WNBA: Saturday

[superbook]

Thursday: 5-2
YTD: 9-2

Early game:

Houston Comets +1.5

HOU's Swoopes will shine on ESPN2 against a CLE Rocker team that played its last game on May 23 (final exhibition game). This is CLE's regular season opener while HOU has already played two games.

Cleveland had a tough D last season but will be missing one of their top defensive players today, point guard Helen Darling who just had triplets in April.

Swoopes and HOU will push the pace and with CLE's lack of scorers they won't be able to keep up.

 

[bosco]

Hey superbook-

Any leans on the totals or FH stuff?

GL today

 

[superbook]

Bosco -- I haven't looked at them yet, been chasing kids around. Now I've got the little one napping I'll check it out.


Other plays:

Los Angeles Sparks -4.5

Sparks have owned the Sting with LA winning their L9 vs Charlotte.

This is a rematch of last season's WNBA finals where the Sting was swept by the Sparks.

Sparks have the advantage of already having played three games while this is the opener for the Sting.

Charlotte's first round draft pick guard Sheila Lambert is still hurting from a broken ankle from last year and won't play. Point guard Dawn Staley will play but she missed all 3 exhibition games with sore knees.

In their last game in the last season's champsionship series, LA won 82-54 as the Sting couldn't stop center Lisa Leslie who had 24 points, 13 boards, 6 assists and 7 blocked shots.

I think the Sparks will get up for this game given that they are replaying last year's WNBA championship game.

Indiana Fever -6.5

The first of a home-and-home series with Detroit with a rematch tomorrow in Motown.

Fever's Tamika Catching had a great preseason after missing all of last season with a knee injury. After averaging 16.7 ppg, 8 rpg and shooting 51% from the field in the preseason she should come out strong in her first-ever regular season game.

Nikki McCray came to the Fever in a trade with Washington where she averaged 11 ppg.

Indiana only won ten games last year, tied for worst with Detroit among others, but three of those ten wins were vs Detroit. The last game, which was in Indy, was won by the Fever 83-66.

This year with Catching and McCray, the margin of victory should be even greater. Especially since DET knows they get to play them again tomorrow on their home court.


Utah Starzz -1.5

Phoenix is going to have to play the season without 6'8" center Maria Stepanova who has gone back to Russia. Brandy Reed is questionable for this game with a sprained ankle. Even if she plays, she's going to hear it from the home crowd after missing the entire last season for bad conduct.

Without Stepanova, the Mercury won't be able to deal with Starzz frontcourt duo of Goodson and Williams.

Starzz should easily cover a basket here.

 

[superbook]

Bosco --

The Greek must be really busy because I can't access my account to check the lines. I made these other plays earlier at Oly and majorbetting.)

Here's my vision of the game:

CLE comes out slow as this is their first regular season game and they haven't played in 8 days. I think they'll miss Darling.

Swoopes hits a bunch of baskets early to impress the ESPN cameras.

HOU up by 7 or 8 at the half.

CLE is never really able to get back in the game in the second half, they try to play a more defensive game but HOU controls the pace.

Final: HOU 71 CLE 56

Given that scenario, I'd take HOU at the half and the Over for the game.

 

[bosco]

I was just noticing that CLE seems to suck in the 2H so far in the preseason.

Thanks for your great input! I haven't gotten to the other 3 yet, if I find anything worth noting, I'll let you know.

GL today.

 

[bosco]

I'm not too sure on the HOU total. If you look at their last few games, scoring in the high sixties or seventies seems a little high. I think I'll stick with HOU +2 for the game.

GL

 

[bosco]

IND has moved to -7.5 and UT to -3.5

 

[superbook]

A lot of steam on Washington.

WA -1 at Oly still +1.5 at SIA

 

[bosco]

I really like IND, but I got a hunch I'll get a better line that -7.5 for the game if I wait till halftime. If DET can keep it close in the FH, I should be right.

GL

 

[Evilhomer]

If Houston's Lassiter could only hit that other free throw or any other shots she took for that matter, the game wouldn't have gone into OT probably.

 

[bosco]

no sh*t!

Hou gave me a scare in the FH and by going into OT, but ended up friggin cleaning up on the game. Had Hou +2 plus my 2H wagers. Got really lucky...probably should call it a day.

GREAT call Super!

GL

 

[superbook]

thanks for the props, it wasn't looking good at the half. that finish wasn't exactly how I planned it; swoopes couldn't hit anything today. let's get the rest of them.

btw that's probably how to play IND

 

[hello there]

Can anyone take a second to just mention what the Half time total and spread was for the first Half and full game for the Houston vs Cleveland game was?? I missed it. Thanks.

 

[bosco]

at OLY

game
Hou +2
O/U 116.5

FH
Hou +1
O/U 58

2H
Hou -3
0/U 59 moved to 60.5

 

[hello there]

thanks bosco, keep up the good work.