Playoff preview: Why Dallas has a shot against the higher-seeded Connecticut Sun
For the first time in the team's history, Dallas has a shot to win a first-round playoff bout.
It helps that the Dallas Wings saved their best for last.
In the final game of the regular season, Dallas throttled the Sparks 116-88, giving the team an 18-18 record on the year. It was the first time in franchise history that the Wings finished with a .500 record or better.
Dallas also clinched the sixth-seed in the WNBA playoffs, meaning they will be taking on the Connecticut Sun in a best-of-three first-round playoff series. The first two games will be played in Connecticut, while Game 3 — if necessary — will be held at College Park Center.
Though not holding home-court advantage, Dallas does have a viable shot at winning the series for two reasons.
1.) Regular season success
The playoffs are different from the regular season, but the regular season provides some context heading into Dallas’ playoff series.
Dallas played Connecticut three times during the regular season, and the results were as such:
85-77, Dallas win.
99-68, Dallas loss.
82-71, Dallas win.
A 2-1 regular season series victory doesn’t guarantee success in the WNBA Playoffs, but it does indicate that Dallas has a viable game plan to counteract what Connecticut likes to do on the floor. The only difference is Dallas will be playing without All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale, who is out with an abdominal injury for the first round.
What has helped Dallas, however, has been the play of Teaira McCowan, who throughout the season has proven to be a difference maker for the Wings on all levels.
“We were missing something last year, and I think we filled that with Teaira, who was an inside presence – a rim protector,” Wings’ head coach Vickie Johnson said. “She is someone that demands a double team in a sense that gets us where we are trying to go. What she does on the offensive side of the basketball and her ability to pass the basketball is huge for us. Being able to set screens is huge for our players because we have a lot of shooters. Being able to pass off the double team is huge as well. Defensively, being able to protect the rim, defensive rebounding and get the break started. She helps in so many ways and she helped fill the void that we were missing last year.”
2.) The offense is humming
Basketball is a game about rhythm and flow. Which are two things the Wings currently have.
In the last eight games, the Wings are 6-2.
What has made the difference is the concerted effort to get the ball to the bigs and play inside out. The Wings aren’t a dazzling 3-point shooting team. At 34% from 3-point range, the Wings rank near the bottom third in the league (eighth) in 3-point percentage.
What helped the Wings push into the playoffs was steady post-play, and against Connecticut, the Wings will need more of it.
Wings’ bigs are gifted at passing out of help or double teams, which, in turn, creates opportunities for wings and guards to score the ball.
Against the Sun, that may play a deciding factor.
Connecticut has the best front-court rotation in the league with its three main bigs all making the All-Star Game. Alyssa Thomas, Jonquel Jones and Brionna Jones all possess skillsets that can make life difficult for Dallas.
It comes down to how the Wings take the punches from Connecticut’s front-court rotation and survive.
What comes as good news is the pending return of Wings’ forward Satou Sabally, who has missed extended time due to injury. When she plays, she brings dynamism to what Dallas does on both offense and defense. And as Dallas preps for its first-round matchup Sabally, the wild card in Dallas’ postseason expectations, is finally practicing.
“She had a great practice,” Johnson said. “The possibility is likely that she will play on Thursday, but I don’t want to put that out too soon. She did practice and she looked good — we will see.”
With Sabally back in the fold, all signs are pointing upward for Dallas. And if it’s based on how the team has played recently, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Wings in the second round.
Game 1 tips off on Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. ET.