WNBA: The star of Wings vs. Fever could possibly be this sudden participant

Whether or not you’re going with Gabby, all about Aliyah or choosing Plum, be sure you submit your remaining 2025 WNBA All-Star ballots earlier than voting closes simply earlier than midnight on Friday.

Then, put together for the beginning of the WNBA’s weekend slate, with 5 video games scheduled for Friday evening.

• Indiana Fever vs. Dallas Wings (7:30 p.m. ET, ION)
• Minnesota Lynx vs. Atlanta Dream (7:30 p.m. ET, ION)
• Chicago Sky vs. Golden State Valkyries (10 p.m. ET, ION)
• New York Liberty vs. Phoenix Mercury (10 p.m. ET, ION)
• Connecticut Solar vs. Seattle Storm (10 p.m. ET, ION)

Right here’s a one query every for the quintet of must-watch matchups:

Is the Li Yueru bump actual?

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Caitlin vs. Paige. Paige vs. Caitlin. (We’ll see if Clark is, in truth, within the lineup, as she sat out Indiana’s loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday because of a left groin pressure.)

No, the true star of the Wings’ matchup with the Fever is likely to be Li Yueru. The Wings have 4 wins. Three of them have include Yueru, who has solely worn a Wings jersey for 4 contests following her commerce from the Storm.

The Wings’ new beginning middle seems just like the lacking piece whose arrival has helped the group start to seek out one of the best model of itself. Is the transformation actual, or a short lived phantasm? Friday evening’s contest towards Indiana, whether or not or not Clark performs, will present one other information level. The identical will likely be true for Saturday’s rookie-centric showdown, when the Washington Mystics go to Dallas.

Up to now, Yueru’s tenure in Dallas has coincided with a softer spot within the Wings’ schedule. Nonetheless, the numbers with Yueru on the court docket are nonetheless astonishing. She is a distinction maker. And the massive distinction has come on the defensive finish. In 4 video games with Yueru, Dallas has a 95.1 defensive ranking, which ranks second within the W over that timeframe. For the season, the Wings’ defensive ranking is 105.7.

That’s unsustainable, with the spectacular pattern benefitting from a recreation when Atlanta shot 23.4 p.c from the sphere, the worst taking pictures proportion—by 5 proportion factors—from a WNBA group this season. Nonetheless, Yueru’s shocking mobility at 6-foot-7 provides the group the form of defensive anchor that they’ve in any other case lacked, a supply of stability for a group that had gave the impression to be sinking with no basis.

No, Yueru’s addition has not kickstarted a Wings playoff push. Extra losses will likely be added to their ledger, presumably as quickly as Friday and Saturday. However as soon as wayward, the Wings with Yueru are not less than shifting in a constructive route.

Will the taking pictures gods smile on Minnesota or Atlanta?

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As famous above, the Dream skilled a fully putrid taking pictures efficiency towards the Wings on Tuesday, netting a nearly-negligible 23.4 p.c of their shot makes an attempt. For a group with an offensive technique that prioritizes taking over excessive quantity of photographs, particularly a excessive quantity of 3s, an off taking pictures evening will lead to an almost-guaranteed loss. Atlanta’s South Carolina shooters, who had been on hearth, particularly struggled. Allisha Grey was 3-for-16 from the sphere, whereas Te-Hina Paopao, who entered the sport with the W’s greatest 3-point taking pictures proportion, went empty on all 5 of her subject objective makes an attempt.

The Lynx didn’t fare significantly better of their most up-to-date matchup, as Zack Ward chronicled. Regardless of robust displaying from Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard, Minnesota misplaced in DC on Tuesday, doomed by poor taking pictures from Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams. For the season, the Lynx are the second-best taking pictures group within the W, each general and from 3. If Napheesa Collier returns to the lineup, issues ought to revert to regular for Minnesota. Nonetheless on observe for a 50-40-90 season, Collier is questionable with the again harm that stored her out in Washington.

Have the Sky discovered one thing?

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As Zachary Draves detailed, the Sky scored their greatest win of the season on Tuesday, getting back from a double-digit deficit to win comfortably over the visiting Sparks.

Can they carry that momentum into Ballhalla, the place they’ll face a Valkyries aspect that almost despatched the New York Liberty to a third-straight loss?

The ill-timed absence of Kamilla Cardoso may sink the Sky. Contemporary off a career-high 27-point efficiency, Cardoso is competing with Brazilian Nationwide Group on the FIBA Girls’s AmeriCup. That doubtless implies that, on high of the whole lot already anticipated of her, extra will likely be requested of Angel Reese. Her efficiency within the win over the Sparks, nonetheless, exhibits she’s prepared for it, as she tallied stats reflective of her mixture of dominance, with 17 rebounds, and flexibility, with six assists and 4 steals.

Is DB on her option to PHX?

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Per Entrance Workplace Sports activities’ Annie Costabile, DeWanna Bonner, waived by the Fever on Wednesday, intends to signal with the Mercury as a free agent, as groups have been urged to not declare her off waivers. In keeping with Costabile, solely the Mystics and Valkyries have the wage cap house required to probably declare Bonner and her $200,000 wage.

Costabile additional provides, “Sources have indicated that the Mercury signing Bonner shouldn’t be set in stone, given the potential it has to disrupt a powerful dynamic creating amongst Phoenix’s core.” That “robust dynamic” delivered the Liberty, who will go to the Valley on Friday evening, a house loss final Thursday, making it comprehensible that the franchise would pause earlier than bringing in Bonner.

Nonetheless, it’s exhausting see Bonner not ending up on Phoenix’s roster. Not solely does she have a historical past with the group—the place she gained two titles, captured three Sixth Participant of the Yr awards and made an All-Star and All-Protection group throughout 10 season—however her fiancé Alyssa Thomas is without doubt one of the group’s stars.

Bonner’s observe document additionally suggests there are on-court causes for the Mercury to make the transfer. Throughout their shared seasons with the Solar, Bonner and Thomas had been a dynamic duo, with Thomas discovering Bonner for open seems behind the arc—the precise form of photographs that head coach Nate Tibbets prioritizes. Bonner’s size and sneaky energy additionally equip her to function in a Phoenix defensive system that tendencies in direction of versatility over measurement.

Why has Erica Wheeler been so good?

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The Erica Wheeler renaissance is without doubt one of the greatest tales within the W.

Since her 2019 All-Star MVP-winning season, Wheeler has bounced across the league on largely dangerous groups. In Seattle, she’s not simply in a profitable state of affairs, however she’s a purpose the Storm are profitable.

After starting the season coming off the bench, she’s earned a beginning spot, finishing a beginning group alongside Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams and Ezi Magbegor that’s outscoring opponents by 57 factors on the season. Effectively practiced at being adaptable because of the completely different roles she has needed to assume throughout her profession, Wheeler is aware of when she wants to attain aggressively or dial it again and give attention to distribution, all whereas bringing incessant vitality and elite vibes. Profession-best taking pictures numbers are also enhancing her affect, highlighted by her career-high 43.4 p.c from downtown.

Friday evening needs to be a chance for Wheeler and the Storm to re-enter the win column after Tuesday’s loss to Indiana. They host a Solar squad that’s on a seven-game slide.