Game Preview: Dallas Wings vs Chicago Sky
Dallas Wings (3-2) vs. Chicago Sky (1-4)
Date: Sunday, May 29
Time: 3:30 PM (CDT)
Site: College Park Center (Arlington, TX)
Television: TEXAS47
Webcast: WNBA League Pass
Probable Starters
Wings- Karima Christmas, Plenette Pierson, Courtney Paris, Odyssey Sims, Erin Phillips
Sky- Jessica Breland, Elena Delle Donne, Erika de Souza, Jamierra Faulkner, Cappie Pondexter
Storylines
The Wings look to bounce back from Friday night’s loss to Atlanta when the Chicago Sky and the WNBA’s reigning MVP Elena Delle Donne come to town. The Sky are 1-4 overall in 2016 and 0-2 on the road after falling to San Antonio Stars 79-78 on Friday night
Courtney Paris grabbed a league-high 8 offensive rebounds on Friday night. The Dallas center, who led the league in rebounding the past two seasons, currently ranks second this year with 11.8 RPG.
Odyssey Sims will try to get back on track after going 2-13 from the field vs. Atlanta. Sims was still able to get to the line Friday night, going 7-10 from the stripe and has scored double-digits in every game this season, but the Wings guard hopes to increase her efficiency as a scorer.
Plenette Pierson has shown no signs of aging in her 14th year, averaging 11 PPG and leading the Wings in scoring in two games this season. Pierson scored 16 and grabbed 7 rebounds before fouling out in the previous outing vs. Atlanta.
Dallas will try to limit Sky forward Elena Delle Donne. The fourth-year player out of Delaware was the league’s MVP in 2015. This season, Della Donne is averaging 19.8 points per game and 11 rebounds per game. She currently ranks second in the league with 4 blocks per game.
What the Wings are saying about the Sky…
Head Coach Fred Williams: “They are a tough team coming out of the East. Playoff contenders from last year, and this year they are still trying to gel with the players that they have. They are better than their record indicates and Elena Delle Donne is always a tough task to try to contain. Cappie Pondexter from is the perimeter is a veteran who knows how to score and knows how to win.”
Assistant Coach Bridget Pettis: “Delle Donne is coming. She needs to be respected. She’s the league’s reigning MVP, so what she is is what her team is and we have to be ready for her. She is a very talented player.”
Wings forward Plenette Pierson: “Chicago is a big team. They are a great team with a lot of experience and a lot of great players. Cappie Pondexter, Delle Donne, and Tamera Young just to name a few. They are going to be a tough match. We’re going to go out there and be aggressive and try to do what we do, and worry about us and not them.”
Wings guard Erin Phillips: “We’re preparing for a team that is really hungry for a win. They didn’t get off to a great start, so they are desperate to get a win. You’re looking at a game tomorrow with two teams trying to get back on a winning path. We’re looking to put Atlanta behind us and get back to our winning ways vs. a hungry Chicago team.
Phillips on Chicago forward Elena Delle Donne: “She is an unbelievable player. We have to make life as hard as we can for players like her. We know she is going to score, so we have to limit the easy baskets and make it difficult for her. She is one of the deadly scorers in the game.”