The Dallas Wings had a breakthrough season, increasing their win total by 17 over the previous season and jumping back into the playoffs after a two-year absence. Their prize for all that success is a first-round matchup against the Golden State Valkyries, who finished with the best point differential in the league and swept Dallas in the regular season. Oof.
The Valkyries play a swarming, suffocating defense with plenty of pressure on perimeter ball-handlers. If the Wings are going to make this series competitive, Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale are going to have to find a way to break that pressure, something they never figured out in the regular season — combined, they shot 30 percent from beyond the arc against Golden State, with almost as many turnovers (15) as assists (19). No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd and her shooting touch would be a big help but her rookie season ended in August because of knee surgery.
The Valkyries win with defense, but a deep playoff run will require stepping up on offense as well. They have a lot of players who can chip in with scoring, but no single offensive star who can reliably break down a defense and single-handedly create efficient offense. They'll need to make open shots, turn their defense into easy transition opportunities at the other end and hope someone can really step up when they need big buckets in the clutch.
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