When you know you are set to have an NPOY, an elite shot creator, and an efficient scorer on your depleting roster, it is only right to go bonkers the way Curt Miller did. Paige Bueckers was carrying in a boat-load of expectations and hopes of a city just void of its superstar. But unlike the trend with No.1 picks and heavy lifting, Miller and coach Chris Koclanes ensured one thing– the star guard wasn’t going to be doing this alone. While the GM stacked the squad with experience and versatility, the HC is ensuring he polishes them to the Tee. So Paige has company, and if you ask her, she’s going to debunk a storyline we had going even before she was drafted.
Arike Ogunbowale – Paige Bueckers. One of the top backcourt duos the league is ready to witness this season. A veteran who has been asked to self-create her shots all these years, and a rookie who goes by a team-first mentality. It couldn’t get any better for Dallas. They admitted to having found the synergy during the training camp, too. For the first two games, though, it felt like a work in progress.
While Paige led the team in scoring in game 2, the veteran had an off night against the Storm, managing only 8 points in her 27 minutes. She shot 2-14 from the field. Her tough misses in the 4th quarter were just hard to watch. But the new Dallas coach, Chris Koclanes, isn’t sounding the alarm. He addressed the issue during a press conference, drawing out what seems to be a silver lining.
“Just continue to coach her and empower her to continue to be aggressive while also still playing within our structure and really finding ways to impact the game when she’s not scoring. I think that’s a growth opportunity for her. The more she can continue to impact the team when the ball is going in, the more she’s going to help this team.”
Ogunbowale is known for her scoring instincts. For years she has been their offensive engine, self-creating opportunities, while her off-ball movements took a backseat. But with Paige’s presence, and with her own shots failing, Arike can make an impact on the other end. Plus, it looks like the UConn standout isn’t heavily banking on the backcourt-duo narrative either.
“We’re all learning as a team and growing as a team. We’re not really focused on—as much as it’s playing with Arike in the backcourt and she’s one of the premier players in the league—we’re trying to grow as a team; we’re not focused on any duo or trio. We’re focused on 1 through 12 and how we look as a team,” Bueckers added.
Last season, the vet shot 38.3% from the field but also scored 22.2 points per game, only behind A’ja Wilson. So her game has pros and cons. The Wings need to use this to their benefit; improving their rebounding on attack would be one thing. Their 10.5 offensive rebounds per game fall in the middle of the pack, but with Arike on their roster, they will need to do better. Even if Bueckers says it’s about everyone on the roster, Arike and Bueckers will need to form a duo in Dallas to succeed. Arike is their best scorer, and Paige is their best creator; these two need to link up well to boost their scoring.
Paige Bueckers gets heavy praise from Dirk Nowitzki
As if there was not enough pressure on Paige Bueckers, Dallas legend Dirk Nowitzki pulled up to watch her play against the Seattle Storm. There is no one who bleeds Dallas more than Nowitzki, who spent his 21-year career at the Mavericks, winning the 2011 championship and eventually finishing as the sixth all-time leading scorer in NBA history and the highest-scoring foreign-born player ever.
He was full of praise for Paige as he said, “It’s going to take a while to, obviously, get used to the physicality in the WNBA, but I think [Bueckers has] got the talent. She’s going to be amazing for us.”
The physicality issue is very real and well-documented when it comes to Bueckers. She’s fully aware of it herself. While she can’t bulk up overnight, she has the finesse and basketball IQ to work around it and still make an impact against tougher, more physically mature defenders. Nowitzki further said, “She’s just going to get better from game to game, from season to season. You already can see now she’s gotten more comfortable out there from game one. She’s going to be tremendous for this organization for a long time.”
We saw that improvement in her second game, looking a lot more at home than her debut, tallying a team-leading 19 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and two steals. She is touted by many to be the marquee player for the Wings for years to come. The first couple of years might go a little rough, but once the Wings solidify their core and balance their squad, she could be the player that takes them above and beyond.
The post Dallas Wings HC Issues Firm Message To 4x WNBA All-Star While Paige Bueckers’ Downplays Importance Of Backcourt Duo appeared first on EssentiallySports.
