I was not focusing on today's game when I made that statement. On a team when one player routinely takes a third of the shots, it takes other people out of the flow of the game. I just don't think you can play 1 on 5 no matter how good you are and I think Arike is a very good basketball player. Again not today's game but sometimes the final stat is very misleading like in the last game when Arike finished 10/22 but at one point she was something like 3-13. It could have changed the game if she got other people involved more and not forcing up all the shots herself. I really believe she would be even more effective as a player if she could dial back her shot selection and makes it more of a team game.
Today was the only game this season where she's taken a third of the shots.
Last game Vegas got out to a 9-0 lead and essentially held that margin almost the entire game. During that beginning stretch, Arike shot 0-1. Jefferson and Sabally both went 0-1, Ndour 0-2. Arike was subbed out and came back with the score 15-6. She shot poorly the rest of the half but the team still managed to get back within 5 at halftime. Her poor shooting in the first half isn't what sank them. She had a very good second half where she took the same number of shots but Vegas created separation and ultimately won rather handily.
The reason for the loss was again, front court play. Ndour/Sabally/Alarie/Harrison combined to shoot 8-27 from the floor and 1-12 from deep. As a team Dallas was outrebounded by 10.
Dallas has the worst rebounding margin in the league and their frontcourt players are shooting horrendously:
Sabally-36.7%
Ndour-34.5%
Alarie-33.3%
Harrison-47% (had a good opening game vs. NYL, has barely played since, shooting 1-7 since then)
Their inability to produce is the reason why Dallas isn't better. So yes, it'd be great if they'd be more involved and if Jefferson were back to 100% and playing a larger role, but watching them play their most effective offense largely is running Arike off iso picks and letting her create in the midrange. If Sabally/Jefferson become more consistent then things change and I think Dallas is going to be significantly more dangerous.