‘Just Our Level of Compete’: Dallas Wings Hang Close Early Before Falling to Minnesota Lynx
The Dallas Wings ran out of answers against the league’s top seed, falling 96-71 to the Minnesota Lynx on Monday night at Target Center.
Minnesota (32-8) shot 55.4% from the field and 58.3% from 3-point range, paced by 25 points from Napheesa Collier and a 25-point, 10-assist double-double off the bench from Natisha Hiedeman.
Dallas (9-32) played with only eight active players and was led by Paige Bueckers’ 17 points, one rebound, and two assists. The rookie guard climbed to No. 6 on the WNBA’s all-time rookie scoring list with 623 points, one behind Cappie Pondexter for fifth.
Dallas Wings Hang Close in First Half
The Wings opened with a new starting five of Grace Berger, Bueckers, Maddy Siegrist, Amy Okonkwo, and Myisha Hines-Allen, marking Okonkwo’s first career start. She finished with 12 points and four rebounds. Siegrist hit two 3-pointers in the opening quarter and scored 10 in the first half.
Pregame, Bueckers said discipline would be key against Minnesota. She noted the Lynx’s ability to exploit mistakes and their balance across the floor.
“They’re really disciplined on offense and defense, so making sure we’re disciplined as well,” Bueckers said. “Obviously, Napheesa is an MVP candidate, so we have to show attention to her, but they’ve got pieces all around the floor.”
Collier scored 11 points in the first quarter, giving Minnesota a 25-21 lead after one. Dallas held its own on the glass and outscored the Lynx in the paint 10-8.
The matchup also marked the first time Bueckers faced former teammate DiJonai Carrington since Dallas traded her to Minnesota earlier this season. Carrington started and logged 10 minutes before being ruled out with a shoulder injury.
“Basketball has a great way of connecting people and building relationships. So we got extremely close,” Bueckers said of Carrington. “She kind of embraced who I was and my annoying side as a rookie. She just let me be me and let me annoy her, and we have a great relationship that way. But honestly, I just really enjoy competing against this Minnesota Lynx team. They’re just like everything you want to be as a team, and just to compete against them. I know I met a lot of them at All-Star. It’s fun.”
The Wings remained within a possession for much of the second quarter before Courtney Williams sparked a 16-6 Lynx run with a 3-pointer.
“She just has so many counters,” Siegrist said of Collier. “She’s great in the post and she’s a great three-point shooter. They find her and put her in her spots. They have a lot of different actions to get her to that left block. Once she’s there, it’s tough to stop her, so you just have to make it as hard as you can before then.”
Bueckers scored seven in the second to keep Dallas within reach, trimming the deficit to 48-41 at halftime.
“Just our level of compete, both sides of the floor,” Bueckers said. “We were being aggressive, trying to disrupt and make things tough for them on the defensive end. And then we were just getting out, being aggressive, getting to the paint, and getting out in transition on offense.”
Minnesota Lynx Separate After Halftime
Minnesota broke the game open in the third quarter, hitting 60% from deep. Hiedeman scored 10 in the frame and Collier added seven to reach 25 for the night. The Lynx stretched their total to 11 threes through three quarters and led 71-59 heading into the fourth.
“Defensively, it’s inside-out,” Wings head coach Chris Koclanes said. “It starts with Phee. When she gets touches around the rim, she’s as good of a one-on-one scorer as anyone. If you sit home at the arc, she’ll score two by two by two. If you send extra bodies, they’re so unselfish and they shoot almost 40 percent from three as a team.”
Dallas could not keep pace, finishing the night 3-of-15 from behind the arc. Bueckers scored six in the third, and Diamond Miller added four off the bench against her former team. The Lynx opened the fourth on a 19-7 run and coasted the rest of the way. Jessica Shepard scored eight points with three rebounds in the final period as Minnesota shot 63% from the floor.
Siegrist pointed to the challenge of slowing down Hiedeman, who finished 4-of-5 from deep.
“I didn’t guard her a ton, but in different actions when she’s in the screens, you have to be alert,” Siegrist said of Hiedeman. “When she gets hot—like tonight—it’s tough. I played against her when she was a senior at Marquette and I was a freshman, and when she’s playing with that much confidence, she’s hard to stop. You have to close out because she’s such a great shooter.”
Paige Bueckers’ Impact and Leadership
Bueckers has continued to expand her role beyond scoring during a grueling rookie campaign. The guard said she has leaned on her teammates and coaching staff to build confidence in her voice as the season progressed.
“Truly, I think my leadership ability and the way that I can use my voice,” Bueckers said. “I’ve gotten more confident in that, and my teammates and coaching staff have continued to help me build confidence and embrace that side.”
Her leadership has been tested in a year defined by injuries and short-handed rotations, where she has often had to steady lineups filled with hardship signees. Koclanes said her ability to dictate pace and settle the offense has been invaluable. He pointed specifically to her mid-range scoring as an anchor for the team.
“The analytics trends say layups and threes, but if you’re efficient at that mid-range, can get to your spots, and generate open looks, that’s an efficient shot for a handful of players,” Koclanes said. “We’re lucky to have one of those elite players on our team.”
Her efficiency in that area has helped Dallas survive stretches when opponents blitz her off ball screens or shade multiple defenders her way. Rather than force drives into traffic, Bueckers has consistently punished defenses by pulling up from 15 feet, a skill Koclanes compared to other elite guards who thrive in that area.
Okonkwo’s First Start and Miller’s Return
Okonkwo’s first start stood out to her teammates. The forward finished with 12 points and four rebounds in 27 minutes, attacking the rim, drawing fouls, and giving Dallas an inside presence against Minnesota’s length. She went 6-of-8 at the free-throw line and scored in both halves, showing composure in her first opportunity with the starting group.
“She’s just really smart. She’s a high-IQ player,” Bueckers emphasized. “She came in and fit right into the system and what we’re trying to do here, and she’s aggressive while she does it. She’s fearless. Just to be in this position and attack relentlessly on both ends of the floor and compete extremely hard—regardless of when she got here or how she got here—her story’s obviously great. For her to take advantage of this opportunity has been great to see.”
Koclanes said Okonkwo’s impact goes beyond her box score line. He pointed to her willingness to step into a larger role without hesitation and the way she has integrated herself into the team culture despite arriving under hardship circumstances.
“Her fearlessness — she’s unafraid to step in and take a shot or make a play,” Koclanes said. “She asks good questions, she’s coachable, and she’s been a fantastic addition on and off the floor.”
Miller scored 12 points in her return to Target Center and admitted the visit was unusual.
“I guess it was a little weird [to be in the visiting locker room], but it’s also part of the business,” Miller said. “Just learning the new system, finding my spots has been something that I’ve been learning, and just being a dog. In this offense, you have to be a dog, attacking almost 24/7.”
Resilience Through Adversity
Dallas again played without Arike Ogunbowale (right knee tendinitis), Tyasha Harris (left knee surgery), Luisa Geiselsöder (right shoulder), Haley Jones (right knee), JJ Quinerly (left ACL sprain), Aziaha James (right ankle), and Li Yueru (left ACL sprain). The Wings have now played 31 games with 10 or fewer players available and lost 121 total player games to injury or overseas commitments.
“Overall, just proud of the resilience of this group with everything they’ve been through,” Koclanes said. “Playing with eight, with the amount of hardships, it’s easy to feel sorry for yourself. But they continue to show up with purpose, presence, and pride.”
The Wings edged Minnesota in points in the paint 38-36 and second-chance points 12-5, but the Lynx’s 14 3-pointers proved decisive. Dallas has now dropped eight straight.
The Wings begin their final road trip of the season on Thursday against the Golden State Valkyries, followed by the Los Angeles Sparks. Tipoff Thursday is set for 9 p.m. CT on KFAA29.
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