In a shooting performance of 1 out of 7, she only scored 4 points! Li Yueru's toughest game since joining the Wings: Is her starting position at risk?

On July 28, Beijing time, the WNBA regular season continued, with the Dallas Wings losing 80-106 to the Las Vegas Aces, marking their third defeat against this opponent this season. The top pick, Paige, sat out this game, and Li Yueru played for 18 minutes and 26 seconds, struggling with her form, shooting 1 out of 7, 0 out of 2 from three-point range, and making 2 out of 2 free throws, totaling only 4 points and 4 rebounds.

It is important to note that this was Li Yueru's lowest shooting percentage game in her 14 matches since joining the Wings. The previous worst shooting performance was on July 4 against the Mercury, where she shot 1 out of 5 (20% shooting).

All of Li Yueru's 4 points in this game came in the first quarter. She scored once with a putback and then drew a foul while attacking the paint, making both free throws. After that, her offense was stifled, and she did not score again.

In the last two games, Li Yueru has only scored 4 points each time, having previously scored in double digits for three consecutive games before this current streak of three games without reaching double figures.

Li Yueru started as a substitute in her first three games after joining the Wings, but since the fourth game, she has been a starter. Is her starting position at risk? Perhaps this risk does indeed exist. After all, backup center McCowan posted a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds in 17 minutes of play, and although she only shot 3 out of 9, her presence in this game was certainly more impactful.

After the game, the Wings' head coach was asked what changes were needed to become strong contenders. His response was, “First and foremost, it's defense... Offensively, we occasionally have outstanding performances, but we need to be more stable on both ends of the court. However, we need to be clear that we must create opportunities for ourselves on the defensive end every night. Currently, that is not the case... First and foremost, it's defense.”

For Li Yueru, she needs to quickly return to her normal average of 8+7 points since joining the Wings; if her slump continues, she could indeed be moved to the bench. Keep it up, little treasure!