‘We Can’t Keep Coming Up Short’: Dallas Wings’ Late-Game Execution Slips Again in Loss to Atlanta Dream
For a moment, it looked like the Dallas Wings might overcome their late-game demons. Trailing by eight in the fourth quarter, Paige Bueckers orchestrated an 8-0 run, assisting on two baskets and finishing through contact for an and-one to tie the game.
Shortly after, Haley Jones buried a 38-foot heave to give the Wings a 77–76 lead. But the advantage wouldn’t last, and Dallas again found itself on the wrong end of a clutch finish.
Naz Hillmon hit her fifth 3-pointer of the game with two seconds remaining, sealing an 88–85 win for the Atlanta Dream and handing the Wings their league-worst 12th clutch loss of the season. Dallas now sits at 2–12 in games decided by five points in the final five minutes—by far the lowest win percentage in the WNBA in those situations. Protecting a lead in pivotal moments has proven challenging at times.
Paige Bueckers Mixing Paint Pressure with Mid-Range
Bueckers finished with 21 points, four assists, and four rebounds, including nine points in the fourth quarter. She broke down Atlanta’s defense with off-the-dribble in pick-and-roll for multiple and-one finishes, capitalizing on the Dream’s drop coverage and floor spacing from Dallas’ stretch bigs.
“My teammates were doing a really good job of screening and getting me open,” Bueckers said. “They played mostly drop the entire game… The posts were hitting threes—it kind of forced them to have to play to that, which opened up the lane a little bit. I just tried to be aggressive, attack the rim, and get to the free throw line.”
Asked about the push-pull of choosing when to shoot versus drive, Bueckers noted her continued search for rhythm and balance.
“Not over-penetrating too much, but I do feel like I can get to the paint and rim more, draw contact, and get to the free throw line,” she said. “But I’ve always loved my mid-range jump shot, and I don’t think that’ll ever change. Just trying to find a better balance of both.”
That balance is part of what makes Bueckers so difficult to guard. She’s one of only three players averaging more than seven off-the-dribble jump shot possessions per game this season, joining Caitlin Clark (7.8) and Marina Mabrey (7.4). Bueckers is averaging 7.3.
Still, most of Bueckers’ offense has come from outside the paint. Including transition, she has attempted only 2.0 field goals per game inside five feet—compared to 1.5 in the half court—while generating 1.12 points per possession on those attempts.
Execution Slips Again in Final Minutes
Despite Bueckers’ late scoring, Dallas was outscored 26–21 in the fourth. On the night, the Wings shot 50% from the field, 50% from beyond the arc, and made 11 3-pointers—just one shy of a season high. But a handful of defensive lapses and one failed final possession proved costly.
“I think offensively we took good shots and had a good flow. We’re getting to know each other better. But on defense, we need to be tougher—especially in that final stretch when it’s a tight game,” said Geiselsöder, who finished with 13 points and three rebounds. “The first half wasn’t our best defensive half. We need to start more aggressive and not wait for them to be aggressive and then react.”
The Wings came away from Wednesday’s game with a clear focus to improve defensive execution, particularly in clutch situations.
“We just have to be better defensively,” head coach Chris Koclanes said. “That’s our next step: getting stops late in games. As Luisa [Geiselsöder] said, it starts with individual one-on-one pride and an elite level of communication.”
On Atlanta’s final play, Koclanes pointed to a failed switch that gave Hillmon the space she needed.
“A lot of action up top challenged our communication,” he explained. “It ended with a post-to-post screen that we would’ve liked to switch to keep bodies on bodies. A little slippage, a little space—and that’s all she needs. Credit to Naz for stepping up.”
Haley Jones, who scored 12 points and knocked down that deep go-ahead three in the fourth, echoed the need for tighter communication and more physicality down the stretch.
“They played through [Hillmon] down the stretch, and she was moving really hard,” Jones said. “I think we could’ve done a lot better communicating, being more physical, and trying to get them off their spots. But I’m proud of how we stuck together through the end.”
Koclanes acknowledged the opportunity lost after Atlanta played without its starting point guard, Rhyne Howard, and lost Brittney Griner to ejection in the third quarter after picking up two quick technical fouls.
“We’re growing in a lot of positive ways,” he said. “But this one doesn’t feel good. It was a missed opportunity. BG goes out, they’re missing their starting point guard—we needed to take advantage.”
Offensive Growth Evident as Team Searches for Balance
Despite the loss, the Wings showed offensive cohesion throughout the night. Four starters scored in double figures. DiJonai Carrington added eight points off the bench, and the team committed just nine turnovers. Still, Dallas was outrebounded 32–24.
“Our offense is in a better place,” Koclanes said. “Now our defense needs to come along with it. That’s what it takes late in games to execute coverages—whether we’re switching or staying.”
The Wings’ ability to generate strong looks—combined with Bueckers’ playmaking and shot versatility—continues to give the team hope. But its progress will remain incomplete until Dallas consistently executes down the stretch.
More Dallas Wings News & WNBA Rumors
- WNBA News: “Just Trying to Find That Balance”: Paige Bueckers Working to Blend Mid-Range Touch with Rim Pressure
- WNBA News: Dallas Wings’ Maddy Siegrist Set to Return Friday vs. Indiana Fever After 17-Game Absence
- WNBA News: “We’re Growing”: Dallas Wings Fall to Atlanta Dream as Naz Hillmon’s Clutch Three Seals Back-and-Forth Battle
- WNBA Rumors: Dallas Wings’ DiJonai Carrington Emerges as Trade Candidate Before WNBA’s Midseason Deadline
- WNBA News: “It’s Showing on the Court”: Arike Ogunbowale’s Post-Break Rhythm Is Lifting the Dallas Wings
- WNBA Rumors: WNBA Trade Idea Pairs Dallas Wings Forward with Caitlin Clark on Indiana Fever
- WNBA News: “We’re Building That Chemistry”: Dallas Wings Top New York Liberty Behind Arike Ogunbowale’s Historic Night
