Arike Ogunbowale and the Dallas Wings (3-3) will host Brittney Griner and the Phoenix Mercury (1-3) on Wednesday in a Commissioner’s Cup matchup and the first game of the season between the two teams. The game will be broadcast locally on Bally Sports Southwest Extra and AZ Family Sports Network 44, with tip-off scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
While first-year Wings head coach Latricia Trammell was hired with a defensive-minded reputation, Dallas has actually excelled more on the offensive end of the court thus far in 2023. The Wings rank second in the WNBA in offensive rating, scoring 100.8 points per 100 possessions, and are playing at a fast tempo, recording more possessions per 40 minutes than any other team in the league.
As usual, the Wings’ offense has been fueled by guard Arike Ogunbowale, who was recently named the WNBA’s Player of the Month for the Western Conference after averaging 25.3 points and 3.8 assists per game in May. While Ogunbowale has struggled with her shot since then (10-of-37 shooting in June), Satou Sabally (22.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per game) and Natasha Howard (17 points and 8.5 rebounds per game) have done plenty to keep the Wings’ offense thriving.
Wednesday’s game holds special significance, as it will be Griner’s first in Dallas…
