There are three games of action across Friday night’s WNBA slate. Tipping off at 7:30 p.m. ET, the Dallas Wings will take on the Atlanta Dream.
These teams currently sit in third and fourth place in the WNBA standings and have already faced off once this season. The two teams played on May 12, with the Atlanta Dream winning 77-72.
The Dream enters as a 5.5-point home favorite with -218 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Wings are +180 underdogs, with the game total set at 173.5 points.
Let’s get into a pick and prediction for this Wings at Dream matchup.
Wings at Dream Preview
The Dallas Wings limped to a 10-34 record last season and made some major changes over the break. Jose Fernandez took over for his first season as head coach, and the Wings added Azzi Fudd with the first overall pick in the WNBA draft. Key players like Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, and Maddy Siegrist have returned, and Dallas added Jessica Shepard, Alana Smith, Odyssey Sims, and Alysha Clark in free agency.
There have been encouraging early results: the Wings are off to a 3-2 start. They are also 3-2 against the spread, and the game total has remained under in three of the five games. Bueckers headlines the production, averaging 20.8 points and 5.2 assists through the opening five games. Ogunbowale adds 17.4 points of her own, while Shepard adds 12.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per contest. Dallas enters Friday’s matchup with a clean injury report.
Albeit only a five-game sample size, Dallas currently ranks third in scoring with 91.2 points per game and leads the WNBA in offensive rating. The Wings have allowed 85.8 points per game, which ranks seventh in the league, and sit just outside the top 10 in defensive rating.
The Atlanta Dream leaped forward from a 15-25 record in 2024 to 30-14 last season. However, they were upset in the opening round of the playoffs by the Indiana Fever and forced to make some offseason changes. The headline decision was the blockbuster trade to bring in superstar Angel Reese. Atlanta is off to a 2-1 start to the year, with wins over the Lynx and Wings. Their lone loss came against the Aces. The Dream is also 2-1 against the spread, and the game total has remained under in two of the three games.
Allisha Gray is off to a stellar start to the season, averaging 25 points and seven assists across her first three contests. Rhyne Howard, who has only been available for two games so far, is expected to play Friday and adds 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Jordin Canada chips in 14 points, 5.3 assists, and four rebounds. Angel Reese contributes 10.7 points and 12.7 rebounds per night.
Through the first three games, Atlanta ranks 10th in scoring with 84 points per game and 12th in offensive rating. The Dream have been strong on the other end, ranking second in points allowed and defensive rating.
Wings at Dream Pick, Best Bet
The Dream picked up a 77-72 win over the Wings in the second game of the season. Atlanta won the rebounding battle 44-34 and shot 27% from deep, while Dallas shot a paltry 15%. This was an uncharacteristic shooting display from the sharpshooting Wings, who so far lead the WNBA in three-point percentage.
The Dream is a tough defensive team that deserves credit for forcing these misses. But it also felt like the Wings just came up short in some of these opportunities. Both teams have had relatively encouraging starts to the season, and this is an interesting clash of styles. But the Wings kept the game within striking distance in the first matchup despite the shooting issues. I expect more of the same in the rematch.
Dallas has two additional games under its belt, which could be advantageous at this stage of the season. The Wings have had more opportunities to learn to play together, and they are on a two-game winning streak after starting 1-2. Brush off the previous loss in this matchup to an outlier shooting night, and Dallas should get back on track. While the Wings are a strong play as an outright underdog, I am taking some added security and rolling with them to cover the 5.5-point spread. Expect an improved perimeter display from Dallas, which should take Friday’s game down to the wire.
