It’s safe to say that the Dallas Wings and Connecticut Sun hoped to be off to better starts this year. They’re the only two teams in the W with 0-4 records. Neither team expected to be great this year, but it’s frustrating for them, nonetheless.
Dallas has acquired its franchise player in Paige Bueckers, and the road to relevance is in front of them, but it’ll take time. This season is about discovering what else it needs, and most importantly, if Bueckers can coexist with backcourt stalwart Arike Ogunbowale. While these questions are in the process of being answered, wins will be few and far between.
The Connecticut Sun currently feels like an expansion team. Their massive offseason exodus has left them with just two players from last year’s squad: Marina Mabrey and Olivia Nelson-Ododa. On top of that, they have a first-time WNBA head coach in Rachid Meziane. It’s safe to say things are less than stable in CT, and as things are ironed out, the losses will continue to pile up.
The Wings are 4.5-point favorites on the road and are -185 on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is set at 160.5 points. Let’s look at the best bets and predictions for this contest.
Prediction for Sun vs. Wings
It’s tough to figure out who can win a tank-off. When skills are lessened, it often comes down to hustle and pace. And Dallas has played with more conviction than Connecticut this season.
In a league where pace is on the rise, Dallas has been in the middle of the pack regarding speed. Meanwhile, the Sun are 11th of 13 teams in pace and dead last in points per game. Games between squads struggling to find identity often turn into track meets. For the portions of the game where the floor opens up, Dallas will capitalize, and that will decide the game.
Pick for Sun vs. Wings
Dallas Wings -4.5 (-110)
I understand why our DraftKings oddsmakers are hesitant to give one 0-4 team a massive edge over another 0-4 team. Especially when the favorite is on the road. Even then, Dallas is a different class of team.
To be clear, both will pick at the top of the draft this year, but how they get there will differ. The Wings were in rough shape and are taking steps to address that, starting with Bueckers. There’s a vision here and the effort to achieve that goal. For Connecticut, I can’t say there is a vision yet, and I can’t blame them either.
Can you blame the ship for getting lost when the rudder is broken off? The offseason Connecticut had will take years to recover from. Those problems won’t get solved in time to save them from what could be the worst season in franchise history.
Paige Bueckers Over 22+ Points + Assists (-115)
Through four games, Bueckers is averaging 19.3 combined points and assists. Rightfully so, our oddsmakers are expecting her to clear that threshold Tuesday.
It’s an excellent opportunity for the No. 1 pick to get going. She’s shooting only 34% from the field so far, uncharacteristic of a player with her reputation for efficiency. Regression is due to work in her favor soon. Bueckers also can get hot for stretches and pile up the points, and one good run could solidify this number.
