Chicago was feeling good, cruising at 3-1 after four road games, ready to make a statement in their home opener against Dallas. Then Paige Bueckers and the Wings showed up on May 20, snagging a 99-89 road win that has since become the absolute pivot point for both teams' seasons.
Offseason Hopes and a Reality Check
Remember last year? Both the Sky and Wings were scrapping at the bottom of the standings, just ten wins apiece. Rough stuff, right? So this offseason, both squads went full throttle on roster changes, desperate to escape that basement. Chicago shipped out Angel Reese to Atlanta, aiming to build a more veteran, balanced roster around Kamilla Cardoso. They brought in Skylar Diggins, DiJonai Carrington, Azurá Stevens, Rickea Jackson, and Jacy Sheldon. They re-signed Courtney Vandersloot, signed Natasha Cloud, and drafted Gabriela Jaquez with the No. 5 pick. Dallas, blessed with the No. 1 pick, decided to reunite Azzi Fudd with Paige Bueckers, after their own eager moves that brought in the former Minnesota Lynx duo of Jessica Shepard and Alanna Smith. They also held onto Arike Ogunbowale, welcomed Awak Kueir back, and filled out the roster with veterans Odyssey Sims and Alysha Clark. Early season optimism was buzzing in Chicago, especially after starting 3-1 on the road. Dallas, though, was giving off some serious angsty vibes at 2-2, especially with those concerning late-game collapses on defense. It felt like they were going in completely opposite directions heading into that May 20th matchup.Paige Bueckers Delivers a Gut Punch
That May 20th game, Chicago's first at home, was supposed to be their coronation. Instead, Dallas rolled into town and snatched a 99-89 win after a double-digit comeback. Talk about a gut punch for the home crowd! Paige Bueckers was just out there making magic, dropping 24 points and 4 assists on an insane 11-for-19 from the field. Arike Ogunbowale was right there with her, throwing up 23 points, 5 assists, and four clutch threes. But the real unsung hero? Jessica Shepard, man. She put up 18 points, 10 boards, and a career-high 12 assists. Azzi Fudd even chipped in 12 points, hitting two threes. Chicago was playing without Rickea Jackson, who had just torn her ACL in the prior game after blossoming into a first-option offensive star, and you just gotta wonder how much that hurt their chances.Two Seasons on Wildly Different Trajectories
That Dallas win was absolutely the moment everything changed. The pivot point, no doubt. Since then, it’s been a total disaster in Chicago. That game kicked off a five-game losing skid, just stomping out all that early season sanguinity. And it got worse! They later hit another six-game losing streak. Remember Courtney Vandersloot, who missed over a year with an ACL injury? She returned, and her first game back was a record-breaking win. Should've been a huge celebration, right? Instead, it’s turned into a complete mess. The organization decided to elevate Sloot into the starting lineup over Skylar Diggins, and Skylar was NOT having it. Her Instagram stories were loud and clear: "Now I'm coming off the bench?????? Cool." and "And the crazy part about it all is that… I've been so quiet. I've been so good and quiet." Yikes! You just can't have that kind of drama exploding on social media if you want to turn things around. Chicago's fall is steep. Dallas, though, with Bueckers leading the charge and that kind of comeback spirit, has certainly found its stride since that monumental win. So what now for these teams? Chicago’s gotta figure out their whole vibe, both on the court and in the locker room. That kind of public frustration from a star player is poison, and the Sky is clearly still falling. Dallas, though, has momentum on their side. Every game from here on out is about whether Chicago can pull it together, or if Dallas can keep their new era rolling strong.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.