DHJ Quick Take: Wings Get Frontcourt Healthy Ahead Of Lynx Rematch
The Dallas Wings practiced Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s Commissioner’s Cup rematch at the Minnesota Lynx, with three injured players back on the floor and the focus on cleaning up a defense that broke down in the teams’ first meeting. Dallas enters at 7-3 on a four-game winning streak, its longest since the 2023 regular season.
- Fernandez On The Injury Report: Jose Fernandez said Awak Kuier, Li Yueru and Aziaha James were full participants, while Odyssey Sims was a no-go and remains under evaluation.
- Fernandez On The Lynx Rematch: Fernandez said the Wings struggled with step-up screens, side pick-and-rolls and other actions in the first matchup and have to defend better and rebound, pointing to a unit he believes has improved since. Fudd
- On The Road Stretch: Azzi Fudd said she will prepare earlier for a five-games-in-nine-days run and that Dallas has a clearer defensive identity than it did when the teams first met. Siegrist
- On Depth And Natasha Howard: Maddy Siegrist said the team’s depth helps it absorb injuries and praised Natasha Howard‘s footwork and efficiency ahead of another matchup. Commissioner’s Cup Stakes: Dallas and Minnesota are both unbeaten in Cup play entering Tuesday, with the Lynx holding the WNBA’s best record at 9-2.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings practiced Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s Commissioner’s Cup game at the Minnesota Lynx. Azzi Fudd, Maddy Siegrist and head coach Jose Fernandez met with the media.
Forward Awak Kuier (right wrist), center Li Yueru (left ankle) and guard Aziaha James were full participants after the trio had been slowed by injuries during the previous road trip. Guard Odyssey Sims did not take part.
“Awak, Li, and Aziaha were full participants today in practice,” Fernandez said. “We’ll continue to evaluate where Odyssey is at, but as you could see, she was a no-go today.”
Dallas (7-3) has won four straight, the franchise’s longest streak since the 2023 regular season, after a 104-96 road win at the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday that moved the Wings to 2-0 in Commissioner’s Cup play. Minnesota enters at 9-2 with the best record in the WNBA and beat Dallas 90-86 in the teams’ first meeting in May, a game in which Howard scored 26 points and hit the tiebreaking basket inside the final minute.
Fernandez said the compressed schedule, with five games in nine days following a three-games-in-five-days run, changes the team’s daily routine.
“It’s a lot different now. You play a game, and then you’ve only got one day to prepare for the next one,” Fernandez said. “It’ll be a lot different preparation-wise, both film-wise and practice-wise.”
He said the practice time the team banked over the previous week and a half should help.
“This is a good group. They’re great learners, they study the game, and they have really good basketball IQ. They know this is a very important stretch,” Fernandez said. “We got to spend a lot of time in practice on both ends of the floor addressing things.”
Fernandez said the Wings’ coverages broke down across the board in the first meeting with Minnesota and have been a practice priority since.
“The first game against Minnesota, we struggled with step-up screens. We struggled with side pick-and-rolls with the field corner, with empty-corner actions, with horns, with Spain action, with a lot of different things,” Fernandez said. “I think we’ve gotten a lot better in those areas defensively, and we’re going to have to do a good job, especially on the glass, too.”
He kept his plan for Natasha Howard, who again looms as a problem, straightforward.
“We just have to throw bodies at her. We have to make sure we tag her, and when the shot goes up, we have to put a body on her,” Fernandez said.
Fudd, the No. 1 overall pick, said she plans to handle the upcoming stretch differently than the team’s earlier road swing.
“I’m going to pack sooner than the day of,” she said. “That was my first long road trip, so it kind of just hits you. You don’t really know what to expect or how to handle it. Now I have a much better feel for it.”
She said the first matchup with Minnesota came before Dallas settled into its defensive habits.
“I think our defense in that game was maybe right before we started figuring some things out,” Fudd said. “Now we have a much better understanding of our defensive identity and what we want to do.”
Fudd said the Commissioner’s Cup has added a new wrinkle to her rookie year, including a late-game lesson on point differential.
“At the end of the last game, everybody was saying, ‘Wait, don’t hold the ball, score,’ and I was like, ‘Wait, why?'” she said. “I didn’t realize the point differential mattered.”
Siegrist said the team’s depth has helped it stay steady through injuries.
“You obviously have to be prepared for everything. Injuries happen. It’s part of the game, so you’ve just got to be ready,” she said. “I think we’ve been a really deep team all year, so obviously that helps. We have a lot of different players who can do a lot of different things.”
She framed the May loss to the Lynx as a marker the team has moved past.
“I think we’ve learned a lot since that game. We’ve grown a lot since then,” Siegrist said. “That was a great turning point for us and something we were able to grow from.”
Siegrist, who spent two seasons as Howard’s teammate, said the veteran’s craft stands out.
“She has such great footwork,” she said. “More than anything, it’s how efficient she is and how every single night she brings it. She impacts the game whether she scores 30 points or three points.”
She said containing rookie point guard Olivia Miles, the No. 2 overall pick, comes down to limiting easy answers.
“She’s great at everything. She’s a great shooter and a great passer, so you’ve just got to do the best you can to contain her,” Siegrist said. “She’s going to make a lot of ‘wow’ plays, so you just try to make everything as difficult as possible.”
On the Cup, Siegrist welcomed the format while keeping the focus broad.
“The Commissioner’s Cup is super cool because you get to compete in a mini tournament during the season. It definitely makes those games even more exciting,” she said. “But at the same time, you want to be up for every game.”
The Wings visit the Lynx on Tuesday at Target Center in Minneapolis with tip-off set for 7 p.m. CT. The game airs locally on KFAA and streams on WNBA League Pass.
Full interviews below.
Azzi Fudd
Maddy Siegrist
Jose Fernandez
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