Wings coming in hot for matchup with Sparks

The Los Angeles Sparks play the second of three consecutive home games on Friday when they welcome Paige Bueckers and the surging Dallas Wings.

Last time out, Dallas (6-3) picked up its third consecutive win thanks to a defensive masterclass in a 79-56 home rout of Seattle on Monday. The Wings forced the Storm into almost as many turnovers (17) as the visitors' total number of made field goals (20).

The 56 points allowed in that Commissioner's Cup clash were just one more than the 2025 season low that Dallas gave up in a 68-55 home win over the Atlanta Dream last June 24.

Bueckers finished with just 10 points on Monday, more than eight fewer than her season average, but she also contributed nine rebounds and seven assists. Aziaha James picked up the scoring slack with 18 points off the bench, in the process giving Dallas eight players on the season averaging at least 6.6 per game.

"My (3-point shooting has) been off lately, so attacking downhill has been my strong suit," said James, who averages 6.7 points and is hitting 35.3% from long range.

The Wings have combined balanced offense with a defense that heads into Los Angeles ranked in the top third of the league at 81.6 points per game. Dallas also ranks among the WNBA's four best defenses against the 3-pointer, holding opponents to 31.7% shooting from deep.

The Sparks (4-5) come into the Commissioner's Cup matchup on Friday ranked fifth in the league in scoring offense at 87.9 points per game. Los Angeles has leaned on its interior duo of Dearica Hamby and Nneka Ogwumike, both of whom are averaging 15.3 points per game, while guard Kelsey Plum has been sidelined with an ankle injury.

Plum was averaging a torrid 26.8 points through the Sparks' first six games. Los Angeles went 1-2 in her absence but is expected to have the veteran sharpshooter back for the contest against Dallas.

"I have been just rehabbing like a maniac, sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber, red lighting my way back," Plum told reporters on Thursday.

Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said that the Los Angeles offense "sputtered" in Plum's absence. The Sparks managed just 69 points in a 10-point loss to Las Vegas on Tuesday.

Rae Burrell scored a career-high 22 points in the defeat, but no other Los Angeles player finished with more than 12.

Dallas enters with a 1-0 record in Commissioner's Cup play, while Los Angeles is 0-1.

--Field Level Media