Wings hope to build momentum, derail surging Lynx

Field Level Media|published: Thu 29th August, 16:57 2024

Sep 24, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally (0) dribbles downcourt during the first half of game one of the 2023 WNBA Playoffs at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Wings will try to parlay two of their most rousing wins of the season into a late push for the playoffs when they host the surging Minnesota Lynx on Friday in Arlington, Texas.

The Wings (8-22) are in the hunt for a season-high third win of the year after beating two-time defending league champion Las Vegas 93-90 on Tuesday. Satou Sabally led Dallas with 28 points in the win and helped the Wings overcome a 42-point performance from the Aces' A'ja Wilson.

Tuesday's victory came after Dallas stormed back from 19 points down in the fourth quarter to beat Los Angeles on Sunday.

Dallas trailed by a point with 46.5 seconds to play on Tuesday before late free throws by Sabally and Arike Ogunbowale lifted the Wings. Natasha Howard added 24 points and Ogunbowale finished with 20 for Dallas, while Teaira McCowan grabbed 17 rebounds.

The Wings are in 11th place in the 12-team league, three games behind eighth-place Chicago and three spots below the playoff line.

"We were in the semifinals last year for a reason, and I don't want people to forget that," Sabally said after Tuesday's game.

The Lynx (23-8) have won seven straight games, are in second place in the league standings (2 1/2 games behind New York) and have already clinched a playoff spot with nine games remaining.

Minnesota's most recent victory was an 89-76 decision at Phoenix on Wednesday as Kayla McBride led the way with 19 points, Courtney Williams added 16, Napheesa Collier hit for 12 points and eight rebounds and Myisha Hines-Allen tallied 11 points off the bench.

The Lynx, the WNBA's top 3-point shooting team at 39.2 percent, poured in 11 shots from beyond the arc. They have won all six games by double digits since the league restart after the All-Star and Olympic break.

"It feels good. But we're playing for something way bigger than just a winning streak," McBride said after Wednesday's win. "We wanted to hit the ground running for our Olympians who were coming back. It's the willingness to be ready to play every night. We're playing for each other."

The Lynx have won two of the first three games with Dallas this season but the Wings captured the most recent meeting, a 94-88 victory on June 27 in Arlington.

--Field Level Media