DHJ Quick Take: Wings Focus on Interior Presence Ahead of Mystics Clash
- Steady Rookie Integration: Azzi Fudd noted that the weekend practices provided crucial on-court reps to build continuity within the offense. She highlighted learning the team’s play-call terminology as her primary daily focus.
- Refining the Matchup Plan: To correct lapses from Thursday’s loss, head coach Jose Fernandez emphasized keeping primary defenders matched up on the perimeter. After Minnesota capitalized on cross-matches down the stretch, the structural focus against Washington is navigating screens cleanly to limit defensive switches.
- A Familiar Scouting Report: Having spent last season in Washington, veteran forward Alysha Clark provided firsthand insight into the Mystics’ rising stars. Clark praised the development of Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron, warning that limiting Iriafen inside will require a disciplined, team-wide rebounding effort.
- Veteran Stability: In her leadership role with a young roster, Clark is prioritizing teaching preparation habits and scouting details to younger teammates, keeping the locker room steady ahead of a dense stretch of four games in seven days.
- Re-establishing the Defensive Floor: Following a weekend split between internal self-correction and heavy Washington preparation, Dallas enters Monday’s homestand finale focused on containing dribble penetration and eliminating second-chance paint opportunities.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings turned their attention to the Washington Mystics on Sunday, closing two days of practice one day before they host Washington in the finale of a three-game homestand.
Dallas is 1-2 after a 90-86 home loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday. Head coach Jose Fernandez said the Wings spent Saturday’s practice on their own execution before shifting to the Mystics’ scouting report Sunday.
“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.”
Fernandez said the defensive work was straightforward. He pointed to the post, the glass and a lane the Wings have left too open.
“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.”
Alysha Clark said the two practice days, rare once the season tightens, let the Wings rebuild a defensive standard for a roster still in its first weeks together.
“We knew our defense wasn’t great, and there was slippage. People were falling back to whatever baseline they were used to from previous organizations or previous seasons here,” Clark said. “We wanted to reestablish a new baseline for this group so when stuff hits the fan, we all fall back to the same baseline. We have [four] games in seven days coming up, and you don’t really have time to practice, so you have to build good habits now.”
Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, said the practice days gave the team something film sessions cannot.
“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.”
Fudd spent five seasons at UConn before turning pro. 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 made the adjustment easier.
“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.”
Washington comes to Arlington at 2-1. The Mystics needed overtime to win their last game, 104-102 at Indiana. Fernandez said a priority is to keep the ball away from the frontcourt of Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin.
“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 starts with 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. You can’t let really good players have uncontested shots.”
Fernandez also said he does not want his guards switched onto Washington’s bigs, pointing to Paige Bueckers‘s post matchups against Natasha Howard in the Minnesota loss.
“We don’t want her on Natasha Howard or Kiki or Austin. As much as she probably thinks she’s got them bigger and she might, we’ve got to get our guards out of there,” Fernandez said. “Especially in transition defense, we’ve got to get them out of the paint.”
Clark played for the Mystics last season alongside Citron and Iriafen. She said both have built on strong rookie years.
“They’re playing phenomenally right now, and it’s no surprise,” Clark said. “Watching them this year, Kiki’s dominating on the boards, and I can see her confidence and where she put that work in during the offseason. Sonia’s poise even last year as a rookie was so impressive to me, and I see it elevated even more this year.”
Clark said the Mystics’ 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.
Fernandez said managing Fudd’s health and minutes remains a priority as the rookie gets up to speed.
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.
Full interviews below.
Jose Fernandez
Azzi Fudd
Alysha Clark
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