DHJ Quick Take: Wings Tend to Injuries, Turn Attention to Seattle
- Kuier, Clark Under Evaluation: Awak Kuier (right wrist) and Alysha Clark (left elbow) both sat out Sunday’s practice and remain under evaluation, with Kuier missing a second straight practice after being limited to left-hand-only work with a brace on Saturday.
- Fernandez On Defense And Pace: Jose Fernandez said Dallas (5-3) is sharing the ball well and getting better defensively, but wants the team to play at a faster pace and tighten its half-court defense as the next step.
- 3-Point Shooting As A Catalyst: Asked about Dallas leading the league in 3-point percentage a year after finishing last in that category, Fernandez said strong perimeter shooting opens up driving lanes and the post, and praised the quality of the team’s looks from outside.
- Keys Against Seattle: Fernandez pointed to one-on-one defense and keeping the ball in front as priorities against the Seattle Storm on Monday, noting that Seattle’s heavy use of half-court actions will test Dallas’s rotations.
DALLAS — Dallas Wings forwards Awak Kuier and Alysha Clark both sat out Sunday’s practice and remain under evaluation, head coach Jose Fernandez said.
Kuier has been dealing with a right wrist issue since earlier in the week and missed a second straight practice. She appeared to land hard on the wrist at one point during Thursday’s 95-87 comeback win over the Las Vegas Aces but stayed in and remained productive. She was also held out Saturday, when she was limited to left-hand-only work with a brace over the wrist, focusing on ball handling and finishing with her off-hand.
“She didn’t practice today, and she’s still being evaluated,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez said Clark did not practice either and that the team is “evaluating her as well.” Clark is dealing with a left elbow issue.
More information on Kuier is expected Monday.
Awak Kuier’s Two-Way Impact
Kuier’s impact on the Wings has only increased the longer she’s gotten acclimated with the team. Against the Aces, she rounded out Dallas’s double-digit scorers with 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 21 minutes on 3-of-5 shooting, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 at the free-throw line. It was her third straight game in double figures, the longest such streak of her WNBA career.
Through 8 games, the Wings have outscored opponents by 24.5 points per 100 possessions with Kuier on the floor, the best on-court net rating on the roster, and are outscored by 5.0 points per 100 possessions with her on the bench. The team’s defensive rating improves from 111.7 with her off the court to 95.4 with her on, a 16.3-point-per-100-possessions swing across her 111 minutes.
Kuier’s length anchored the second-half adjustment that cooled Las Vegas. Paige Bueckers credited Kuier’s reach for letting Dallas guard ball screens with a single defender.
“With K, she just is so long that she can guard two at times,” Bueckers said. “So to play between whoever’s in the ball screen, whether it be Jackie or Chelsea and probably A’ja setting it, that’s huge.”
Kuier also stretched the floor on the other end, knocking down two fourth-quarter 3-pointers against the Aces, and Fernandez said her range pulls rim protectors away from the basket.
“Where Awak can pick and pop, she can stretch the floor,” Fernandez said. “She’s a good weak-side cutter, and her length bothers people on the defensive end.”
Kuier is averaging 6.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 8 games this season.
Alysha Clark’s Steady Role
Clark, who is averaging 2.3 points, 1.0 rebound, and 0.2 assists in 6 games, turned in one of her better outings of the season Thursday. She scored a season-high 6 points with 1 assist and finished a plus-11 in a season-high 18 minutes, hitting a corner 3-pointer and a pair of late free throws as Dallas closed out the win.
Fernandez has leaned on her feel for the game.
“I think her headiness, her basketball IQ. She does the right things and gets in the right spots,” Fernandez said. “It’s almost like having another coach on the floor.”
Clark has been one of the team’s key voices on the sideline this season, serving as a connector between the players and the coaching staff whether she plays or not. She has spent much of the season working closely with rookie Azzi Fudd, often staying after shootarounds to get up extra shots with the No. 1 overall pick.
Dallas Wings Host Seattle Storm On Monday
The injuries come as Dallas (5-3) has beaten New York and the defending-champion Aces in back-to-back outings.
The Wings host the Seattle Storm on Monday, June 1, at 7 p.m. CT at College Park Center.
More Wings Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal
- ‘Incredible Resolve’: Azzi Fudd Shines In First Start, Jessica Shepard Makes WNBA History As Dallas Wings Stun Las Vegas Aces 95-87
- ‘Azzi Was Going To Start Regardless Today’: Azzi Fudd Earns Dallas Wings Starting Role vs. Las Vegas Aces
- Arike Ogunbowale Cleared To Play For Dallas Wings Against Las Vegas Aces After Workout
- Maddy Siegrist To Start For Dallas Wings As Alanna Smith Sits vs. Las Vegas Aces
- Paige Bueckers Cleared To Play For Dallas Wings Against Las Vegas Aces
- ‘I Would Not Hesitate Shooting’: Azzi Fudd Details UConn Approach That Unlocked Historic Game vs. New York Liberty
- ‘We’re Guarding Her With Five’: Paige Bueckers, Jose Fernandez Detail A’ja Wilson Matchup
