“Make It Tough for Her”: Dallas Wings Focus on Containing Napheesa Collier, Offensive Improvement in Minnesota Lynx Rematch
The Dallas Wings will look to secure their first win of the season on Wednesday night against the Minnesota Lynx, and for Paige Bueckers, the matchup brings added meaning.
The Edina native and former Hopkins High School standout is set to play her first WNBA game in her home state. Despite the emotions surrounding the homecoming, Bueckers has remained focused on the task at hand.
“I’m always happy to be back home,” Bueckers said. “I’m excited to play here, but I’m even more excited just to play the game.”
Paige Bueckers Emphasizes Defensive Improvements in Rematch
The Wings (0-2) opened the season with a 99-84 loss to Minnesota before falling 79-71 to Seattle on Monday night. In that opener, Dallas kept things close at halftime before being overwhelmed by a third-quarter onslaught led by Napheesa Collier, who finished with 34 points, four rebounds, and four assists, and Courtney Williams, who added 25 points and nine assists. The Lynx (2-0) shot 68.4% in the third, outscoring Dallas by 15 in the frame.
“I think our defense on the point of attack, and Courtney Williams and Phee’s ability to really get whatever they wanted out of the pick and roll — so I think we need to be better at the point of attack and trying to congest the paint,” Bueckers told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “Not let so many easy touches, paint touches in there where they get out and spray and make the extra pass and get great movement on offense.”
“Just trying to get more in transition, trying to get more paint touches, trying to get more changing sides of the floor,” she continued to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “But I think Phee and Courtney really killed us in the first game, so trying to clean it up on that end.”
Bueckers has averaged 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists through her first two WNBA games. She’ll have a large crowd in attendance Wednesday night, with friends, family, and former teammates from Hopkins and AAU all expected to be in the building.
“Just to have them here means everything to me,” Bueckers said. “They’ve been a huge part of my story in getting here.”
Myisha Hines-Allen Details the Minnesota Lynx: “It Starts With Cheryl”
For veteran forward Myisha Hines-Allen, a former member of the Washington Mystics and Lynx now in her first year with the Wings, the success Minnesota experiences starts at the top with head coach Cheryl Reeve.
“It honestly starts from Cheryl,” Hines-Allen told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “She’s a great leader, and everyone follows suit. They have phenomenal players over there that want to win together. They’re not worried about individual accolades, which goes a long way when trying to build something special, or keep something going, which they’ve done.”
When asked about the challenge of guarding Collier, Hines-Allen emphasized the need for team execution, making it essential to alter touches instead of giving her deep touches.
“There’s not one person in this league that can stop her,” Hines-Allen told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “It’s a team effort. You just try to all be on the same accord, trying to limit her touches or alter some of her shots. She’s going to make tough shots — you just want to make her life harder.”
She added that facing a team like Minnesota twice in the opening stretch could benefit Dallas in the long run, providing the team multiple chances to execute and study film against a top opponent.
“They’re a well-oiled machine, offensively and defensively,” Hines-Allen emphasized to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “It’s going to help us in the long run — watch film and grow our games as a team.”
Maddy Siegrist Focused on Growth, Consistency
Maddy Siegrist, who has scored in double figures in each of the Wings’ first two games, emphasized the importance of building from their early-season performances, especially in a quick turnaround rematch with the Lynx.
“Every game we’re just trying to get a little bit better,” Siegrist told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “Seeing them, it’s fresh in our mind. So just try to grow from that and be better tonight.”
Siegrist has averaged 11.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals while shooting 50.0% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range through two games. She credited her offseason work as a foundation for her strong start.
“Just preparation,” Siegrist told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “Obviously, all the work you put in during the offseason, you want that to come to light during the season. But I’m just trying to do the best I can every night, knowing that’s probably going to be a little different each game. Your role shifts, but I just try to be consistent on both sides of the basketball.”
Defensively, Siegrist highlighted the difficulty in containing Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, whose scoring versatility and two-way impact present a significant challenge for any matchup.
“She scores on so many levels,” Siegrist explained to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “Even when she’s not scoring, she’s impacting the game. So you just gotta be alert the whole time you’re guarding her. And obviously she’s a great defender as well.”
She added that defending a player like Collier requires a team-wide commitment to switching coverages, applying pressure, and staying connected throughout the possession.
“With any great player, you’ve got to just throw a lot at them,” Siegrist told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “Obviously she’s good enough, she’s going to navigate a lot. But just trying to make it tough for her early.”
On the offensive end, Siegrist believes pace, movement, and opportunism are essential against Minnesota’s disciplined defense.
“You’ve got to keep the ball swinging from both sides,” Siegrist detailed to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “And I think extra possessions — if you can get any offensive rebounds, transitions — you’ve got to take everything you can get.”
“They’re a great defensive team,” she added. “They’re always going to have a crowd, they rotate well, and they make a lot of smart basketball plays. So you’re not going to get too many wide, wide open looks — you’ve got to capitalize when you do.”
Luisa Geiselsöder Finally Joins Dallas Wings After Five-Year Wait
Luisa Geiselsöder’s arrival has been five years in the making. The German center was drafted by Dallas with the No. 21 pick in 2020, but remained in Europe for further development. She joined the Wings last week after helping lead Basket Landes to the LFB championship in France, averaging 11.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game.
Her official activation came just ahead of Monday’s game, though her WNBA debut remains pending due to recent travel, medical evaluations, and missed shootarounds.
“It’s fun. It’s really fun,” Geiselsöder detailed to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “The girls really welcomed me openly and warmly. It’s new — a little overwhelming in the beginning — but all in all, I feel really comfortable with the girls and the whole organization. It’s amazing.”
Geiselsöder noted the adjustment to the WNBA’s pace and structure, particularly the defensive three-second rule, which differs from FIBA play.
“The first thing is the defensive three seconds,” Geiselsöder emphasized to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “And then everything is just faster. There’s more interaction. In Europe, we have more set plays — you really have your way to go. Here, it’s freer basketball. You can actually show your style and play more.”
Despite missing training camp, Wings general manager Curt Miller remains confident in her fit.
“She’s a whole training camp behind,” Miller said. “But we’re excited for her potential. She’s a really versatile post player — she can score at multiple levels, protect the rim, and stretch the floor.”
Geiselsöder credited Arike Ogunbowale and Bueckers for helping her quickly acclimate.
“Arike helped from the beginning,” Geiselsöder told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “She reached out to me pretty early. Paige was always there. Honestly, every time I need something I can ask no matter who — they’re all really open to help me.”
Geiselsöder hopes to contribute with a versatile offensive skill set, whether spacing the floor or operating from the low block.
“I want to show a little of my footwork in the low post, which I feel really comfortable with,” Geiselsöder told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “And shoot the three when I’m open. But most importantly, I want to help my teammates — setting good screens, making cuts to get them open, making good passes. Just doing what the team needs in that moment.”
Her decision to join Dallas was driven by the team’s evolving identity and long-term vision.
“It’s a new start. It’s a whole new team trying to find its chemistry, so it’s fun for me to be in this environment and help build something new,” Geiselsöder explained to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “I hope something exciting—something big.”
How to Watch
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT at Target Center, with local broadcast on KFAA29 and streaming available on WNBA League Pass. It marks the second of four matchups between the Wings and Lynx this season, with the next meeting set for June 8 in Arlington.
Dallas will continue its four-game road trip with Atlanta, Connecticut, and Chicago stops.
More Dallas Wings Articles
- “I Feel Really Comfortable”: Luisa Geiselsöder Details Early Dallas Wings Adjustment and WNBA Transition
- How to Watch Paige Bueckers’ WNBA Homecoming as Dallas Wings Face Minnesota Lynx: Game Time, TV Info, Streaming
- “It Means Everything”: Paige Bueckers Returns Home for First WNBA Game Against Minnesota Lynx
- “We Want to Punch First”: Minnesota Lynx Prepare for Home Opener Rematch Against Dallas Wings
- “We’re Still Growing”: Dallas Wings Fall to Seattle Storm Despite Second-Half Rally, Paige Bueckers’ 19 Points
- “She’s Gonna Be Tremendous”: Dirk Nowitzki Talks Paige Bueckers, WNBA Growth, and Mavs Winning Lottery at Wings Game
- “She’s Just a Great Person and Player”: Napheesa Collier Welcomes Paige Bueckers to the WNBA in Full-Circle Matchup
- “Just Trying to Grow Each Game”: Paige Bueckers Embraces Point Guard Role for Dallas Wings
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