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The Money Line: WNBA odds, predictions for Tuesday, August 29

By Blake DuDonis

UNCASVILLE, CT - AUGUST 04: Connecticut Sun guard Jasmine Thomas (5) brings the ball up court during the first half of an WNBA game between Phoenix Mercury and Connecticut Sun on August 4, 2017, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Connecticut defeated Phoenix 93-92. (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
UNCASVILLE, CT - AUGUST 04: Connecticut Sun guard Jasmine Thomas (5) brings the ball up court during the first half of an WNBA game between Phoenix Mercury and Connecticut Sun on August 4, 2017, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Connecticut defeated Phoenix 93-92. (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT- MAY 05: Curt Miller, Connecticut Sun Head Coach talks to his players during a time out during the San Antonio Stars Vs Connecticut Sun preseason WNBA game at Mohegan Sun Arena on May 05, 2016 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT- MAY 05: Curt Miller, Connecticut Sun Head Coach talks to his players during a time out during the San Antonio Stars Vs Connecticut Sun preseason WNBA game at Mohegan Sun Arena on May 05, 2016 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images) /

Connecticut Sun (+2.5, -110)
Washington Mystics (-2.5, -110)
Total: 169.5

What a magical year it’s been for the Connecticut Sun. Slow out of the gates, this young squad that has no player on its roster with more than six years in the league, have come on strong and have a chance to be the three seed in the playoffs. Curt Miller, who should go ahead and be given the Coach of the Year award, has allowed his team to play a fun style of basketball and positive results have followed. The team owns the second best offensive rating in the league, as well as the second best defensive rebounding percentage and the third best rebounding percentage overall. A look at those numbers leave you unsurprised that the Sun are scoring 87.2 points per game, best in the league. They also rank in the top four in steals per game (7.9), rebounds per game (36.5)  and three-point percentage (36.5).

While the team has a number of former and current All-Stars, none has impressed more than Jonquel Jones. The league leader in RPG (11.7) and double-doubles (18), Jones has turned into the player Connecticut hoped she would when drafting her in the first round last year. After averaging 6.8 PPG and 3.7 RPG her rookie year, Jones took a huge leap forward this season, scoring 15.9 PPG, which is 14th in the league, to go along with all of those rebounds. It’s not just her scoring that is impressive but how efficient Jones has been while scoring all of those points. 54.4% from the field, 44% from three and 83% from the line are all extremely impressive numbers, but those don’t even tell the whole story. Her effective field goal percentage is 57.9% (sixth in the league among qualifying players) and her true shooting percentage is an absurd 64.3 (third in the league). If you were to redo the league with a fantasy draft of sorts where every player was available, Jones would undoubtedly be a first round pick. She should cruise to the Most Improved Player award, the first of many post season awards for her I would imagine.

Combine Jones with her teammates Alyssa Thomas, Jasmine Thomas and Courtney Williams (and that’s without mentioning former All-Star Alex Bentley) and suddenly you have a team that nobody wants to face in the playoffs. Sure, they are young, but over the course of the regular season, Connecticut has proven they are a legitimate threat and, perhaps, they are just too young to even know about the pressure they should be feeling.

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