‘We’re Very One-Dimensional’: Dallas Wings Seek More Defensive Disruption After Loss Against Las Vegas Aces

Grant AfsethAugust 18, 2025October 21, 2025no comment

Dallas Wings, A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces, Luisa Geiselsöder, WNBA

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The Dallas Wings’ defense has been trending in the wrong direction for weeks. Opponents are shooting a staggering 44.8% from three in August, by far the highest mark in the WNBA this month. On Sunday, the Las Vegas Aces exposed those flaws to the fullest, burying 18 threes — the most ever against the Wings — in a 106–87 rout at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

The loss dropped Dallas to 9–26, underscoring a season defined by defensive lapses. Head coach Chris Koclanes didn’t sugarcoat the root cause.

“It all stems from one-on-one defense—can you keep people in front?” Koclanes said to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “If you can, the help gets out to the arc. With A’ja Wilson being so good one-on-one, she draws help, and then there are kick-outs. We’ve got to be better one-on-one. At the point of attack, our ball screen coverage slipped, creating space. We need to be more disruptive in any coverage we’re in. Right now, we’re very one-dimensional defensively. Players are too good to leave anyone on an island.”

Point-of-Attack Pressure Slipping

The Aces’ shooters thrived once Dallas failed to contain at the top of possessions. For Haley Jones, the breakdowns were obvious.

“We were scrambling way too much,” Jones told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “They were making the extra pass, hitting open shots. Kierstan Bell went 6-for-7 from three — that’s exactly what she wants to do. We have to be better in our coverages, whether it’s switching or being up on screens. Right now, we’re not disciplined enough, and it’s costing us.”

Paige Bueckers echoed her teammate and drilled into the specifics the Wings need to clean up.

“Limiting free throw attempts and limiting threes,” Bueckers explained to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “We did a decent job of keeping them out of the paint, but that was because they got too many threes. We need to keep people in front so we’re not in constant rotations and scrambles. We just have to pay more attention to the three-point line.”

The Wings’ struggles at the point of attack have had a domino effect. Once penetration forces help rotations, Dallas is consistently late closing out, leading to clean looks from deep. On the season, opponents are hitting 9.2-of-24.1 threes per game (38.2%), the highest percentage in the league. The second-worst defense, Chicago, allows 36.8%.

A’ja Wilson’s Impact

The scouting report centered on Wilson, and Dallas knew they couldn’t allow her easy catches. Still, she scored 34 points on 11-of-16 shooting and drew constant whistles. Wilson attempted 14 free throws, making 11, as the Wings struggled to guard without fouling.

“You just have to give her MVP attention,” Bueckers told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “She draws a lot of bodies, she draws a lot of attention, so it’s gonna be a team effort. She’s extremely hard to guard one-on-one. She gets to her spots extremely well, she gets to the free throw line extremely well. She hits tough ones, but just try to make everything tough.”

Luisa Geiselsöder, who guarded Wilson most of the night, called it a test unlike any other.

“It’s about making her get tough catches, pushing her out, being physical with her, and not giving her what she wants,” Geiselsöder explained to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “It’s hard because she’s in constant movement, and she’s probably the best player in the world. So it’s going to be hard, but I just have to do my best on the court, disturb her, and maybe get in her head if I can.”

Maddy Siegrist admitted afterward that Wilson’s efficiency leaves defenders with no margin for error.

“She’s an unbelievable player. Whether you guard her one-on-one or with two people, she’s gonna consistently shoot over the top,” Siegrist said to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “We just have to do a better job limiting her touches. When she catches it on the low or mid-range like that, there’s not much you can do.”

Fouls Keep the Defense on Its Heels

Even when Dallas executed defensively, fouls erased progress. The Wings are allowing 22.7 opponent free throw attempts per game this season, the most in the WNBA. Although they’ve shown modest improvement in August — down to 19.3 attempts per game, 10th in the league — Sunday showed the problem still lingers.

“Putting them on the free-throw line, that really messed us up,” rookie guard Aziaha James told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “And then their threes. We just have to take pride in stopping them, get rebounds, and push the other way.”

Jones highlighted how fouling Wilson in particular fueled the Aces’ momentum.

“We fouled her too much, and that let her get and-ones to get their team going,” Jones said to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “She scored in a variety of ways.”

An Identity Still Missing

The Wings aren’t hiding from the numbers. They’ve given up 87.3 points per game this season, better than only Los Angeles. Over their recent stretch, the number has risen to 90.7 per game. Combined with the league’s worst opponent three-point percentage and most free throws allowed, it paints the picture of a defense that hasn’t found its identity.

“It’s easy to say, ‘We’re young, they’re experienced,’ but we just have to be better all the way around,” Siegrist said. “Looking at a team like Vegas, you want to learn from them and see how they’re successful. As a group, we’re learning. … Now it’s about taking more pride on the defensive end.”

Koclanes emphasized that the Wings can’t take the next step until their defensive habits become more consistent.

“Defensively, we need more consistent effort, execution, and a relentless attitude,” Koclanes said to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “Every night we face All-Stars. To compete, we have to fight harder and more consistently.”

What’s Next

Dallas allowed 97 points in a one-point loss to the Sparks on Friday before surrendering 106 to Las Vegas. The Wings (9–26) will see Los Angeles again on Wednesday, closing their two-game road trip with another chance to prove they can tighten the defense.

“If we’re all really locked in on our individual defense and not getting beat easily, then we don’t have to get into rotations,” Geiselsöder explained to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “It comes back to one-on-one defense and guarding our yard.”

Until that happens, the Wings remain a team chasing answers on the side of the floor that decides whether their offensive progress will matter.

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Grant Afseth

Senior Writer

Grant Afseth is a Senior Writer for DallasHoopsJournal.com, where he leads in-depth coverage of the Mavericks, Wings, and more. Between a focus on the latest news, closer looks at games, front office strategy, and more, Afseth provides objective coverage. Afseth contributes broader NBA coverage across platforms and has been cited in national outlets for his reporting and analysis. With nearly a decade of journalism experience, Afseth has covered the NBA and WNBA for multiple major outlets, including Athlon Sports, BallIsLife, Sportskeeda, and RG.org. He previously reported on the Indiana Pacers for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and the Mavericks for FanNation.

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