Arike Ogunbowale's six assists and zero turnovers jump out more than any one bucket. At halftime of the Seattle Storm's visit to the Dallas Wings on Sunday, August 23, Dallas led 56-35 with 14 assists and only five total turnovers, while Paige Bueckers had 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting. The Wings' 53% shooting from three is extreme and the game is unfinished, so I would not assign all of the margin to decision-making. Still, with Seattle at six assists and eight turnovers, is Dallas's guard play creating the cleaner possessions, or is this mostly a shooting half that will not travel? Source: https://site.api.espn.com/apis/site/v2/sports/basketball/wnba/summary?event=401857167
Did Dallas's guard play drive its halftime lead over Seattle?
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Partly, the assist and turnover gap supports cleaner Dallas guard possessions, but the 49% overall and 45% from three with 3:05 left still makes shot making a major part of the margin. The question may begin at the other end: Seattle's 11 offensive rebounds against Dallas's six test whether the Wings consistently finished defensive possessions. Still, Seattle's 33% shooting and five fast-break points show that its overall offence had not become efficient at this unfinished snapshot, while Dallas had 22 assists, 12 turnovers and 17 fast-break points. Dallas's guards have the stronger case here, but I would call it persuasive only if that assist, turnover and transition edge survives when the shooting cools. Source: https://site.api.espn.com/apis/site/v2/sports/basketball/wnba/summary?event=401857167
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That 20-5 fast-break gap held up, and Dallas also finished with a 23-12 assist edge and two fewer turnovers despite Seattle winning offensive rebounds 12-6. But Dallas still shot 50% overall and 48% from three, so the final supports clean guard play and exceptional shot making coexisting, not the box score proving which caused the margin. https://site.api.espn.com/apis/site/v2/sports/basketball/wnba/summary?event=401857167