Big D Shows in Dallas

Dallas looked every bit like the third-best team in the WNBA on Monday night, exactly where Skoop15 has the Wings ranked. The updated rankings will be posted Tuesday, but this performance only strengthened the case.

Everyone already knew Dallas could score. That part was never really in question. The Wings have explosive guard talent, shot creation, pace, and enough offensive weapons to stress any team in the league. They looked the part again offensively in a dominant 92-69 win over Washington.

But the real story was on the other end.

Dallas played outstanding team defense, and it felt like it came out of nowhere. The Wings had been suspect defensively through the first three games, with communication issues, late rotations, and too many breakdowns. Monday night was completely different. The communication was sharp. The rotations were connected. The effort level was obvious. Dallas looked like a team that had suddenly figured out how dangerous it can be when the defense matches the offensive talent.

The Wings forced 18 turnovers, including 10 steals, and completely controlled the defensive glass, grabbing 20 of the 22 available rebounds on that end. That is not just good defense. That is domination.

Offensively, Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale led the way with 18 and 16 points, respectively. Azzi Fudd added 12, continuing her early-season trend of producing a little more each game. That is an important development for a Dallas team with serious upside.

Washington never found rhythm. Shakira Austin led the Mystics with just 12 points, while Sonia Citron, who has had a tremendous start to the season, was held to only 7 points on six shots.

Dallas won by 23 and easily covered the 4.5-point spread.

This was not just a good win. This was a statement. The Wings looked deep, fast, explosive, and locked in defensively.

That is a dangerous combination.