The second half of the 2022 WNBA season is well underway, and the Wings seek redemption after a less-than-ideal first half. While the team started the season strong, they soon lost momentum. Dallas has already played four games after All-Star Weekend, losing three to the Storm and Sky and winning one against the Lynx. However, there’s a lot of meaningful basketball before the playoffs start. Who will Dallas have to face to keep their playoff dreams alive?
First Half Recap
The Wings started the 2022 season pretty well, winning six of their first ten games. However, that’s when Dallas encountered difficulties. They lost four games in a row, turning their winning 6-4 record into a disappointing 6-8. The Wings brought their mark to an even 9-9 with a win against the Fever on June 23rd. However, disappointment struck again as the team lost three games in a row. Dallas sat at 10-12 heading into the All-Star break and slid to 11-14 since the start of the season’s second half.
A vital aspect of the Wings’ strong start was their stellar road play. The team won five of its first seven away games but immediately lost four road games. Furthermore, they didn’t win at home until two weeks into the season. Subpar performances on home court have been a vital issue for the team this year. The last three games of the team’s four-game losing streak were in Texas.
Dallas currently holds a 6-7 road record and a 5-8 home record and went 3-7 in their past ten games. The team will need to recreate that initial road success and solve their issues at College Park Center to give themselves any playoff hopes.
Second Half Schedule
The Wings have ten games left in the second half of the season. Luckily, only three of those matchups are against above .500 teams. Dallas has to battle the top two seeds, Chicago and Las Vegas, again before they can start thinking about the playoffs. Two matchups against the last-seeded Fever should give fans a little reassurance. However, the team cannot take any game for granted in this crucial second half of the season. Dallas has to move past their third-quarter woes and questionable coaching decisions if they want to make a playoff push.
Playoff Predictions
Dallas is currently ninth in the league, meaning they would barely miss the playoffs if the season ended today. The Wings have some problematic opponents to face, and they could likely lose most of those more challenging games. Just look at the past four games, and the issue is clear.
The team did defeat struggling Minnesota. Yet, they couldn’t put anything together against the then second-seeded Storm or top-seeded Sky. Dallas has the pieces to beat these powerhouse teams and can certainly take home wins against worse teams. However, they must execute on both sides of the floor without falling apart and blowing leads.
Although it may seem like the team has too many issues to compete in the playoffs, Wings fans shouldn’t lose hope. Dallas has some genuinely fantastic players that can bring this team to the playoffs and possibly make a strong run. Arike Ogunbowale just dropped 32/6/5 against the Lynx, and Teaira McCowan‘s had four double-doubles this season alone. Add that to the ever-consistent Allisha Gray, 2021 All-Star Satou Sabally, sharpshooter Marina Mabrey, and you’ve got yourself a team with real playoff potential. All that’s left is for the Wings to execute and fulfill their true potential.
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