native Australia. She is the starter and serves as a mentor to January, a rookie who started the first two games.
"I can honestly say that it was a good move," January told Statepress.com, the web site of Arizona State University. "We lost the two games that I did start, and so adjustments have to be made."
The Fever hasn't lost since, winning nine in a row and covering the spread in eight of those.
Pick: Indiana
Detroit Shock at Seattle Storm (-9.5, 145)
Since Bill Laimbeer resigned as coach just under a month ago, the Shock have forgotten how to play defense.
The total was under in Detroit's first three games this season while Laimbeer was still on the sidelines. It was under again in Rick Mahorn's first game as coach on June 19.
Mahorn has done some tinkering with the offense, but the Shock's defense has suffered. Soft defense in the frontcourt is the primary reason the defending champions have dropped to the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Detroit has played virtually the entire season without two-way forward Plenette Pierson, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the opener. Meanwhile, bruising forward Cheryl Forde is playing her way back into shape after an 11-month injury layoff.
Detroit is allowing an average of 83.7 points in its last six games. The over has paid each time.
Pick: Over
DUNKEL
San Antonio at Washington
The Mystics look to take advantage of a San Antonio team that is just 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games as a road underdog between 3 1/2 and 6 points. Washington is the pick (-4) according to Dunkel, which has the Mystics favored by 6. Dunkel Pick: Washington (-4).
San Antonio at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 107.858; Washington 113.955
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 6; 141
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 4; 144 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-4); Under
Atlanta at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 107.022; Minnesota 113.230
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 6; 157
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 4 1/2; 166
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-4 1/2); Under
Chicago at Indiana
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 104.117; Indiana 117.427
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 13 1/2; 154 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 9 1/2; 143 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-9 1/2); Over
Sacramento at Phoenix
Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 108.020; Phoenix 114.990
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 7; 171 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 7 1/2; 178 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (+7 1/2); Under
Detroit at Seattle
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 107.557; Seattle 113.171
Dunkel Line & Total: Seattle by 5 1/2; 139
Vegas Line & Total: Seattle by 9 1/2; 143
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+9 1/2); Under
SAN ANTONIO (5 - 6) at WASHINGTON (6 - 5)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in road games revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 166-212 ATS (-67.2 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 16-30 ATS (-17.0 Units) on Wednesday since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 25-48 ATS (-27.8 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 3-2 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 3-2 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA (6 - 8) at MINNESOTA (9 - 5)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) against Eastern conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home games in July games over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 2-1 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 2-1 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO (7 - 7) at INDIANA (9 - 2)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in road games off an upset win as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 4-4 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 6-2 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
SACRAMENTO (3 - 10) at PHOENIX (10 - 4)
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
SACRAMENTO is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 26-45 ATS (-23.5 Units) in road games after scoring 75 points or more since 1997.
PHOENIX is 113-83 ATS (+21.7 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
PHOENIX is 121-84 ATS (+28.6 Units) in home games since 1997.
PHOENIX is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) in home games on Wednesday since 1997.
PHOENIX is 78-51 ATS (+21.9 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1997.
PHOENIX is 82-57 ATS (+19.3 Units) in home games after a division game since 1997.
PHOENIX is 49-29 ATS (+17.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
SACRAMENTO is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) after allowing 75 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 6-4 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 7-3 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT (3 - 7) at SEATTLE (8 - 5)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in home games in May, June, or July games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 3-1 against the spread versus SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 3-1 straight up against SEATTLE over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
Last-place Monarchs fire coach Jenny Boucek
The last-place Sacramento Monarchs, who have been favored in just three games this season, fired coach Jenny Boucek on Tuesday.
The Monarchs are 3-10 after making the playoffs a year ago. They have lost eight of their last 10 games straight up (3-7 against the spread), including a 107-105 home setback to Phoenix as a one-point favorite Saturday.
Boucek was replaced by GM John Whisenant, who coached the Monarchs for three-plus seasons from 2003-06. Under his leadership, Sacramento won the WNBA title in 2005 and returned to the WNBA Finals in 2006.
"We still have over half the season left and we felt it necessary to make this change," Whisenant said in a statement. "We feel like this is a playoff-caliber team that can compete and to dig ourselves down any further wouldn’t be prudent."
Whisenant's first game as coach is Wednesday at Phoenix. As GM, he hired Boucek, who was 40-41 in two-plus seasons as coach.