The Golden State Valkyries (10-5) dialed in the recipe to beat the Wings (9-6) on Wednesday in their 91-80 win over Dallas.
The key ingredients seem to be limiting Paige Bueckers and shooting well from the 3-point line. In five of the team’s six losses this season, opposing teams have shot at least 40% from beyond the arc against the Wings.
Golden State entered the game fourth in the W in 3-point shooting, shooting 36.3%. On Wednesday night, the Valkyries made 48% from beyond the arc. Every time the Wings
fought back to within one or two possessions of the lead, the Valkyries would hit another big 3-pointer. Gabby Williams, Kayla Thornton, Veronica Burton, Janelle Salaun and Tiffany Hayes made two apiece from distance in the win over the Wings.
Excellent 3-point shooting allows opposing teams to stay competitive with a Wings offense that is averaging 88.1 points per game.
The Dallas offense was spectacular in the first quarter. The Wings shot 65% from the field and 60% from the 3-point line and entered the second quarter with a 26-17 lead. Golden State kept pace in the first quarter by shooting 50% from the field and 50% from the 3-point line.
Then, Golden State took control of the game with 27 points in the second. The Valkyries finished the second quarter shooting 50% from the 3-point line while shooting 56% from the field. Dallas entered halftime trailing 44-33.
The Wings fought back in the second half and finished the game shooting 47% from the field. However, Golden State excelled from the 3-point line, getting the first ingredient.
The Valkyries also got the second ingredient right by limiting Bueckers, who is the engine of the Wings offense.
Bueckers’ ability to get a bucket from anywhere keeps the Wings in games. She can cover her teammates lack of points with her scoring. She can also help them get going with her passing.
Opposing teams limit Bueckers with constant pressure. She is being targeted by each opponent’s best on-ball defender each time out. Golden State pressured her when she had the ball and then forced her to be the primary defender, tiring her out.
Bueckers finished the game with 15 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field and 1-of-5 from the 3-point line. She came in averaging better than 19 a game.
The recipe is out on how to stop Dallas, and Golden State was the latest team to use it. The Portland Fire shot 14-of-31 (45%) from deep in their 84-84 win over Dallas on Saturday — Bueckers’ first and only game missed so far this season.
