Three key areas position the Dallas Wings for a second-half resurgence
With the All-Star break in task, look for the Dallas Wings to have a hot start to the second half of the season.
Things seem to be rolling for the Dallas Wings. Over their past five games, they posted a 4-1 record including winning their final three matches before the All-Star break. The highlight of their season came two weeks ago, when the team took down the number one-seed Las Vegas Aces.
The celebrations continued this week, as Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally both started in the WNBA All-Star game Saturday. Ogunbowale played alongside 2022 MVP A’ja Wilson, while Sabally was on team Breanna Stewart. In the game, both players showed no signs of first half fatigue. Sabally scored 19 points on 56.3 percent shooting, while Ogunbowale dropped in 18. Combined, they tallied 14 rebounds and seven assists.
Now the question remains:
Will the celebrations continue? Can Dallas continue their high level of play? Is the team in for a second half resurgence?
It is very possible. For starters, Kalani Brown, who missed four games due to a concussion, is projected to return and add to the Wings talented frontcourt. Dallas has played this season without rookie Lou Lopez-Sénéchal and 2021 WNBA champion Diamond DeShields. However, with both players out, the Wings have managed to stay on task. Currently, the team sits in sixth place with a 11-9 record and remains half a game back from the Atlanta Dream (5th place) and Washington Mystics (4th place).
With 20 games left of the season, there are plenty of things to look forward to.
1. Return of Notable Players
As mentioned, both Lopez-Sénéchal and DeShields have been out with injuries. Lopez-Sénéchal is set to hit the floor in the upcoming weeks, where as DeShields could return before the start of the playoffs. I mentioned last week that Lopez would be a huge addition to a team lacking three-point shooting. Last season, she knocked 44% of her attempted threes in college.
Like Lopez-Sénéchal, DeShields would provide the Dallas’ offense with a spark. In the 2022 playoffs, she averaged 19.5 points on 42 percent shooting. She had her best performance in game two, where she dropped in 21 points on 56.3 percent shooting. Defensively, she contributed as well pouring in two steals. Look for her to be back come playoff time.
2. Front Court Presence
Since the return of center Teaira McCowan, the Wings have made their presence known down low. The combination of McCowan, Sabally, and Natasha Howard has been lethal down the stretch. Against the Minnesota Lynx last Wednesday, the three of them combined for 28 rebounds and five steals. Offensively, it was their presence down low that allowed Dallas to drop in 52 points inside the paint.
The game before, the trio tallied 19 rebounds, four blocks, five steals, and 32 points. A big part of their dominance has been McCowan. In her first game back last month, she combined for 11 rebounds, two blocks and nine points in just under 23 minutes.
Currently, Dallas leads the league in rebounding with an average of 39 boards. Sabally leads the team with an average of 9.2 rebounds, as Howard and McCowan trail right behind her with averages of 8.7 and 8.5.
If the three of them can stay healthy, then the rest of the league could be in for a rude awakening.
3. Improved Defense
One final thing that stands out is the team’s defense game. Against Minnesota last week, Dallas put on a defensive clinic tallying in 31 defensive boards, nine steals and four blocks.
Defensively, the team ranks top five in multiple categories including: defensive rating (5th best), defensive rebounds (4th best), steals (4th best), opponents points off turnovers (4th best), opponents second chances (4th best), and opponents points in the paint (2nd best).
With games against the New York Liberty, Los Angeles Sparks and Connecticut Sun, it will be up to the Dallas’ defense to sustain down the stretch.
If Dallas can beat the top seeded Aces, anything is possible right?