Well, after a grueling stretch of six games in 11 days, including a pair of West Coast road contests to start, the Dallas Wings will soon lock horns with the Seattle Storm, who sit at 14-9 and have already won their first two meetings against Dallas, most recently claiming an 83-77 victory in Washington.

But that loss is somewhat justified considering the Wings were without their leading scorer and rookie sensation, Paige Bueckers. Losing out on 18.4 points per game, which ranks No. 1 among rookies and No. 8 overall, is definitely a big blow. But now that PB is back, can the Wings prove themselves?

Who’s Absent from the Probable Lineup?

There’s no denying the 2025 regular season has been rough for the Wings under first-year head coach Chris Koclanes. Injuries have plagued the squad all season, hurting their chances at building momentum. And heading into this matchup against Seattle, the story remains the same—Dallas will be without four key players, while Seattle is down just one. So, who’s on the injury list?

Wings Injury Report

• Maddy Siegrist

Ever since June 11, when Maddy Siegrist injured her right knee during a road game against the Phoenix Mercury, she’s been sidelined. Diagnosed with an anterolateral tibial plateau fracture—a shinbone fracture near the knee joint—Siegrist fortunately avoided surgery and is expected to heal later this season. While she’s projected to return by July 25, she’s officially ruled out for the Storm game.

• Myisha Hines-Allen

Allen is questionable against Seattle due to a lower right leg injury.

• DiJonai Carrington

Perhaps the most painful absence is Carrington. She’s been the defensive anchor for the team in the rebuild. Carrington has missed nine straight games since June 20. Though officially upgraded to “probable” for July 22 vs. Seattle, she participated in her first full-contact practice—a positive step. Still, Carrington tempered expectations, stating, “I’ve been doing okay… These are tough injuries to heal, and there’s really just time—not much you can do to help expedite that process.” So, she’s healing, and while she’s considered out for this game, there’s a slim chance she suits up.

• Tyasha Harris

Harris suffered a knee injury on May 27 against the Connecticut Sun and exited early. After initially trying to play through it, she underwent surgery on June 10 and was ruled out for the remainder of the season, having played only five games.

Seattle Storm Injury Report

Unlike the Wings, Seattle has only one major injury to report—Katie Lou Samuelson. She tore her right ACL during team practice on May 1, confirmed by an MRI on May 3. Samuelson underwent surgery and was ruled out for the entire season. Speaking to the media, she said: “It’s a pretty tough challenge… My season being done just like that… I kind of gaslit myself into thinking it wasn’t that bad… but an MRI showed the truth.” So yes, Seattle has had time to adjust to life without her.

Seattle Storm vs. Dallas Wings Lineup

The bottom line? An injury-ridden Wings team—powered mostly by its rookies—will be going up against a consistent, veteran-led Seattle Storm squad.

Projected Seattle Storm Starters:

• Nneka Ogwumike
• Gabby Williams
• Ezi Magbegor
• Skylar Diggins-Smith
• Erica Wheeler

Projected Dallas Wings Starters:

• Li Yueru
• Luisa Geiselsöder
• Arike Ogunbowale
• Paige Bueckers
• JJ Quinerly

So, Who’s Got the Edge?

After a promising 5-2 stretch that briefly revived hope, the Wings have fallen back to earth, dropping four straight and watching their defense unravel. They’re giving up way too many points, and the offense simply doesn’t have enough firepower to keep up. It’s a broken formula that’s derailed their season—and unless something changes fast, it’s hard to see Dallas escaping this downward spiral.

The only silver lining? Seattle’s offense can be inconsistent. Despite boasting stars like Skylar Diggins, they’ve hovered around league average offensively and often rely more on grit than offensive explosions. If they come out flat, the Wings—led by breakout rookie JJ Quinerly, who’s averaging 15.8 points and 5 assists in her first five starts—might have a narrow window to strike.

But that path is razor thin, as with continued lineup instability, the Wings face an uphill climb. But, Seattle? Nneka Ogwumika and co. carry momentum with a 14-9 record, a 2-0 lead in the season series, and home-court advantage against the Wings. And let’s not forget, Skylar Diggins is coming off a record-breaking All-Star appearance, posting a triple-double and a historical assists record. And not just that, she’s also posting an average of  17.5 points and 5.8 assists per game, providing the Storm with the veteran leadership they need. So maybe it’s no surprise that ESPN predicts the match 69.8% in favor of the Storm. But what do you think? Can the Wings pull off a surprise?