Published on: Aug 19, 2022 12:18 am IST|Updated on: Aug 19, 2022 12:19 am IST
CON vs DAL Dream11: The WNBA scene has heated up considering the upset of the defending champions by the Liberty in the first upset. The best of three scenario saved the Sky but they will have to bring their A-Game. So the Connecticut Sun will also have to bring their A-Game while clashing against the Dallas Wings.
The Sun finished the third in the standings and their ability to play solid defense coupled by the increased pace thanks to Alyssa Thomas and Courtney Williams make them a strong candidate for the title.
The Wings finished sixth and they revved up their play by the end of the season, beating top seeds and cementing their position. The sharpshooting squad has their work cut out.
The Wings defeated Sun twice in the Regular Season and won the season series.
Host: Connecticut Sun Visitors: Dallas Wings Match Timing: 19 August, @ 05:30 AM (+05:30 UTC) Venue: Mohegan Sun Arena
Can Sun start strong?
The Wings upped their play by the end of the season and the absence of Arike Ogunbowale propelled a team effort consisting of shooters such as Marina Mabrey and Allisha Gray backed by the strong inside presence of Teaira McCowan. While Sun’s backcourt of Williams and Hiedeman can provide stiff resistance, it will be tough to stall the shot-creating effort of the Wings.
For the Wings, the challenge has been protecting the paint, and when the Sun will thrown in their Forward duo of Jonquel and Alyssa along with Center Brionna Jones off the bench, McCowan will need to do a lot of work alongside Kayla Thornton. The series can swing in Sun’s favor, considering their experience and also their improved offensive play compared to last season.
Performances Predictions
Top Scorer: Jonquel Jones: 22 Top Rebounder: Tearia McCowan: 11 Highest assists deliverer: Alyssa Thomas: 8 Scoreline Prediction: Sun: 88 Wings: 80 Verdict: The Sun will face stiff resistance but will make key buckets late in the game to take a one-nil lead.
Connecticut Sun Team News
Sun Expected Starting Five Two-Way Wing: SF: DeWanna Bonner Disruptive Fastbreak Wing: SF: Alyssa Thomas All-Around Two-Way Forward: PF: Jonquel Jones Defensive Expert: G: Natisha Hiedeman Pace Pusher: SG: Courtney Williams
BENCH: Brionna Jones, , DiJonai Carrington, Oddysey Sims Nia Clouden.
Dallas Wings Teams News:
Wings Expected Starting Five Defensive Forward: F: Kayla Thornton Two-Way Guard: G: Allisha Gray Inside Threat: C: Teaira McCowan Versatile scorer: SG: Marina Mabrey Defensive Specialist: PG: Veronica Burton
BENCH: Tyasha Harris, Satou Sabally, Charli Collier, Awak Kuier, Isabelle Harrison.
Jonquel Jones(CON) Jonquel led the Sun in scoring with around 15 Points Per Game but that is a drop in average since the last season. She is an experienced Playoff campaigner and will cause match-up nightmares on both ends. She also led the team in rebounding with 8.6 Rebounds Per Game. I believe she will be in 14-21 points and 8-11 rebounds range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 24-40
Marina Mabrey(DAL) Marina averaged around 14 points a game but had some amazing games to finish off the season. She averaged a tad above 3 assists and 3 rebounds a game. I expect her to be in 15-22 points and 3-5 assists/rebounds range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 27-37
Alyssa Thomas(CON) Alyssa Thomas led the team in assists with 6.1 Per Game. She averaged around 13 points a game and pulled down around 8 rebounds per game while leading the team in steals with 1.7 per game. She is one of the most versatile players in the league on both ends. She can be in 11-16 points, 7-11 rebounds, and 6-10 assists range. She can be selected as a Star/Pro Player in the Dream 11 WNBA Prediction scenario. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 31-42
Allisha Gray(DAL) Allisha averaged a shade over 13 points a game and around 5 rebounds. She is an elite defender and a great spot-up shooter. I believe she will be in 12-18 points and 4-7 rebounds range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 20-30
DeWanna Bonner(CON) Bonner averaged 13.5 Points Per Game and 4.7 Rebounds Per Game. DeWanna is a springy Forward who provides the Sun great frontline depth. I believe she will be in 9-15 points range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 23-36
Teaira McCowan(DAL) McCowan averaged 11 points but that is misleading because by the end of the season, she was dropping 15+ points and 10+ rebounds regularly. The above range can be her production here too. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 26-38
(Recommended) PG: N Hiedeman, V Burton SG: M Mabrey SF: A Thomas(SP), A Gray PF: D Bonner, D Carrington C: J Jones, T McCowan(PP)
(Alternate) PG: N Hiedeman, V Burton SG: C Williams, M Mabrey SF: A Thomas(SP) PF: K Thornton, D Bonner C: T McCowan(PP)
Can the Wings pull the rug off Sun like Liberty to the Sky? You can watch this Game 1 between the Connecticut Sun and the Dallas Wings on the WNBA League Pass. To know the scores, stats, and news, visit the official website of the WNBA. Watch the highlights on the official YouTube page of the WNBA.