The Dallas Wings are hitting the court Friday night with their backs against the wall, facing a Golden State Valkyries squad that’s straight up dominating the league. Dallas, sitting at 19-12, has stumbled hard with a shaky 3-4 record in their last seven games, including a tough 96-92 loss to the Washington Mystics on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Valkyries, at 21-9, are riding an absolute wave of momentum, winning 11 of their last 13 games and sweeping both legs against the Toronto Tempo. This isn’t just another game; for the Wings, it’s a desperate cry for a bounce-back.
Golden State’s Defensive Hammer
Forget about looking for one superstar to shut down on this Valkyries roster. Golden State’s power comes from a totally different place: their brutal, relentless defense. They own the best team defensive rating in the entire WNBA at a ridiculous 101.7! It’s not about Gabby Williams or Janelle Salaun burning you from the perimeter with volume scoring, or Veronica Burton tearing up the nets. Kiah Stokes is a solid shot blocker, sure, but she’s not a bruising inside scorer. Even Kaitlyn Chen can get hot off the bench without being a game-breaker. What they *do* is disrupt you, hard. They lead the league with 39.1% of their points coming from deep, and they run 10 to 11 deep with quality minutes from everyone. They’re just so damn solid, man. They don’t give the Wings the “fits” that big-time scorers do, but what they accomplish is tying everyone they play into knots. This is *not* the team you want to see on your schedule when you’re in desperate need of a get-right game. Good luck, ladies.
Fourth Quarter Fades and Free Throw Woes
Friday marks the second of three meetings between these two teams this season, and the last one was a real gut punch for Dallas. Golden State handed the Wings a 91-80 loss back on June 17, with Gabby Williams absolutely going off for a game-high 25 points. What stung even more was the Valkyries’ lights-out shooting from three, hitting 12-of-25 for 48%. Just like in their recent loss to the Mystics, Dallas completely faded in the fourth quarter. That’s a pattern the Wings absolutely have to correct if they want any shot at the bounce-back they’re chasing. And don’t even get me started on the free throw line. Golden State sank 21-of-27 (78%) in that win, while Dallas shot a dismal 11-of-16 (69%), including some critical misses down the stretch that could’ve changed everything. Opponents have been practically living at the free throw line against the Wings in recent losses, too. Dallas has got to figure out how to defend effectively without sending everyone to the stripe.
This isn’t the team you want to see when you’re desperate for a “get-right” game, but that’s exactly what the Wings are facing Friday at 8:30 p.m. at American Airlines Center. Can Dallas finally fix their fourth-quarter collapses and free throw issues, or will Golden State tie them up in knots again? We’re about to find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mavs Moneyball.
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