Paige Bueckers’ debut WNBA season has been a tale of individual brilliance against a backdrop of team struggles. The No. 1 overall pick has shone brightly for the Dallas Wings (8-24), the second-worst team in the league, with playoff hopes dwindling as just 12 games remain. Individually, Bueckers has been a revelation, standing alone as the only WNBA player to score in double figures in every game this season-a streak of 25 outings. If she maintains this pace, she’ll join an elite club alongside Hall of Famer Cynthia Cooper and three-time MVP A’ja Wilson as rookies with no single-digit scoring games.
Averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 assists, and 4 rebounds over 25 games, she’s clinched back-to-back Rookie of the Month honors and is the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, despite a rising challenge from another standout newcomer.
Bueckers Urges Wings to Match Words with Performance
After a 91-78 loss to the Washington Mystics on Sunday-the Wings’ fifth consecutive defeat since July 28-Paige Bueckers didn’t hold back in addressing her team’s woes. The defeat marked another low in a month without a win, leaving Dallas grappling with questions about their drive. In post-game comments, Bueckers, who led the team with 17 points in her return to the lineup, expressed frustration over the gap between the team’s talk and their on-court results.
“We’ve said all we need to say,” Bueckers stated. “It’s time to back it up with effort when it counts.” Paige must be frustrated. She just won the National Championship as captain, and in her five years at UConn, the team lost a combine 23 games, one less than she has in her first season with Dallas and there’s still 12 games left. She is realizing how difficult it is to be a professional, but at 23 years old, with what she has demonstrated, she has her best years ahead of her.
Despite their 8-24 record and last-place standing in the Western Conference, the Wings remain supportive of first-year coach Chris Koclanes. Forward Myisha Hines-Allen defended him before the loss, saying, “We’re fully behind Chris. It’s his first season, and people overlook that.”
Bueckers Faces Fever and Playoff Pressure
Bueckers and the Wings head to Indiana tonight to take on the Fever, a team they’ve lost to in all three meetings this season, including two without Caitlin Clark. The matchup between the last two No. 1 overall picks has only happened once due to Clark’s injuries, and with this being their final clash of the year, it’s a letdown for fans who circled these games since their college days.
The Wings desperately need a win to keep their faint playoff hopes alive, though the odds are steep. After tonight, they face a red-hot Los Angeles Sparks squad on Friday, riding an 8-2 wave thanks to Cameron Brink’s return, followed by a Sunday showdown against the surging Las Vegas Aces, who are playing their best basketball of the season.
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