Atlanta Dream vs. Dallas Wings WNBA preview and prediction

Buoyed by the recent return of four-time All-Star Brionna Jones, the Atlanta Dream look to complete a season sweep of the Wings when they travel to Dallas on Wednesday for an 8 p.m. ET contest.

Atlanta struggled for a few weeks, but won four of five heading into the All-Star break, including a 93-91 victory over the Chicago Sky 10 days ago in its last contest. Allisha Gray had 29 points and six rebounds, but Angel Reese left the game in the fourth quarter with what looked like a gruesome knee injury.

The Wings closed the first half winning seven of eight, including a 101-97 triumph over Portland in their last contest a week ago. Arike Ogunbowale had 24 points and six assists, Paige Bueckers added 21 points and five assists, and Jessica Shepard added her WNBA-leading fourth triple-double with 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Atlanta took two from the Wings in May. This matchup is the last regular-season game between the teams.  

Atlanta Dream vs. Dallas Wings WNBA Odds and Betting Trends

Dallas is a slight 1.5-point favourite at home on the WNBA odds with a -115 moneyline, while the Dream’s moneyline is at -105. The over/under for this contest is 179.5. 

Atlanta covered in both May wins, contests that were each played to the Under.

Atlanta Dream

Reese’s current status is of the utmost importance. She is one of two players, along with Dallas’s Shepard, averaging a double-double this season. She averaged 13.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in the two May victories over the Wings.

Reserve Ta-Hina Paopao is also day-to-day with a leg injury after missing the last two games. 

Conversely, Jones, who starred in eight seasons with Connecticut before averaging 12.8 points and 7.3 rebounds last year in her Dream debut, is back in the lineup after missing the first 24 games following offseason knee surgery. 

Jones is averaging six points and eight rebounds through two games. She grabbed 10 boards in the win over Chicago. 

Dallas Wings

It’s hard to argue against the dynamic Bueckers (20.9 ppg, 6.2 AST) as the team’s first-half MVP, but Shepard has been outstanding. She leads the WNBA with 12 rebounds per game, just ahead of Reese, in addition to 14.9 points and 5.4 assists per contest. 

Shepard, who averaged 11 points and 9.5 rebounds in the two losses to Atlanta, is one of the few Wings who showed up against the Dream in May. Bueckers was held to seven points on 3-of-13 shooting, and rookie Azzi Fudd was also limited to seven points on 3-of-9 shooting in the most recent setback, an 86-69 defeat.

That loss left Dallas at 3-3, but the Wings have evolved into one of the league’s best teams at 18-9 overall, and are poised to reach the postseason for the first time in three years. 

WNBA Prediction: Who will win Dream vs. Wings?

The Wings lead Atlanta in the standings by 1.5 games, and Wednesday is a great chance to make a statement while preventing a season sweep.

Reese’s status could open the door for another magical all-around performance by Shepard.  Additionally, Ogunbowale, who is averaging 14.6 points on the year, has gone for 22 a game in her last five contests, scoring 53 in her last two.

The Dream got back on track just before the break, but Dallas was even hotter. As long as the time off didn’t stunt their momentum, look for the Wings to win a good one, 90-86.