Well, the All-Star game is just nine days away, and post that, teams will have a handful of games left to make a run for the playoffs. With multiple teams crowding these limited spots, it will be very difficult for teams, especially at the bottom, to make a dash for the playoffs. Dallas Wings firmly fall under the latter bracket. The loss against the Chicago Sky left them with a dismal record of 6-14 and almost non-existent chance of reaching the playoffs. This isn’t how Dallas envisaged their season going, especially after signing the No.1 draft pick, Paige Bueckers. HC Chris Conclanes took full accountability for their current predicament, adding, “I’ve got to be better. I’m going to be my harshest critic,” admitting that he has been a part of the problem. But has he been a harsh critic of his team’s performances as well?

Well, while he hasn’t openly said so, his actions spoke louder than words during the Wings’ game against the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. It all came up when the Wings came in shorthanded, battling injuries to key players like Arike Ogunbowale (left thumb) and DiJonai Carrington (rib). And not just that, even Paige Bueckers played through an injury scare from a previous game against Kalani Brown. However, this cannot be the excuse for their poor display against the Sky, considering the fact that they have not much better even when the injured players were available.

So, probably for the first time this season, Conclanes came out extremely fired up in the post-match presser. When asked about the performance of his rookie-heavy lineup. “They’re only going to be better for living through these experiences… That’s a lot of minutes that these players have never logged… I thought we were in attack mode, getting pieces of the paint,” he said. He even highlighted JJ Quinerly’s aggressiveness, “JJ too, just getting pieces of the paint.”

And honestly, it made sense as the Wings started four rookies, PB, AJ, Li Yueru, and JJ Quinerly. But despite taking 20 more shots than Chicago (75 to 57), Dallas was still soundly beaten, which points towards their inefficiency, not a lack of opportunity. And not just that, Wings also scored 32 points in the paint (just edging Chicago’s 30), which showed that they were attacking the defense.

But what happened after those paint touches—well, missed close-range shots, which proved costly. Their 36.0% field goal percentage reflected that. So, the coach acknowledged it himself: “I thought we were short on a bunch of those shots… When your starting guard group has the shooting night that they did, it’s tough to win games.” And the stats back that up, too.

So while the Wings fired up more field goal attempts, they still made two fewer baskets than Chicago. Just consider, from beyond the arc, they shot a painful 7-of-26 (26.9%). If you are looking for a silver lining, the starters did contribute to 44 of the Wings’ 67 points in the game. So while the effort was there, the efficiency, as well as the experience, was lacking. But, is the HC expecting too much from his rookies?

Dallas Wings head coach has a reason to lean on rookies! 

No doubt, the Wings have placed a lot of expectations on their rookies this week, but it is mostly out of necessity rather than choice. But the youngsters have delivered whenever given the opportunity to do so.

Just consider All-Star starter Paige Bueckers, despite returning from a brief absence, she dropped 23 points along with five assists in a July 3 win over the Phoenix Mercury. And yes, she wasn’t alone. Fellow rookie Aziaha James also recorded a career-high 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.

And it didn’t stop there. The trio of PB, James, and JJ Quinerly combined for 68 points on 58% shooting,  proof that they’ve delivered under pressure before. They weren’t the only ones stepping up, either. Luisa Geiselsöder has emerged as a defensive anchor, chipping in with timely steals, blocks, and key rebounds in crucial stretches. So, it makes perfect sense that the head coach made the bold call to start up to four rookies in the lineup. But despite this, the Wings fell flat against the Sky. So the fingers are now pointed towards Chris Conclanes. Is he part of the problem, or can he be part of the solution? Only time will tell!