It hasn’t been the best season for the Dallas Wings. At 7-17, they’re well outside of the playoff picture and bound for the lottery. The good news for Dallas is that Paige Bueckers has been everything they wanted and more from their No. 1 pick.
Bueckers, 23, has been one of the best players in the WNBA as a rookie. Named to her first All-Star team, she’s cruising to the Rookie of the Year award with -6000 odds. The offense has lived up to expectations, averaging 18.2 points and 5.5 assists per game. What comes as a surprise is the defensive production. She’s pilfered 1.7 steals per game in addition to 0.7 blocks per game. That’s excellent event creation from your point guard and offensive engine.
The problem has been the team around her, but there are glimpses of what this team can become. In their last game against the playoff-bound Seattle Storm, a 17-0 third-quarter run delivered an upset victory. Bueckers and Co. will be aiming to produce a second straight upset tonight against the Valkyries and look to build some momentum.
The Valkyries are 4.5-point favorites at home at -175 on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is 163 points. Let’s look at the best Paige Bueckers prop bet for this contest.
Best Paige Bueckers Prop Bet
The Valkyries suffered a significant setback on Friday. News came down that Kayla Thornton, Golden State’s breakout two-way All-Star, will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. Already teetering on the edge of the playoff picture, they needed to remain rock solid defensively to stay in the race. Thornton’s loss takes away a lot of what they can do on both ends of the floor.
Bueckers has consistently demonstrated a strong ability to drive throughout the season. She’s also dominated in the midrange to get buckets. Thornton has been one of the most valuable rotators in Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase’s defense, so while the team tries to figure out how to deal with the loss on the fly, Bueckers will be there to take advantage.
Top prop bet: Paige Bueckers 18+ Points (+115)
