Layup Lines: Shaking off the dust

Happy Friday and welcome back to Layup Lines, your quick recap of what’s going on in the WNBA. We went 0-2 last night and here I am, ready to face your tomatoes.

• The Liberty won but didn’t cover against the Mystics in part because Jonquel Jones, the only true center who suited up for New York, left with an injury eight minutes into the game. It happens.

• The head-scratcher is how Golden State held Phoenix’s three starting guards to 19 points while then allowing unknown rookie Lexi Held to go off for a career-high 24 points. Bad for the under, good for the Helds and the 6-3 Mercury.

• Basketball is a weird sport and it’s looking like a great day to turn things around.

This 427 word newsletter should take less than 2 minutes to read.

Bets of the day

• We’re 19-23 this season and have $720 of our initial $1,000 remaining to wager.

• There are two games tonight, both on Ion — Atlanta @ Connecticut (7:30pm ET) and Los Angeles @ Dallas (9:30pm).

  • The Dream getting Jordin Canada back is huge and the Sun have been getting smoked by good teams.

    • Bet: Atlanta -10.5, $50 to win $44.

  • I am on record as being a nonbeliever in the Wings, especially with Paige Bueckers still out with a concussion, and the whole point of writing a newsletter is to hold the audience hostage to your deepest beliefs.

  • Plus, my model has the under in this game by a wide margin with Rickea Jackson back for the Sparks. That’s right — we’re double dipping our chip.

    • Bet: Sparks -2, $50 to win $45.

    • Bet: Under 173.5 total points scored, $50 to win $46.

Top plays from last night

• Isabelle Harrison seals it for the Liberty

• Perfect entry pass from Sonia Citron

• Lexi Held letting it fly

Card of the day

• We’ll see if she needs to a few games to get back to speed, but I can’t wait to watch Atlanta’s Jordin Canada in her season debut.

• The true point guard is returning from a knee injury and should open up what has already been an explosive Dream offense by allowing Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray to make plays off the ball.

Thanks for reading Layup Lines. Your friends / loved ones / dog walkers can subscribe here.

If you bet, please do so responsibly, and we will see you back here tomorrow.

— Everett Cook, Founder & Editor