The Dallas Wings (16-8) will attempt to extend their five-game win streak Sunday at College Park Center as they face the Los Angeles Sparks (10-13) at 12 noon CDT. Both teams faced Chicago in their most recent action, with Dallas winning July 12, 96-91. The Sparks come to Arlington in the midst of tough four-game road trip, in which they dropped games to Atlanta and New York before falling 96-82 Friday to Chicago as forwards Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby paced the team with 18 points apiece.
The
Wings’ first game in a week marks the midpoint of a three-game homestand; Thursday’s game against New York was rescheduled due to travel delays for the Liberty and has been rescheduled for Monday. The long layoff and back-to-back games could impact the Wings’ rhythm, conditioning, and substitution patterns.
In the Wings and Sparks’ previous meeting June 5, Dallas won 104-96, led in scoring by Arike’s 30 points. Kelsey Plum was the high scorer for Dallas with 27. Plum, the Sparks’ leading scorer this season, has been limited to 12 games in 2026 with a lower left leg injury and last played June 21. Ogwumike, who became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer with her first bucket Friday, has settled back into the lead role in her 15th season, making northward of 40% of her three-pointers this season and averaging 20.5 points over the last nine contests.
An oasis lined with palm trees…
Sparks center Cameron Brink returned to action against Minnesota July 15 after missing a month with a left ankle sprain. The Sparks have been a more versatile team with the second overall pick from 2024 on the floor, as she gives the team game-altering rim protection and much needed rebounding help for a group that looks to push the pace. In the game before Brink’s return the Sparks battled their way back from down double figures against the Dream, finally took a lead with 4:17 left, then lost by nine to a bigger Atlanta team as Allisha Gray and Angel Reese shone against a depleted LA frontcourt.
The Wings have won their recent games with a balance of good play from their backcourt and frontcourt. Jessica Shepard, Awak Kuier, and Li Yeuru give the team a variety of options as forward Alanna Smith, who left the Chicago game with a lower leg injury, is listed as doubtful.
…Or just a mirage?
To be fair, Los Angeles has also collapsed in both games Brink has played in, as a minutes restriction and foul trouble have limited her availability. The Sparks led by seven late in the third quarter Wednesday against Minnesota, then had no answers for Kayla McBride and Olivia Miles. Against the Sky the Sparks jumped out to an 8-2 lead before a disastrous second quarter that they lost 33-19.
The Sparks, who like to play fast, got flat out outrun by the Sky. They couldn’t get any offense going as they spent the quarter coughing up the basketball- offensive foul, traveling, threw the ball away, shot clock violation, back court violation on an inbounds- on their way to 17 turnovers in the game. One clear impact of the Sparks’ injuries is the toll it has taken on their bench. Their starters have come out strong, but that hasn’t been possible to sustain.
Rejuvenation
The Wings, by contrast, have been at their best late in games during this win streak, and the play of their backcourt has been a key component. Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd took over late against New York July 7 after the Liberty capitalized on Dallas turnovers to climb back in it, the Wings created some separation against Toronto after falling behind early in the fourth, then Bueckers and Arike Agunbowale led in the final minutes against the Sky as the Wings wrestled back a lead they had squandered in the third. While the Sparks have been energized by Brink’s return, it’s hard not to notice the strong correlation between the Wings’ recent success and the return of guard Odyssey Sims.
That group of guards will have a feisty set of counterparts in Los Angeles’ Erica Wheeler, Rae Burrell and the veteran Ariel Atkins. Before a relatively quiet scoring night against the Sky, Burrell had been on an otherworldly tear the previous four games, scoring 20.2 points while making 10 of 19 threes. Even in that game, Burrell had her moments when she could dial up her aggression. She boldly took it straight into three Chicago defenders going to the basket on a steal, drawing contact from Kamilla Cardoso, and finished the second quarter with a nifty left-handed finish after getting herself space with some nice footwork.
How to watch
Sunday’s game will be broadcast nationally on ABC. Tipoff is slated for 12 noon CDT.
