Wings-Storm Preview
The Dallas Wings are still the only WNBA team without a road victory. However, they are in position to win two straight overall while facing a Seattle Storm club that's struggled at home of late. With some momentum on their side, the Wings look to extend the Storm's season-high losing streak to four games on Friday night. Dallas (5-9) is aiming to avoid going 0-7 on the road for the first time since 2012, when it was still located in Tulsa. However, the Wings are 5-4 since losing their first five of 2019 and are playing with much more confidence than earlier this season. Kayla Thornton (14.1 points per game) posted 10 of her 17 points in the final quarter and Glory Johnson had 14 with six rebounds as Dallas shot 46.8 percent during Tuesday's 74-62 victory over Los Angeles, which lost star Candace Parker to an ankle injury early in the contest. "I think everybody is happy," guard Kaela Davis, who had a season-high 13 points off the bench, told the Wings' broadcast team. "(It's) attacking the rim, and making the right decisions while doing it." That seems simple enough, but not so much considering Dallas has only been able to win consecutive games once thus far in 2019. It should seem visiting Seattle would be a major chore for the Wings or any club, but the reigning WNBA champ has dropped three in a row at home - and overall - after opening 5-0 while playing those games at the University of Washington and in nearby Everett while KeyArena undergoes some renovations. In the midst of a six-game stretch at home, Seattle's latest setback came last Friday, 77-66 to lowly Atlanta - which had not won a game on the road prior to that in 2019. Natasha Howard (17.8 ppg, 8.8 rpg) scored 20 and Jordin Canada (10.2 ppg) added 15 points, but the Storm shot 36.4 percent, went 7 of 27 from 3-point range and committed 19 turnovers. "We haven't taken care of the ball very well. The ball's not moving right now. We're very pedestrian," coach Dan Hughes told the Storm's broadcast during that contest. Seattle continues to play without reigning league MVP Breanna Stewart, who is out for the season with an Achilles injury, and fellow star Sue Bird (knee), indefinitely. Second-leading scorer Jewell Loyd (15.8 ppg) is also out with an ankle injury. |