Inconsistency and Missed Opportunities Overshadow Wings' First Half
The Dallas Wings suffered bad luck during the first half of the season. However, playoffs or not, the team has plenty of hope this second half.
The Dallas Wings were set to take that next leap this season. The team capped off last year with a 22-18 record, winning their first playoff series since moving to Dallas. In three games, the Wings eventually fell to the reigning champions, Las Vegas Aces.
Fast forward to this season, and things seemed promising. The team retained Satou Sabally and Kalani Brown in January and drafted Jacy Sheldon. Dallas also added undrafted rookie Jaelyn Brown at the start of training camp.
Then came the 2024 season. The Wings started the year with a 3-2 record, as things seemed promising. Dallas pulled off victories against the Chicago Sky, Phoenix Mercury, and Los Angeles Sparks.
Injuries however began to take a toll, as Dallas would go on an 11-game losing streak. Players like Sabally and Jaelyn Brown, after playing the home opener, would be sidelined. Sabally had been out with a shoulder injury that required surgery, while Brown suffered an nasal fracture. Dallas struggled even more when breakout rising star Maddy Siegrist broke a finger back in July. Natasha Howard added to the troubles when she missed some time with a broken foot.
Injuries aside, the Wings’ defense also took a hit. The team struggled drastically inside the paint. Currently, Dallas allows a league-high 42.1 points inside. This has been a major concern this season. For example, in the team’s July 13th game against Los Angeles, Dallas allowed Sparks to score 54 points down low. The game prior, Mercury dropped in 48 points inside.
Their transition defense has been the main concern. Dallas struggles to contain players on top of the key, as the scorers blow past them for easy buckets. This is visible on paper. The Wings have the league’s worst defensive rating with a 109.4 rating. The team will need to be better at staying in front of their assignment and closing open lanes.
Finally, the Wings’ three-point shooting must improve if they hope to turn things around. The team is shooting 31.7 percent from the 3-point line. In simple terms, Dallas converts five of their 18 long-range attempts. Good things happen when the Wings shoot well. In their most recent game, Dallas made 45 percent of their 3-pointers, beating the Indiana Fever 101-93.
Coach Latricia Trammell spoke about the team’s three-point struggles in June. She mentioned how the team tends to rush shots and miss open chances. Trammell also stated it’s about trusting her players to get over the hump.
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Sabally coming back will be a huge addition. Last season, she converted 36.1 percent of attempted 3-pointers. The Dallas All-Star also averaged 18.6 points per game. If the Olympics showed us anything, it’s that Sabally could provide a major boost for a team desperate to get back on the winning side.
Dallas sits four games back from the eighth spot and is tied with the Washington Mystics for the league’s worst record. The team will have a ton of ground to make up if they hope to sneak into the playoffs. Losing hardship players like
Odyssey Sims and Monique Billings will make it more difficult to do so.
Even if the Wings fail to obtain the eighth seed, not all hope is lost. Paige Bueckers could come knocking at the door.