Seven of the WNBA’s eight playoff spots are already locked down, and the final one could be clinched tonight if the Dallas Wings can take down the visiting Portland Fire. This isn’t just another regular season game; for Dallas, a win means they’re in, and for Portland, they need a victory and then a flat-out miracle just to keep their postseason hopes alive.
Dallas Overcomes Devastating Injury, Eyes Playoff Berth
It’s an 8 p.m. tip from College Park Center, televised nationally on NBA TV, and the stakes could not be higher. The Wings are coming in as 8.5-point favorites in the latest WNBA odds, with the game total set at 177.5 points. This is huge for a Dallas team that got absolutely brutal news last week: rookie No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd is out for the rest of the season after right knee surgery. Fudd was a monster, averaging 13.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.8 blocks. She even led the team with a phenomenal plus-13.1 net rating. Losing a player like that could derail any team, but Dallas, who hasn’t seen the playoffs since 2023, has found a way to rally. They’d been struggling without Fudd for a bit, but now they’re coming off back-to-back wins, bringing their magic number to clinch a playoff spot all the way down to just one. Forward Awak Kuier, who leads the team in blocks, has stepped up in Fudd’s absence.
Portland’s Glaring Weaknesses and DiLeo’s Herculean Effort
On the other side, Portland is truly on the verge of playoff elimination after blowing an 11-point lead last Sunday in a 105-100 home loss to Washington. That’s a gut punch, right? Despite that tough loss, Megan DiLeo put up 21 points for the Fire, going 7-for-8 from the floor. DiLeo is having an amazing year, averaging 13.3 points per game, which doubles her previous career high. She’s also shooting 53.9% from the field, putting her in the top 10 in the league! She even set a team record with 179 field goals made, passing Sophia Witherspoon’s 175 from 2000. But here’s the kicker: other than DiLeo, Portland doesn’t have much in the frontcourt, and it absolutely showed against Washington. They attempted only 15 free throws compared to 44 for the Mystics. Think about that: 29 more attempts! The Mystics also crushed them on the boards, winning the rebounding battle 48-30. This free-throw discrepancy has been a glaring problem for the Fire. In their previous game, they had a 33-17 deficit in attempts from the charity stripe too. Portland’s last five games have all been decided by five points or fewer, and they’ve gone 2-3 in those tight contests. They are 10-8 overall in clutch games this season, defined as a margin of five points or fewer in the final five minutes.
Tonight, it’s simple: Dallas wins, they’re in. Portland needs to find a way to stop the bleeding, especially at the free-throw line, or their season is essentially over. Can Dallas overcome the Fudd injury, or will Portland pull off the upset to keep their faint hopes alive?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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