DHJ Quick Take: Portland Fire’s 3-Point Barrage Sinks Short-Handed Dallas Wings 84-83
The Portland Fire knocked down 14 3-pointers and survived a late Dallas push, edging the Wings 84-83 on Saturday at Moda Center with Paige Bueckers (right ankle) out.
- What happened? A foul with 1.7 seconds left proved decisive after Azzi Fudd’s backdoor layup plus a foul had given Dallas a late lead, and the Wings fell by one despite winning the second half.
- Who led the way? Arike Ogunbowale scored 22 points, Fudd added 18, and Aziaha James had 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists in her first start of the season; Bridget Carleton burned Dallas for 20 on 6-of-10 from deep.
- Why does it matter? Dallas won the paint (36-28), second-chance points (14-9), and points off turnovers (18-9) but shot 7-of-28 (25%) from 3 and 18-of-26 at the line, dropping to 8-5.
- What’s next? Dallas returns home to host the Las Vegas Aces on Monday at 7 p.m. CT.
PORTLAND, Ore. — A foul with 1.7 seconds left and a night of cold 3-point shooting were all that separated the short-handed Dallas Wings from a road win they nearly stole.
Bridget Carleton knocked down 6-of-10 from 3-point range, the Portland Fire buried 14 triples as a team, and the expansion hosts held on for an 84-83 victory Saturday at Moda Center in a back-and-forth meeting that featured 9 ties and 14 lead changes, handing Dallas a one-point loss in front of an announced crowd of 14,612.
Dallas (8-5) played without Paige Bueckers (right ankle) and Odyssey Sims (not with team), and turned to Aziaha James in the starting lineup. Arike Ogunbowale led four Wings in double figures with a game-high 22 points, including 8 in the fourth quarter, to go with 6 rebounds and 2 assists, but Dallas shot just 7-of-28 (25%) from deep and left points at the line in a 69.2% night from the stripe.
“Stops,” Ogunbowale said when asked what decided the game. “I mean, we kind of hurt ourselves early on, and they got way too comfortable. But we needed more stops for sure.”
Portland Fire’s 3-Point Shooting Decides It
The math of the night came down to one line. Portland hit 14-of-31 (45.2%) from 3-point range to Dallas’ 7-of-28, the most 3-pointers the Wings have allowed in a game this season and a 21-point swing from beyond the arc that Dallas could not overcome despite winning most every other category.
Carleton, who finished with 20 points, very nearly matched the Wings by herself from deep, her 6 made 3-pointers falling one shy of Dallas’ entire team total.
“Well, I think the biggest thing that hurt us was the 3-point line,” head coach Jose Fernandez said. “They hit some big shots. My concern coming into the game was us taking care of the basketball while playing without Paige, and we only had 10 turnovers. So hand it to them. They made some big plays down the stretch.”
Dallas controlled the interior, outscoring Portland 36-28 in the paint, 14-9 on second-chance points, and 18-9 on points off turnovers. Megan Gustafson countered with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting for the Fire, Emily Engstler added 11 points and 6 rebounds, and Carla Leite ran the show with 10 points and a game-high 8 assists as Portland piled up 26 assists on 30 made field goals.
Dallas Wings Win The Second Half But Falter Late
Both offenses opened in the mud, with Portland edging the first quarter 14-13 as Dallas shot just 21.1% and matched its season low with 4 made field goals in the period. The Fire then erupted for a game-high 30 points in the second, fueled by a 6-of-9 night from 3-point range in the frame, to build a lead that reached 10 and carry a 44-37 edge into the break.
Dallas answered after halftime. James scored 11 of her points in the third on 4-of-4 shooting, and her 16-footer with 6.2 seconds left gave the Wings their first lead since early in the second quarter, only for Carleton to answer with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that nudged Portland ahead 63-61 entering the fourth.
The teams traded blows down the stretch, combining for 9 ties and 14 lead changes. Azzi Fudd appeared to swing it Dallas’ way when Jessica Shepard found her cutting to the rim for an and-one and an 83-81 lead with 18.7 seconds left.
But Carla Leite tied it at 83 with 11.6 seconds remaining. James then drove into traffic and drew no whistle, Emily Engstler corralled the loose ball and was fouled by Alysha Clark, and Engstler made 1-of-2 free throws with 1.7 seconds left. Ogunbowale’s game-winning attempt at the buzzer was off the mark as Portland escaped 84-83.
“That’s what I talked to our guys about,” Fernandez said. “I thought on that sideline out-of-bounds play, we got Azzi backdoor, and then you’ve got to get some stops. But everything gets magnified at the end of the game. If we do things differently on possession one, 12, 24, 40, 60, then it doesn’t come down to that.”
“When you’re up two possessions, you’ve got to close those games out,” Fernandez added. “We left a lot of points at the free-throw line as well.”
Azzi Fudd Settles In As Dallas Adjusts Without Paige Bueckers
Fudd scored 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting, including 3-of-8 from deep, with 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks, and pointed to the second-quarter turnaround as the moment Dallas found its footing without its primary ball-handler.
“Honestly, I think we got a little bit more comfortable not having Paige in there and having me, Arike, Aziaha, and Jess bring the ball up,” Fudd said. “As the game went on, we got more comfortable with what looks we were trying to get and understanding what was working and what wasn’t working.”
Fudd had previewed the challenge before tip-off, stressing composure against Portland’s pressure.
“Taking care of the ball is a big one. Being calm under their pressure, whether it’s full-court or half-court defense,” Fudd said pregame. “And just staying together, playing for one another, and doing what we do best.”
The Wings delivered on that front, committing only 10 turnovers against a defense built to force them, but the ball security was not enough to offset the difference at the arc.
Aziaha James Recovers From Rough Start In First Start of Season
With Bueckers out, James started alongside Ogunbowale, Fudd, Maddy Siegrist, and Shepard in a five that took the floor together for the first time this season, the Wings’ third different starting lineup of the year. James, making her first start of the season, struggled early before settling in to finish with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals on 6-of-18 shooting.
“She struggled in the first half, but she picked her head up, and I thought she had a really good second half,” Fernandez said.
Fudd had praised James’ two-way impact entering the night.
“Aziaha has been playing great all season,” Fudd said pregame. “The way she can come in and be a spark off the bench and make an impact immediately, whether that’s getting buckets or getting stops. She’s such an aggressive and quick defender, and I feel like that’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough.”
Jessica Shepard Anchors The Glass
Shepard posted 13 points and a game-high 14 rebounds for her WNBA-leading eighth double-double of the season, adding 2 assists and 4 offensive boards while serving as a versatile hub for the Dallas offense. Her and-one with 3:25 to play briefly nudged the Wings back in front, and she was whistled for a Flagrant 1 at the 8:21 mark of the second quarter.
Fernandez reiterated before the game why Dallas targeted her in roster construction.
“Her international experience and basketball IQ really stood out,” Fernandez said. “She’s able to create mismatches, make really good decisions, and understand where we want the ball to go offensively. She’s perfect for what we wanted to do on that end of the floor.”
Awak Kuier chipped in 3 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists off the bench, while Maddy Siegrist (5 points), Alanna Smith (4 points), and Clark rounded out the rotation.
A Loud Night In Portland
Ogunbowale credited the atmosphere in the Fire’s first season.
“It was a good environment. They came and supported their team. The energy was great,” Ogunbowale said. “They have a good fan base, so that’s great for the league and for Portland.”
Fernandez offered the same assessment.
“I was very impressed with Portland and their effort, their energy, their play on 50-50 balls, and it was a great atmosphere,” he said. “But that’s a game where, when you take the lead, it’s got to come down to getting a stop. I was happy with the second half and how we defended and got ourselves back into the game.”
Bueckers, who Fernandez said is considered day-to-day after tweaking the ankle in Dallas’ previous win over Phoenix, sat as a precaution.
“It’s a long season, and caution is important,” Fernandez said pregame. “The best thing for her longevity, her career, and the franchise is making sure we take care of her and that she takes care of her body.”
More Wings Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal
- ‘Staying Together’: How The Dallas Wings Plan To Adapt Without Paige Bueckers vs. Portland Fire
- Paige Bueckers Climbs To No. 2 In WNBA MVP Odds After Season-High 31 vs. Phoenix Mercury
- Dallas Wings Rule Out Paige Bueckers Against Portland Fire Out Of ‘Caution’
- Paige Bueckers Questionable For Dallas Wings At Portland; Odyssey Sims Remains Out
- ‘One Of The Best In The World’: Paige Bueckers Erupts For Season-High 31 To Lead Dallas Wings’ Response vs. Phoenix Mercury
- ‘Feels Good To Be Back Out There’: JJ Quinerly Makes Long-Awaited Return For Dallas Wings
