Wings Need More From Jessica Shepard Beside Paige Bueckers to Avoid Valkyries Sweep
The Golden State Valkyries were firing on all cylinders in their first playoff win, blowing out the Dallas Wings 104-80. They scored 15 points off the Wings’ ten turnovers and shot 50% from the 3-point line. Cecilia Zandalasini, Tiffany Hayes, and Gabby Williams all scored at least 20 points.
The Wings, meanwhile, only had one 20-point scorer. Paige Bueckers finished the game with 21 points on 9-10 shooting from the field, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. After the game, Bueckers gave the Valkyries credit for making all of her shots as difficult as possible, although she didn’t struggle as much as in previouos games against Golden State.
Bueckers alone cannot carry the short-handed Wings to a playoff victory by herself, even if the Valkyries don’t knock down 18 3-pointers next game. The Wings need more from Jessica Shepard, who struggled mightily in her 24 minutes on the court.
Shepard has emerged as a star for the Wings. She was voted an All-Star starter and recorded six triple-doubles in the regular season. If she cannot look more like that player in Game 2, the Wings’ first postseason run with Bueckers leading the charge could be over quickly.
Jessica Shepard Struggled Against the Valkyries
Two of Jessica Shepard’s worst regular-season games came against the Valkyries. She recorded a double-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists in the first game. Then, the Valkyries held her to six and four points in the next two games. She also only totaled 11 rebounds and three assists over those final two contests.
She struggled just as much in the playoffs. She finished the game with 0 points, missing all seven of her shots. She also didn’t have her usual impact as a rebounder and playmaker, recording just three rebounds and matching her three assists with three turnovers.
That lack of production from one of its stars is difficult to make up for, especially with Azzi Fudd and Alanna Smith sidelined with injuries.
Shepard has been to the playoffs before. She played six games for the Minnesota Lynx last year, but her role on that team was very different. Hopefully, she will be able to respond better to being a focal point of the Valkyries’ game plan in Game 2.
Shepard wasn’t the only Wings player who struggled
The Wings got some nice contributions from Maddy Siegrist, who finished the game with 11 points on 4-9 shooting from the field and 3 rebounds. Kitija Laksa made three 3-pointers off the bench on her way to 11 points.
None of that mattered much with three starters struggling, though. The Wings also didn’t get what they needed from Arike Ogunbowale and Awak Kuier.
Ogunbowale only made two field goals and six free throws on her way to 10 points, 1 rebound, and 4 assists. Kuier missed all four of her 3-pointers and didn’t record a single block, finishing the game with 2 points and 4 rebounds.
Paige Bueckers should not lead the Wings in rebounds when Shepard, Kuier, and Li Yueru are all playing significant minutes.
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Elaine Blum covers women’s basketball for On SI from Europe. She has been writing about women's hoops since 2023 and holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism and a master’s degree in American Studies with a focus on women’s and gender studies. She started playing basketball when she was 10 years old and won several league and state championships at the youth and senior level.