Paige's Wings Page (merged thread)

[Jonathan14]

After watching parts, though not all, of the Wings' first three games, a few things kept running through my head.

1. I wonder how it must be for Paige to go from being coached by Geno, one of the most experienced, most successful coaches of any sport, on any level, of all time, to being coached by Chris Koclanes, who has, I believe, never been a head coach before. I don't mean that as a slight on him at all—everyone has to start somewhere; Geno did too!—it's just such a contrast. "Coach P" might actually enjoy the opportunity to be almost a coach-on-the-floor if that's a role that's made available to her.

2. I know Arike's been getting a lot of criticism for being something of a black hole offensively so far, but I have to call out my girl DiJonai, too! I love her energy and her toughness. Still, I feel like her usual outstanding defense has been lacking, and she has been taking one ill-advised shot after another. I came to like her a lot when she was on the Sun last season (and then when she teamed up with Stewie and Aaliyah in Unrivaled), but the Wings need her to step up and play to her strengths—focus on defensive fundamentals and build from there.

3. The sky might look like it's falling, but wait until the Wings play, well, the Sky...or the Valkyries, or the Mystic, or the Sun. Starting off the first two out of the three against the Lynx was a trial by fire. In Paige, I trust.

 

[cancontent]

After watching parts, though not all, of the Wings' first three games, a few things kept running through my head.

1. I wonder how it must be for Paige to go from being coached by Geno, one of the most experienced, most successful coaches of any sport, on any level, of all time, to being coached by Chris Koclanes, who has, I believe, never been a head coach before. I don't mean that as a slight on him at all—everyone has to start somewhere; Geno did too!—it's just such a contrast. "Coach P" might actually enjoy the opportunity to be almost a coach-on-the-floor if that's a role that's made available to her.

2. I know Arike's been getting a lot of criticism for being something of a black hole offensively so far, but I have to call out my girl DiJonai, too! I love her energy and her toughness. Still, I feel like her usual outstanding defense has been lacking, and she has been taking one ill-advised shot after another. I came to like her a lot when she was on the Sun last season (and then when she teamed up with Stewie and Aaliyah in Unrivaled), but the Wings need her to step up and play to her strengths—focus on defensive fundamentals and build from there.

3. The sky might look like it's falling, but wait until the Wings play, well, the Sky...or the Valkyries, or the Mystic, or the Sun. Starting off the first two out of the three against the Lynx was a trial by fire. In Paige, I trust.

This part. It's like Indiana's schedule last season. The WNBA didn't do Dallas any favours with the start of their season either. And for the trial by fire comment, losing to the Lynx by four after losing by double digits in their first game is a heck of a effort. They just need to keep working at it.

 

[FormerCTrez]

Melts my heart!!

 

[bbsamjj]

Let's see. There were 3 games tonight. That's six teams of players involved. Of all the activity tonight only ONE player jacked up 20 shots. Of course you know who that was. Until that dynamic changes in Dallas that team will go nowhere. It sure as hell won't change with a first year no experience head coach.

This isn't true when you look at FGs and FTs together. For example, B. Sykes on the Mystics took 19 FGs and 14FTs, which means she probably took at least 24 shots during the game. Kelsey Plum took 19 shots and 10 FTs, so she also likely shot over 20 times from the field. Sabally took 16 shots, but got to FT line 15 times, which means she likely shot at least 20 times from the field.

What made Arike's stat line bizarre the other night was she took ZERO FTs. Part of that is because 13 of her 20 shots were from the 3 pt line (Where she shot a pretty good 38%), as compared to going 3/7 from 2pt range. You'll take 5/13 from 3pt range, but to be more effective i'm sure the Wings want her drawing more fouls.

 

[cancontent]

If this has been posted earlier, apologies but it just came across my IG feed this morning.

 

[AidanFan20]

Well... I just bought a ticket to see Paige and the Wings play at Chase Center v. the Valkyries! July 25...

It'll be my first time seeing Paige in person, first time going to a WNBA game, and my first time getting inside the Chase Center.

Nice trifecta.

 

[cancontent]

Well... I just bought a ticket to see Paige and the Wings play at Chase Center v. the Valkyries! July 25...

It'll be my first time seeing Paige in person, first time going to a WNBA game, and my first time getting inside the Chase Center.

Nice trifecta.

Definitely came out a winner here. Awesome and enjoy! I'm patiently waiting for 2026 to do the same when the Tempo starts playing. Season tickets aren't in my budget, but I hope to see the Lynx and Mystics at minimum.

 

[Blue Huskie]

Poor Paige on that crummy Dallas team. Another loss today.

 

[RoadMaster]

 

[RoadMaster]

 

[RoadMaster]

 

[Bald Husky]

Very poor shooting day for Paige, 4-15. This team has absolutely no flow at all. Transition does not exist, ball movement does not exist, in other words, if Paige wants to get an open shot, she has to do it herself. Many of her shots were off the front of the rim, and I mean the 8-10 footers. She will get there, but it's obvious that she needs a running mate, maybe the new girl that just joined the team. I am encouraged though that she has been able to get her shot off, just isn't dropping now.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

In a post-game press conference she was so frustrated she outright said I can't do it alone, I need help. This was what everyone in the basketball universe knew about Dallas and so many of us hoped for a last minute reprieve for her.

 

[oldude]

Very poor shooting day for Paige, 4-15. This team has absolutely no flow at all. Transition does not exist, ball movement does not exist, in other words, if Paige wants to get an open shot, she has to do it herself. Many of her shots were off the front of the rim, and I mean the 8-10 footers. She will get there, but it's obvious that she needs a running mate, maybe the new girl that just joined the team. I am encouraged though that she has been able to get her shot off, just isn't dropping now.

Paige is still adjusting to the speed and athleticism of the W, which is why she’s missing some shots she would usually make. CC did the same thing when she entered the W last year. I have no doubt that Paige will get comfortable in the league and start knocking down more shots.

I agree with you on the flow or lack thereof. The Wings are hard to watch. It’s going to be a long season in Dallas.

 

[Bald Husky]

Paige is still adjusting to the speed and athleticism of the W, which is why she’s missing some shots she would usually make. CC did the same thing when she entered the W last year. I have no doubt that Paige will get comfortable in the league and start knocking down more shots.

I agree with you on the flow or lack thereof. The Wings are hard to watch. It’s going to be a long season in Dallas.

Something else I thought was interesting. At the end of the game, Ryne Howard, who got in a tussle with CC, laughed and hugged Paige after the game. At the end, Howard was bent over the ball while time ran out and Paige put both arms around her so she couldn't move.
It seems Paige is being better received than CC was last year. Good to see.

 

[Aluminny69]

The WNBA season is already shaping up after only four games. The Lynx and Liberty, last year's Finalists, have risen to the top. The Ace should also be there, it might be a battle for the fourth best team.

OTOH, the bottom four teams are a combined 1 and 12.

 

[oldude]

Something else I thought was interesting. At the end of the game, Ryne Howard, who got in a tussle with CC, laughed and hugged Paige after the game. At the end, Howard was bent over the ball while time ran out and Paige put both arms around her so she couldn't move.
It seems Paige is being better received than CC was last year. Good to see.

There’s a number of reasons for that. I think every player in the W is aware of Paige’s gracious remarks at the Espy’s after her freshman season.

 

[BobbyJ]

Paige is still adjusting to the speed and athleticism of the W, which is why she’s missing some shots she would usually make. CC did the same thing when she entered the W last year. I have no doubt that Paige will get comfortable in the league and start knocking down more shots.

I agree with you on the flow or lack thereof. The Wings are hard to watch. It’s going to be a long season in Dallas.

That's why I said pre-draft that she should have skipped the draft, the restrictive 4 year chump change contract, and that Dallas dumpster fire. Rest and work on her core strength this summer, play the Unrivaled league in the winter, and then go to another team next spring for much better money. Now she may wind up wasting a few prime years of her career with those stiffs.

 

[oldude]

That's why I said pre-draft that she should have skipped the draft, the restrictive 4 year chump change contract, and that Dallas dumpster fire. Rest and work on her core strength this summer, play the Unrivaled league in the winter, and then go to another team next spring for much better money. Now she may wind up wasting a few prime years of her career with those stiffs.

I was right with you. But Paige is a baller at heart, and ballers want to play ball.

The good news is that just about everyone in the W who isn’t on a rookie contract is on a one year contract. So the Wings can hopefully bring in some complementary pieces around Paige next season in the same way that the Fever stocked the pantry around CC.

 

[dtbtbtb]

The Wings are a pathetic "team". The offense is one pass and shoot and on defense they can't stop anyone...poor Paige....she'll lose more games tis season than she lost in all her UConn and HS career...

 

[Basingstoke]

The Wings certainly seem totally disjointed. Alike isn't taking (or making) a lot of shots, but she isn't often making plays that help her teammates succeed. She seemed totally uninvolved until the latter stages of the game.
Paige, on the other hand, though shooting very poorly (oddly including her free throws), is being efficient with the other aspects of her game: her assist to turnover ratio just rose above 3 to 1, she's averaging over 6 assists, 4 rebounds and about 2 steals per game. As painful as it is to see her shooting like this, she hasn't been taking many ill-advised shots and her history tells us that her percentages will soon rise near or up to her normal levels as she settles in.
To me, the question is whether or not (beyond their built-in front court inadequacies) the team as a whole will begin to truly play together on both the offensive and defensive ends...

 

[hookshot]

Paige is still adjusting to the speed and athleticism of the W, which is why she’s missing some shots she would usually make. CC did the same thing when she entered the W last year. I have no doubt that Paige will get comfortable in the league and start knocking down more shots.

I agree with you on the flow or lack thereof. The Wings are hard to watch. It’s going to be a long season in Dallas.

She may be adjusting to the speed and athleticism and that may be sapping some energy, but to my eye she is being too careful on her mid-rang release, kinda wishing and finessing her shot instead of snapping it off with her usual wrist energy. It wasn't helpful when she had one of her early made 3s waved off by a foul away from the ball, as that would have pumped her up - she looked deflated by the call. Dallas coach has a lot to figure out, Arike has seemingly lost her mojo with the arrival of Paige and, by contrast, Ty Harris is looking increasingly good

 

[baggerbob]

That’s a point I made sometime back, and last night during the postgame presser Koclanes was asked about Arike’s “tough game.” He gave a very Geno-esque answer saying that, “Arike needs to do other things when her shot is not falling.”

That’s all well and good, but Arike’s greatest achievement in basketball was going 1 on 1, with MM’s blessing, in both the national semifinal vs UConn and the championship game vs MS St, knocking down the game winning shots, leading ND to a national championship. It’s who she is as a player, and that’s not easy to change.

I am reminded of a Doug Collins comment about the great Carmelo Anthony a number of years ago. Collins was then working as an announcer when he described Anthony as, “A ball movement killer” as he was critical of Anthony’s tendency to dribble out the shot clock and shoot the basketball while everyone else stood around.

So yes, the coach has to try to change the way Arike plays. But if he can not, the Wings have two choices: get rid of Arike or lose Paige as soon as she becomes a free agent.

The only coach who can change Arike at this stage of her career is Bill Laimbeer.
He would bench her unless she played his way.

 

[baggerbob]

Like all data, it's a tool and like all data it's easy to misuse it or over interpret it. I agree with you that it has very little usefulness over a single game, but as the sample size grows, it does become relevant and helpful information.

There are some players that don't always fill up the stat sheet but contribute greatly to the team success. Nika has been like that over much of her career. For those types of players plus/minus stats help to reveal their contribution.

Think about a player who plays great defense, which forces the other team to play at a pace they're not used to. She might not score many points, or get a steel or a block, but the value of her play is more than the sum of her stat line.

The stat is useless, because a player like Stewie most always has a close to 0.
And not because she is a bad player, but because she is normally on the floor with the 2nd unit.
The coach trusts her to keep the game in hand.

 

[DemonDeac22]

Today’s game was really tough to watch. It’s only 4 games in but the lack of offensive flow and lack of team defense will make it a challenge to pull out W’s in this league. I feel bad for Paige but she’ll learn and grow as the season moves on.