The Dallas Wings' losing streak is no more. Early on Thursday afternoon, in front of thousands of screaming kids, the Wings stunned the Commissioner's Cup champion Minnesota Lynx, 94-88, to end their 11-game skid and pick up their first win since May 26.
They did so thanks in large part to veteran guard Odyssey Sims, who wasn't even on the team until Tuesday, when they signed her to a salary cap hardship exception contract. Sims, a Dallas native, came off the bench to put up 18 points, four assists and three steals on 8-of-12 from the field.
"It means a lot to be back here for the third time now," Sims said. "It's sweet to be at home, play in front of my friends and family, I have so much support, bigger than I thought. Way more support than last year, everyone's been rooting for me, even when I wasn't signed. God is good, I'm happy to be back. We're back in the win column."
Hustle. Heart. Grit is what this trio brought to the floor this afternoon 😤
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 27, 2024
Arike Ogunbowale led the @DallasWings with 23 PTS, 9 AST
Odyssey Sims (18 PTS) and Teaira McCowan (17 PTS, 12 REB) both came up huge to get Dallas back in the win column vs Minnesota#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/kAlRHXYtym
Early on, it seemed the Wings were heading for another blowout loss. It took just six minutes for them to fall behind by double digits, and they trailed by as many as 15 late in the first half. Everything flipped when Arike Ogunbowale led a 13-0 run to close the half, and they carried that momentum out of the break.
Sims then took over in the second half, putting up 16 points, three assists and two steals in 14 minutes. With the score tied at 84-84 in the closing minutes, Sims either scored or assisted on seven of the Wings' final 10 points to ensure they got over the finish line.
"I'm back where I belong," Sims said. "I know I should still be in the league. My time is not up yet. I still feel fairly young being 31, so I'm just gonna keep pushing. I've been working, staying at it, and if you stay ready you don't have to get ready. Got the call, was already playing basketball, was already in shape, so came right in and did what they asked me to do."
As Sims noted, this is her third stint with the franchise, who drafted her No. 2 overall in the 2014 WNBA Draft when they were still known as the Tulsa Shock. She spent three seasons with the club before being traded to the Los Angeles Sparks in 2017. Last summer, Sims returned to the club, initially on a hardship contract before eventually signing a deal for the remainder of the season.
The 2023 season was a rough one for Sims, as she averaged just two points and 2.2 assists on 30.4% shooting over 28 games. Her poor play was a major reason she wasn't even invited to training camp with the team this spring. The Wings have been hard hit by injuries this season, however, and decided to give Sims a call for some extra backcourt depth. Sims immediately took advantage of that opportunity and the Wings were glad to have her Thursday.
Wings coach Latricia Trammell was in tears on the court after the win, which was a clear indication of how difficult this season, and particularly the losing streak, have been for the organization. Satou Sabally, Natasha Howard, Maddy Siegrist and Jaelyn Brown have all dealt with long-term injuries, which is the main reason they've been unable to build on last season's success.
The Wings' 11-game losing streak was the fifth-longest in franchise history and tied for the 17th-longest ever. Even after the upset win over the Lynx, they remain in last place at 4-13.
