Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Dallas Wings and Las Vegas Aces prepare for a rematch that could shift the early WNBA playoff picture.
- Paige Bueckers is listed as questionable, and her availability could decide which team controls the game's tempo.
- The outcome hinges on how the Wings adjust their offense if their leading scorer remains sidelined.
The Dallas Wings really began to turn heads after their 95-87 victory over the Las Vegas Aces in late May. It was a complete team performance, from their defensive efforts to their stars showing out, people started to believe the Wings could be real contenders in the WNBA. But now, the defending champs have the chance to settle the score.
While the Aces were able to win the first half of their initial meeting, Dallas put on a clinic after the break, outscoring them 50-34 to close out the game. The Wings had three players score 20+ points.
Tonight, it's Las Vegas's turn to host the Wings. Both teams will likely need an 'all hands on deck' type of performance. Both teams are almost fully healthy. Aces guard Dana Evans is still coming back from a left leg injury and has not made her debut yet this season. Chennedy Carter is also unavailable — this will be more difficult for Vegas to navigate; she recorded 14 points in the first matchup. For the Wings, Odyssey Sims is listed out, as she's making her way back from an ankle injury sustained against the Sparks on June 5. Paige Bueckers is listed as probable for tonight's game, which could mean trouble for the Wings.
Paige Bueckers is probable for Wings vs. Aces tonight
During the Wings matchup against the Phoenix Mercury on June 11, Bueckers went down awkwardly after a rebound in the second quarter. She gingerly hopped back to the locker room, but returned quickly after getting taped up. She finished the night with a season-high 31 points, leading the Wings to an 85-70 victory.
Bueckers missed the following game, against the Portland Fire, due to her ankle. Per Kendra Andrews, Dallas Head Coach Jose Fernandez told reporters, "It’s a long year …Paige wants to be on the floor tonight (against Portland), but the best thing for her longevity, for her career, for the franchise is her making sure we take care of her and she takes care of her body."
There's no doubt that the team wants her to play tonight against the Aces, probably almost as much as she wants to be out there. Even with strong performances from Fudd and Arike Ogwunbowale, the Wings weren't able to win without Bueckers in Portland, losing 85-84. I expect she'll do everything in her power to play tonight.
Projected Wings starting lineup with Paige Bueckers vs. Aces
STARTER | POSITION | BENCH |
|---|---|---|
Arike Ogwunbowale | G | Sug Sutton? |
Paige Bueckers | G | Aziaha James |
Azzi Fudd | G | Alysha Clark |
Maddy Siegrist | F | Awak Kuier |
Jessica Shepard | F | Alanna Smith |
If Bueckers is available, the Wings can be expected to play their primary lineup. While Fernandez played around with the starters to begin the season, these five seem to be the ones he's committing to for now, especially with Sims injured. The Wings are 4-1 on the season when this lineup starts things off.
I don't want to say Bueckers must play if Dallas wants to leave Vegas with a win, but it would definitely help. In the first matchup, she and Fudd showed glimpses of their UConn days throughout the whole game. Bueckers finished with 20 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists. Fudd recorded 22 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. And Jessica Shepard was a real deciding factor in the Wings' win. She recorded her second triple-double of the season, putting up 22 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists.
If Bueckers remains unavailable, a couple of players will need to step up big time — especially Ogwunbowale. In the first matchup against the Aces, she recorded only 1 point, shooting 0-4 from the field. Against Portland, she played a huge role in Dallas keeping things close in Bueckers' absence. She finished the night with 22 points and 6 assists. Aziaha James could also be a huge factor. She slides into the lineup if Bueckers is absent. Against Portland, she put up 17 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals.
For Dallas to pull off another win over Vegas, they will need to channel the exact energy they played with in the second half of their first meeting. There will need to be some bench production from players like Clark and Kuier, even if Bueckers is available. If she can get on the court, I expect her to come out hot after having to watch her team lose a close one from the sidelines.
If the Aces hope to even the series, expect them to work on two things: containing the 3-point shooting and winning the rebound battle. In the first matchup, Dallas shot 45 percent from 3-point land — with forwards Siegrist and Kuier draining two each. The Wings outscored the Aces 17-12 in second-chance opportunities, with a lot of credit going to Shepard's 20 rebounds. They'll have to lock down the perimeter and keep Shepard contained.
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