The Dallas Wings (18-9) will look to continue the hot stretch they started going into the WNBA All-Star Break with their first game in a week, when they host the Atlanta Dream (16-10) on Wednesday at College Park Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
The Wings have won seven of their last eight, and their only loss in that stretch was a 99-98 overtime loss to the New York Liberty<\/a> without star guard Paige Bueckers, who sat out with what the team called \u201csoreness\u201d after a collision with Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike in Dallas\u2019 90-82 win on July 19<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Dream, meanwhile, have won four of their last five after a recent five-game skid that started in late June. Atlanta has been a bad matchup for the Wings the last couple of seasons. Dallas has lost both of its matchups with the Dream this year (77-72 on May 12<\/a> and 86-69 on May 22<\/a>) after dropping three of four to Atlanta last season.<\/p>\n Here are three things to watch out for in what appears on paper to be another close matchup between two winning teams.<\/p>\n Alanna Smith\u2019s availability<\/p>\n Center Alanna Smith, who was recently selected as a member of the Australian Opals in the upcoming 2026 FIBA Women\u2019s World Cup, is listed as probable on the Wings\u2019 latest injury report after missing the Wings\u2019 last three games with a right leg injury. The World Cup starts on Aug. 30 and will be played in Berlin.<\/p>\n The Wings have been bullied in the paint at times in the last three games, as well as in the game Smith went down, a 96-91 win over the Chicago Sky on July 12<\/a>. But it\u2019s not just Smith\u2019s presence on the defensive end the Wings are looking forward to. She had a nice four-game stretch shooting from the outside before her latest injury as well. Smith went 4-of-9 from 3-point range from June 20 through July 7.<\/p>\n The injury luck with Smith has been unfortunate this season, as the leg injury came after a stretch earlier this season when she got limited run and was hampered by the mask she wore after a preseason facial injury. Smith came into the season as the defending WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and was considered one of the Wings\u2019 top free-agent additions before the 2026 season.<\/p>\n Jessica Shepard\u2019s dominance<\/p>\n In Smith\u2019s limited playing time, Jessica Shepard, who was thought of as the Wings\u2019 next best free agent addition heading into the year, has stepped up far beyond any projections. She earned her first All-Star Game appearance and start this season, averaging 14.9 points, 12 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. Shepard\u2019s numbers this year are leaps and bounds better than any of her previous five seasons in the W, and she has recorded an unprecedented four triple-doubles this year, which is three more than any other player in the league.<\/p>\n Her five career triple-doubles already put her at second all-time in WNBA history, far behind Alyssa Thomas\u2019 mark of 26 (regular season and playoffs). Shepard\u2019s fourth triple-double of the year came in the Wings\u2019 last game before the All-Star Break, a 101-97 win at the Portland Fire<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so happy I\u2019m on her team,\u201d Wings guard Arika Ogunbowale said in a televised post-game interview after that win.<\/p>\n Shepard scored seven points, grabbed five boards and dished five assists for Team Spoon, which beat Paige Bueckers (12 points, seven assists) and Team Coop 129-122 on Saturday.<\/p>\n