Recent struggles spell future success for the Dallas Wings
The Dallas Wings have been a spiral this season. However, the team could be in for a second half turnaround.
The Dallas Wings are off to a not-so-hot start this season. The team has lost 14 out of their first 18 games this season and struggling on both sides of the ball to match last season’s performance.
For example, Dallas currently ranks in the bottom five in 3-point shooting, defensive rebounds, and turnovers. The Wings are shooting 31.2 percent from the three-point line, the ninth worst in the league. Look back at their shooting numbers against the Seattle Storm on Saturday. The team converted six of their 18 attempts from beyond the arc.
As mentioned, their defense has also taken a hit. They have the third-worst ranking when it comes to defensive rebounds. The Wings average 24.9 defensive boards a game. In their most recent victory against the Minnesota Lynx, Dallas pulled in 22 defensive rebounds. It was their shooting that kept them in the game.
However, it’s their turnovers that seem to be the big concern. They average a league-worst 17.1 turnovers a game. In their most recent loss, they tallied 19 turnovers. Their issues stem from a variety of things. For instance, Dallas is 50/50 when throwing passes down low. They either overthrew their bigs inside or complete a nice dish.
Another issue connected to their turnover struggles is the point guard position. Sevgi Uzun is the team’s new starting guard this season. This a change of scenery from last season, when Crystal Dangerfield, Odyssey Sims and Veronica Burton split time as the starter.
Aside from the issues above, injuries have been a big concern. All-Star Satou Sabally has been out since the start of the season with a shoulder injury. Sabally is expected to be back after the Olympics. If it couldn’t get worse, Maddy Siegrist broke her finger two weeks ago. Siegrist too isn’t expected back till after the Olympic break. Siegrist had one of her best seasons this year, as she has improved her points per game average by 11 points.
Yet, not all hope is lost. Forward Natasha Howard recently returned from a foot injury that kept her out for almost a month. Howard is slowly getting back to her old self. Last week, Howard had one of her best games, as she poured in 26 points and eight rebounds against the Washington Mystics.
The team also saw the return of Sims after Dallas signed her to a hardship contract when Siegrist went down. Sims performed well in her first game back. Sims poured in 18 points while going perfectly from the 3-point line.
As mentioned, the Wings will see the return of Sabally and Siegrist in a couple of months. Their return would further propel the team’s offensive game. It would allow for a more balanced offense while giving them elite scorers who can take the ease off Arike Ogunbowale.
Dallas currently sits three games back of the eighth spot in the league. They are five games behind the Phoenix Mercury for sixth. In simple terms, the Wings have a legitimate chance to sneak into the playoffs.
Don’t look now, but Arike’s reinforcements could be on their way.