The Dallas Wings are a better team than their record indicates. Again, the Minnesota Lynx were forced into a position where they had to do something this collection of starters had yet to do; they had to play as a team. From the opening tip, the Wings played connected, determined basketball. They found a way to take advantage of some dragging defense from the Lynx and keep it close.
They did not solely rely on Teaira McCowan in the paint. Without Arike Ogunbowale, they had to step up collaboratively, and so they did. Sevgi Uzun hit three from deep, Jacy Sheldon added a pair, and Maddy Siegrist and Lou Lopez Sénéchal each had one. While the Lynx did not lose their composure during some poor shooting spells, including an off night for Napheesa Collier, Dallas could capitalize on this lapse and keep the game close.
Dallas Wings Played Tough Versus the Minnesota Lynx
The Wings flat-out played well, with urgency, and looked good. I kept thinking, why doesn’t this team win? They have talent. And yes, much has been made of the absence of Satou Sabally and Natasha Howard. Would they be sitting at 3-10 with them in the lineup? Probably not.
But against the Lynx, the Wings had a chance to see more minutes from less-used players, like Sheldon, Lopez Sénéchal, and Stephanie Soares. Siegrist played the entire 40 minutes, Monique Billings played 37, Sheldon 26, and McCowan 28. There was a fire in Dallas that I had not seen before, something that I hope Coach Trammell noticed.
From the tip, Dorka Juhász came out banging. With Bridget Carleton sidelined with an elbow injury, Juhász stepped up and nailed her first three shots. I am continually impressed by how this team not only plays together but plays for each other. Everyone who played scored, most noticeably Natasha Hiedeman, who scored 17 points and probably had her best game in a Lynx uniform.
Put some 💐’s in the chat for @Dorkajuhasz14 pic.twitter.com/9I7mMwB5oO
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) June 18, 2024
As hard as Dallas played, the Lynx stayed the course. When they found some stability and got back to better defense in the second half, the offense turned it up a notch in the third quarter. Although Dallas tried to keep it close in the fourth, the Lynx managed to create some separation toward the end of the quarter and ended with a 12-point margin at 90-78.
Factors of the Matchup
So what stymied the Wings? They out-shot the Lynx 47.9% to 44.8%, out-rebounded the Lynx 34-28 and scored 44 points in the paint to 38 for the Lynx. Two things hurt the Wings: turnovers and fouls. The Lynx scored 23-24 at the foul line, compared to the Wings scoring 1-3. The Lynx scored 20 points off of 16 Dallas turnovers and only gave up 10 points in 8 turnovers.
But those are just stats, and only the teams know why mistakes were made and how to correct them. As much as pundits and so-called experts would like to think they know, they don’t. Again, the Wings played a good game. They deserve that. The Lynx eventually played a good game, and it is a credit to this team how resilient they are. Why? Because they continually play like a team.
Without knowing the severity of Ogunbowale’s injury, Dallas’s immediate future will be somewhat unpredictable. But they displayed a viable and talented core group of players against the Lynx, one that should win more games. Up next for the Wings is a game in Chicago, then two in Washington, one at home with the Lynx, and then two on the road in Seattle. That is a long and arduous road. They have something to build on though. As I said, they are a better team than their record indicates. We shall see.
What’s Next for the Minnesota Lynx?
The Lynx welcome the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday and then the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday. Then they meet the New York Liberty for the Commissioner’s Cup Final. The Liberty are a hot team right now. So are the Lynx. Having already defeated New York once, they are certainly capable of doing it again, but the Lynx will need to go into that game with all pistons firing. Don’t count them out though. The Lynx are a really, really good team. I’m looking forward to that one.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
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