What happened: The Dallas Wings beat the Connecticut Sun 86-83, and Alanna Smith — now playing without the protective mask she had been wearing — said she is starting to see signs of a turnaround in Dallas. The result pushes the Wings to a winning record and a fresh one-game win streak. It marks another step for a group that has trended upward in recent weeks.
Why it matters: At 14-8, Dallas sits firmly in postseason position and continues to separate itself from the WNBA's bottom tier. Connecticut, by contrast, fell to 5-17 and remains among the league's most-struggling teams. A healthy, unmasked Smith giving Dallas consistent frontcourt play is a meaningful factor in the club's climb.
By the numbers: Dallas enters at 14-8 on the season, averaging 89.2 points while allowing 85.2, and has gone 3-2 over its last five. Connecticut sits at 5-17, scoring 79.0 and surrendering 85.9 per game. Smith's steadier output follows recent contributions such as her early three-pointer this season.
What to watch: Watch whether Dallas can extend the streak and hold its playoff seeding, and whether Smith's health continues to anchor the Wings' frontcourt.