The Golden State Valkyries gave the Dallas Wings a rude welcome to their own house on August 7, blowing them out 94-76 in front of 16,444 home fans at the American Airlines Center. This absolute thrashing came just days after the Wings announced they’d play all their home games at that same arena in 2027, a brutal blow for the Dallas faithful. The Valkyries were relentless, forcing 13 Wings turnovers and never letting up.
Golden State’s Offensive Explosion and Defensive Clampdown
Veronica Burton was an absolute nightmare for Dallas, leading all scorers with a scorching 22 points and dishing out seven assists. She ran the show, plain and simple. Golden State just kept finding ways to score and shut down the Wings’ offense. Kaila Charles, the former Wing, drove right past Sug Sutton for a downhill score after two Valkyrie offensive rebounds early in the second quarter, putting Golden State up 32-25. It was a play that screamed “we want it more.” Then, Gabby Williams hit her first 3-ball of the game with just three seconds left before the half, extending the Valkyries’ lead to 44-36. They were building momentum, and Dallas just couldn’t stop it.
The third quarter was more of the same, with Golden State widening the gap. Even after Arike Ogunbowale finally got one to drop on a drive early in the third, the Wings had already given up two offensive boards in the first minute of the half. Kiah Stokes hit a huge 3-pointer in response, and Kayla Thornton cut inside for another driving bucket. Just like that, the Valkyries were up 54-38, forcing Wings coach Jose Fernandez to call a timeout. Golden State, boasting the WNBA’s No. 1 rated defense, pushed their lead to 20, 72-52, late in the third on a pair of free throws from Laeticia Amihere. Once they get up like that, against that defense, it’s an impossible hill to climb.
Dallas’ Freefall Continues: What’s Next For The Wings?
This loss is ugly, their fifth in their last seven games, dropping the Wings into seventh place in the WNBA standings. Paige Bueckers tried to spark something, scoring 11 of her team-high 17 points in the first quarter. But when she went to the bench for a breather, Dallas coughed up back-to-back uncharacteristic turnovers in the final minute of the frame, letting the Valkyries jump to a 26-21 lead. You just can’t make those mistakes against a team like Golden State. The Wings also couldn’t put a possession to bed on defense to start the second, giving up extra chances. It was a full team breakdown.
Coach Jose Fernandez didn’t mince words after the game, and you gotta respect that honesty. He said, “Are we all disappointed today? Yea. Today was not good. Our rotations and our effort. You can find all the confidence you want, but you’ve got to have some individual accountability. We’ve got a room full of professionals. We know what’s at stake, and we have to bounce back.” With only 12 games left in the regular season, that message needs to hit home fast. The Wings are in a fight, and they need to find that accountability and start winning, or this season could slip away completely.
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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