DHJ Quick Take: Wings Use Practice Block to Reset Defensive Baseline
- Rebuilding the Floor: Following a frustrating 90-86 defensive lapse against Minnesota, the Wings maximized a rare two-day practice block to strip away old defensive habits. Alysha Clark noted that with players implicitly drifting back into the default schemes of their previous organizations, the weekend was critical for standardizing a collective baseline under pressure.
- The Terminology Translation: For rookie guard Azzi Fudd, the rare stretch of consecutive on-court practices provided vital live reps to sort through heavy system adjustments. Fudd revealed her steepest hurdle is untangling five years of ingrained UConn play-call vocabulary from Jose Fernandez’s playbook—a process being accelerated by immediate sideline feedback from Clark and Odyssey Sims.
- Fernandez’s Defensive Focuses: The coaching staff’s checklist was blunt: erase straight-line dribble penetration, lock down post entries, and clean up the glass. Fernandez stressed that perimeter containing is non-negotiable to stop opposing guards from consistently collapsing the paint.
- Slowing Down Citron: Shifting focus to Sunday’s Washington preparation, Fernandez outlined a strict perimeter blueprint to contain Sonia Citron, who is fresh off a 30-point game against Indiana. The goal is to deny Citron early touches at the elbow and prevent her from curling into wide-open mid-range looks.
- Sustaining Frontcourt Energy: The interior rotation faces an immediate physical test against the Mystics’ high-energy young frontcourt of Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin. Clark warned that matching Washington’s active pace and limiting their second-chance opportunities will dictate the outcome as Dallas starts a grueling stretch of three games in seven days.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings spent a rare two-day practice block this weekend rebuilding their defense and preparing for the Washington Mystics, who visit College Park Center on Monday in the finale of a three-game homestand.
Head coach Jose Fernandez split the work. He said Saturday’s practice stayed on Dallas itself before the team turned to the Mystics scouting report Sunday. The Wings are 1-2 after a 90-86 home loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday.
“I thought it was great to be able to get in the gym and practice and worry about things that you can control and work on, and we did that today,” Fernandez said. “Finding the right balance between how much you can do and how much you can get up and down the floor is important. We did that yesterday and we did that today.”
Dallas Wings Reset Defensive Baseline
Veteran Alysha Clark said the defense had slipped in the first three games, with players drifting back into the habits of their former teams. She said the point of the weekend was to set a standard the group can return to under pressure.
“We knew our defense wasn’t great, and there was slippage,” Clark said. “People were falling back to whatever baseline they were used to from previous organizations or previous seasons here. We wanted to reestablish a new baseline for this group so when stuff hits the fan, we all fall back to the same baseline.”
Clark said the timing matters with the schedule about to compress.
“When you can get in, compete, push each other, and have those grind-it-out tough practices, it helps,” Clark said. “We have three games in seven days coming up, and you don’t really have time to practice, so you have to build good habits now. Having these two days to reestablish those habits will be beneficial for us.”
Fernandez said the defensive corrections were direct: protect the post, clean up the glass and keep the ball out of the lane.
“Post defense, without a doubt, and the glass,” Fernandez said. “We’ve also been hurt with dribble penetration, people getting in the lane and straight-line drives, just keeping people in front of us.”
Practice Reps Replace Film Talk
Rookie guard Azzi Fudd said the value of the two days was the chance to play through situations rather than just discuss them.
“Just having more time, more reps, and time to actually go up and down and play through things instead of just talking about it,” Fudd said. “Sometimes it’s hard to just talk about it. You actually have to go live, play through it, and go through those actions with the different lineups you’re going to see on the court.”
The reps carry added weight for Fudd, the No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, who is still adjusting to a new system after five seasons at UConn. She said the play calls have been the hardest part of the move.
“I was there for five years, so all of their play calls and defensive calls are ingrained in my brain,” Fudd said. “We even have a couple plays here with the same calls as UConn, so it takes me a second to realize it’s not the UConn play I’m running. Just making that flip and adjusting on the fly when I hear a call and making the right read, with time, I’ll get there.”
Fudd said veterans Odyssey Sims and Clark have helped her work through it in practice, often catching a mistake before she has to ask.
“They can see my brain turning. They can see whatever just happened in that play, and they’re going to come to me and correct me, give me advice and tips on what to do and how to navigate things,” Fudd said. “I’m so fortunate to be on a team with vets and people with experience who are willing to help me.”
Attention Turns to Washington Mystics
After Saturday’s self-focused work, the Wings used Sunday on Washington. The Mystics are 2-1 and won their last game 104-102 in overtime at the Indiana Fever.
Fernandez said the plan against Washington’s frontcourt of Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin starts with making the Mystics work to get the ball inside.
“We’ve really got to fight, and there can’t just be direct entries. They do a good job freeing those guys up,” Fernandez said. “But the most important thing is if the shot goes up, we can’t give them second and third opportunities, which they do a really good job of creating.”
Fernandez said slowing Mystics guard Sonia Citron means denying her catches in the middle of the floor.
“She can’t catch it in the elbow area. You can’t get caught topsiding her because Citron does a good job getting the ball to the elbow and curling around,” Fernandez said. “You’ve just got to make sure you keep Sonia in front of you and she can’t get wide-open looks.”
Clark, who played for the Mystics last season alongside Citron and Iriafen, said Washington’s young guards will test the Wings for a full game.
“They have a lot of really young guards that play hard, and you have to match that energy for the entire game,” Clark said.
Up Next
The Wings close their three-game homestand Monday against the Mystics at College Park Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT on Peacock.
More Wings Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal
- Dallas Wings Practice Interviews: Azzi Fudd, Alysha Clark And Jose Fernandez (May 17, 2026)
- Paige Bueckers Says Wings’ Mistakes Are ‘Fixable’ As Dallas Cleans Up Before Washington Mystics
- Arike Ogunbowale Sees ‘A Lot To Learn’ From Dallas Wings’ 1-2 Start
- Dallas Wings Target Pick & Roll Defense, Ball Movement And Late-Game Execution In ‘Very Spirited’ Practice Before Washington Mystics
- Dallas Wings Practice Interviews: Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale And Jose Fernandez (May 16, 2026)
- ‘Dallas Has Been Incredible’: Azzi Fudd Shines In Home Debut Despite Wings’ Loss
- Dallas Wings vs. Minnesota Lynx Postgame Interviews: Paige Bueckers, Maddy Siegrist, Azzi Fudd And Jose Fernandez (May 14, 2026)
- ‘Selfishness In The Locker Room’: Dallas Wings Squander 12-Point Lead In 90-86 Loss To Minnesota Lynx
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- ‘Picking Up Our Intensity’: Lessons From The Dallas Wings’ Atlanta Loss And How They Apply Against The Minnesota Lynx
