I am back to my work.. At this moment I am very angry on myself because of those World Championship picks. Some of them I've published here, but some also were placed by myself and mostly I lose them not because I prediction was bad but because of stupid mistakes, overtimes , 0.5 points total difference and other things which usually happens rarely. I am not very religiuos but I believe in God, and this moment I think that probably some one put the evil eye on me accidentally.

So take in mind that at this moment I am not lucky at all and these bets are only information source where you can take some minds and suggestion. Don't trust to me at this moment.

Sometimes, such things happen with me and the best advice is just to wait when luck will return.

Let's go to WNBA Conference finals now with 2 picks for today's matches. Maybe WNBA will help me to be back on winning track.

On the left side you can see a voting pool where you can leave your vote for both match picks. As more people will vote as easier it would be to choose a right pick!

Connecticut Sun (28-8) at Detroit Shock (25-11)
SPREAD: Detroit -3.5 TOTAL: 139.5

Just like last year, the Connecticut Sun are the top seed in the Eastern Conference despite losing their season series with the Detroit Shock.

Key phrases:
"We have to be as intense (against Detroit) and work hard on defense and go from there"' said Sun guard Lindsay Whalen, averaging a team-high 18.5 points in the playoffs.

"Laimbeer's warnings aside, the Shock maintain this series is about them. If they can control the boards and tempo, they feel believe can beat the Sun"

"I think we all know what we have to do against a good team like the Sun, you keep them away from the glass on both ends and really make sure they can't hurt you by keeping possessions going," - said Ford, who leads the Shock in playoff scoring (17 points) and rebounding (10).

I think that here Laimbeer is absolutely right. He knows what Schock should to do take this series from Connecticut. And the most important thing is to take win today. They if the lose today it will be hardly imaginable how they could win in Connecticut 2 games in a row. And the most important factor why I think that Detroit is able to win today is that they have advantage under boards. They out-rebounded Connecticut in all 3 matches played this season: 40-28, 36-35 and 50-33.

Rebounding is very important for Connecticut team because they like to use fast breaks and score double-chance points from offensive rebounds. But they failed to do this against Detroit.

Connecticut Suns managed to score 20+ points only in 2 of 12 quarters played this season. And their average quarter scoring is only 16.2 points per quarter against Shock. In all games Shock took control over game tempo by allowing Suns to make only 66 shots per game. But not a big problem for Sun to play low-tempo games, they know how to win those games. Look at their results with low-tempo defensive minded teams:

@ Detroit L 65-88
Indiana L 68-87
these games are not important because Sun played had not motivation at the of the season.
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@ Indiana W 71-63
Sacramento W 75-68
Los Angeles W 72-63
Sacramento W 75-68
@ Houston W 86-67
@ Indiana W 76-66
@ Los Angeles L 70-82
Detroit L 64-70
Detroit L 69-69

Connecticut average in those games is 73-68. But in all those games they had such creative players and scorer like K.Douglas. It's very important to have such player in attack when you playing in low tempo. Now she is injured and this injury may kill they championship hopes as I think. It's a very big loss for them before series with Detroit Shock. They had troubles in offense even against uptempo Washington by scoring only 76 and 68 points in 2 games. But their defence was good in that series. Not it would be more difficult.

Detroit have scored 139 points in first 2 games (I don't take seriously that last season game when Shock won 88-65 playing at home). So they have scored 139 points per 8 quarters but one quarter was 9-point effort. Without this quarter they are 18.5 pts per quarter against Connecticut.

All in one, I think that this series would not have high scoring games but today I will back Detroit because they have more simply more advantages: h-2-h they are better, under the boards they are better, at home they are superb, they have full squad, while Connecticut Suns lost they key player which I hold very important for the outcome of this series.

Predicted score: Detroit 71 - 64 Connecticut

Pick: Detroit -3.5 (medium-high)

Los Angeles Sparks (27-10) at Sacramento Monarchs (23-13)
SPREAD: Sacramento -4 TOTAL: 139.5

There is unwritten rule in team sports. It's very difficult to win 4 straight games against seriuos opponent. You can win against Chicago Sky 7 in a row, you can win against Zimbabwe team 44 times in a row. But it's very difficult to win 4 games in a row against a defending WNBA champions. This is a key moment for this game I think.

And another key moments is that T.Holdsclaw is doubtful for today match with leg injury, Bryant declared her status as a game time decision but I found some information that she did not participate in training session and I doubt she would be ready to play today. But even is she plays today it would be still extremely difficult to win against Sacramento.

Sacramento are resting their legs since Saturday while Sparks ended their series with Seattle less than 48 hours ago. It's one more reason why I am on Monarchs side today. Do you remember what happened to Cleveland Cavaliers this season when they arrived to Detroit Pistons after finishing their thriller with Washington Wizards? In that game they were trashed and they did not show any signs of preparation for series. But when they arrived home they showed what they really can.

This situation is very similar to that one. For me there is only one question. Will Monarchs cover a spread or not? Taking into account that spread is only 4 points it could be covered even this game will go close in the end, because foul tactics will be there for sure. Because in conference finals you have nothing to lose for, you just should keep trying to use all possible to chances to take this game. And more why I think that Monarchs could beat a spread is that Sacramento found their offense at the end of the season. They are 79.2 points in last games, and in playoff they have beat super-defensive minded Houston by scoring 185 pts in 2 games.

I expect one more excellent performance from Sacramento today.

Predicted score: Sacramento 81 - 69 LA Sparks

Pick: Sacramento (-4) (medium stake)
There is a chance if Holdsclaw will play today and if it happens this could really improve LA chances under the boards. So only medium stake is advised.