Three teams—the Dallas Wings, the Chicago Sky, and the Connecticut Sun—entered Tuesday’s five-game slate winless. Dallas dispatched Connecticut 109-87, while the Sky dropped to 0-4 after a close loss to the Mercury. Now the Wings will look to make it back-to-back victories over winless squads while Chicago searches for a positive result.
Dallas finally got the Paige Bueckers they expected against Connecticut. She recorded 21 points, five rebounds, and seven assists on 8-of-10 shooting. The No. 1 pick has struggled with efficiency early, but continues to rack up impressive stats for a rookie:
Dallas still has questions to answer—namely, how Arike Ogunbowale fits into this equation—but it’s a promising sign that Bueckers may have finally settled in. Once that star pairing figures out how to coexist, the role players will fall into place.
The Sky will be upset with Tuesday’s result, not the process. It felt like the vision for this team came together for the first time. Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso made an impact in the paint on both ends, Courtney Vandersloot kept the offense organized, Ariel Atkins had a great two-way game, and Kia Nurse hit her shots. Sticking with a Phoenix Mercury team trying to contend is a very promising sign. But a loss is a loss, and they need to come together to avoid frustration while focusing on the positives.
The Wings are 2.5-point favorites on the road and are -155 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is set at 169.5 points. Let’s look at the best bets and predictions for this contest.
Prediction for Wings vs. Sky
Our oddsmakers have this one as a close-ish contest, but the Wings will show they’re in a class above the Sky. Arike is an established bucket-getter, they have some role pieces, and Bueckers is the kind of offensive talent that raises everyone’s ceiling.
Despite the brutal results, I believe in the vision the Sky is building. Their frontcourt can be dynamic, and Ariel Atkins is an excellent connective piece on both ends. But that vision is a ways down the road, and it feels like the Wings’ future is just around the corner.
Pick for Wings vs. Sky
Dallas Wings -2.5 (-110)
This Wings offense is off to a strong start despite the 1-4 record. They’re fifth in offensive rating and have cleared 80 points in three of five contests. As Paige becomes more comfortable with each passing game, things could get even better. What’s been impressive to me is the contribution Dallas gets from players down the roster. Maddy Siegrist, Myisha Hines-Allen, DiJonai Carrington and NaLyssa Smith have all shown they can function around Paige and Arike.
I don’t know if this Sky offense can keep pace. Reese struggles with efficiency, and lots of the offense goes through her. Even if Atkins and Kia Nurse hit shots while Cardoso thumps in the paint, these Wings can fly away quickly. I’m expecting a high-paced contest that favors Dallas and leads to a victory.
