The Wings are soaring over to the bay tonight to take on the Valkyries. While neither of these teams is at the top of the standings, both have plenty of talent. With Paige Bueckers continuing her epic rookie run against the newest WNBA team in the league, we'll see which team can snag a much needed win.
Myisha Hines-Allen out
Maddy Siegrist Out
Kayla Thornton Out
This is going to be an interesting game with Thornton out for the Valkyries. She’s really taken this team under her wing as the leader. With her out, things may look a little less organized. Much of her role might fall to Janelle Salaun, which could be a great opportunity to see a bit more of the rookie. With her size and a decent shot, Salaun has been a bright spot for this team, even though she’s a bit inconsistent. Pair her with Burton, who basically runs the offense, and they might have something going on tonight.
The Wings, on the other hand, have struggled even with Bueckers. They had a small winning streak about a month ago, but since then, wins have been hard to come by. Size has been a major issue for them this season; they’ve just been very guard-heavy. All three of their leading scorers are guards, with Yueru being the only starter with genuine size. Yueru and Bueckers have been the only things really keeping this team's defense afloat, but they’re still allowing 85 points a game from their opponents. This team just isn’t a finished product yet, but that’s what these rebuilding years are for.
Overall, this should be an interesting contest. I’m leaning toward the Valkyries because of their size advantage in the series. The Wings lack someone who can stop Salaun or Temi Fagbenle inside. As long as the Wings' three-point shooting isn’t hot, the Valkyries are likely to win this one at home.
Money line: DAL (+145) / GSV (-175)
Total Points: 163
Spread: +4 DAL (-110) / -4 GSV (-110)
Man, it’s hard not to like Bueckers. Even as a rookie, she’s become the heart and soul of this team. She’s been exceptional, not just for a rookie. She’s already averaging 18 points a game. In her last game, the Valkyries ended with her scoring 20 points in 39 minutes. Her usual performance is a little incredible, and although her minutes have decreased a bit, she’s seen a slight dip in scoring, but against the Valkyries, I think she’ll be just fine.
Salaun has quietly become one of my favorite players this year. Even though she doesn’t have a major role on the Valkyries, she’s shown a lot of promise. Rebounding-wise, she’s been solid, but I usually wouldn’t take the over on her. With Thornton out tonight, that changes everything. That should give Salaun some extra playing time tonight, which could help her reach this number.
Since Yueru's arrival to the Wings from the Storm earlier this year, she’s been fantastic for the team. She adds a big body to rebound and protect the paint, which she’s more than capable of doing. Since getting to Dallas, she’s averaged over 7 boards a game, with her hitting this line three of the last five games. Considering neither of these teams are efficient shooters, she should have an excellent shot at a few extra boards.