‘I Saw That Dog in Her Today’: Paige Bueckers Shines but Dallas Wings’ Late Rally Falls Short vs. Los Angeles Sparks

Grant AfsethAugust 16, 2025October 21, 2025no comment

Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings, Los Angeles Sparks, WNBA

Nick White/DallasHoopsJournal.com

The Dallas Wings (9-25), playing without Arike Ogunbowale due to knee soreness for the second consecutive game, stormed back from a 16-point deficit but fell just short in a 97-96 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks (16-17) on Friday night at College Park Center.

Paige Bueckers led all scorers with 29 points on 12-of-21 shooting, adding four rebounds and five assists. She became the fastest rookie in franchise history to 500 points and passed Odyssey Sims for the most assists by a Wings rookie. With the performance, she also became the second-fastest WNBA player ever to reach 500 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists.

“It’s hard to reflect when you’re in the middle of it because you’re so focused on the day-to-day,” Bueckers said. “As a team, it’s never about how many points you score, it’s about how you contribute to winning on any given night, whether that’s zero points, 10 points, or 20 points. For me it’s just about being the best teammate, the best leader, and contributing to winning. That’s really all the reflection is about.”

Playing through a back injury, Bueckers’ theme was aggression — attacking the paint, finishing through contact, and mixing in her pull-up jumper. She frequently found teammates using crafty passes, too. A lot of her advantages were created by playing off the ball and staying active, either as a spacer, or when setting up a defender on handoffs, pre-catch in the post against mismatches, and even on a Wide action screen getting into space. However, she posed problems playing out of pick-and-roll and isolation, especially when it was time to dial up her aggression to help the Wings get back on track.

“Paige was amazing, just getting downhill and putting pressure on the rim,” Hines-Allen said. “She was attacking, attacking, attacking. I saw that dog in her today. She really opened things up for the rest of us with how aggressive she was.”

The Sparks were led by Kelsey Plum’s 28 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including 3-of-7 from beyond the arc and 7-of-9 at the free throw line. Dearica Hamby added 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Julie Allemand recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists to go along with four steals. Azurá Stevens chipped in 12 points as Los Angeles finished with four players scoring in double figures.

Dallas countered with a balanced effort around Bueckers. Maddy Siegrist scored 15 points and went a perfect 6-of-6 at the line, JJ Quinerly tallied 11 points and a career-high nine assists, and Aziaha James added 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Off the bench, Li Yueru and Luisa Geiselsöder each contributed nine points and seven rebounds, while Myisha Hines-Allen posted six points and seven boards.

Los Angeles Sparks Control the Glass, Early Lead

The Sparks jumped ahead quickly behind Hamby, who scored 10 points in the first three minutes. Los Angeles finished with a 39-28 rebounding edge, including 15 offensive boards that repeatedly extended possessions.

“We talk about it in the huddle — with that lineup, it has to be gang rebounding,” head coach Chris Koclanes said. “That was the difference in the game: the boards and putting them on the free throw line 25 times. Giving up rebounds off free throws is a backbreaker.”

The Wings trailed 32-27 after the first quarter despite shooting 61% from the field. By halftime, they were within 53-50, paced by Bueckers’ driving finishes and Siegrist’s steady presence. Quinerly distributed six assists before the break, part of her season-best performance as a playmaker.

“Just my teammates,” Quinerly said. “They were moving well without the ball, and I definitely found Lou a couple times trailing at the three or popping, which she’s good at. Then just trying to figure out where the rest of my teammates are, their favorite spots on the court, where they want to shoot from, and just learning them.”

Turnovers and Threes Swing Momentum

The Sparks pushed their lead to double digits again in the third, outscoring Dallas 27-18. Los Angeles thrived by spacing the floor, shooting 11-of-25 from three (44%), while Dallas managed 9-of-27 (33.3%).

Live-ball turnovers also proved costly. Both teams committed 15-plus turnovers (Dallas 15, Los Angeles 17), but the Sparks capitalized with 19 points off turnovers compared to the Wings’ 18.

“Live-ball turnovers,” Myisha Hines-Allen said. “They were able to get out and get easy transition points that way. Offensive rebounds as well — we were giving them points. But the turnovers were live-ball. We were legit just handing them the ball, and they were getting out and shooting layups.”

Koclanes echoed the point. He said Dallas’ third-quarter giveaways and missed opportunities created the type of deficit that forced the Wings into a late rally.

“We’ve gotta take care of the ball,” he said. “Some turnovers and missed layups turned into baskets on the other end, even threes. We’ve got to continue to take care of the ball and put ourselves in a position not to have to fight and claw back. I love hearing people say, ‘I love your fight, you don’t give up,’ but we’ve got to put 40 minutes together.”

He added that rebounding was equally costly, with Los Angeles holding a 39-28 advantage overall and 15 offensive boards that repeatedly led to second-chance points.

“With that lineup, it has to be gang rebounding,” Koclanes said. “That was the difference in the game: the boards and putting them on the free throw line 25 times. Giving up rebounds off free throws is a backbreaker. We’ve still got areas to grow and have to finish each possession.”

Koclanes also pointed to how the Sparks’ guards, led by Plum, capitalized once Dallas slipped defensively.

“She’s a great player, extremely crafty, uses her body well, and gets to the paint,” Koclanes said. “You’ve gotta mix it up with her. We threw different looks at her, switched a bit, and settled with JJ on her. I thought JJ battled like crazy and did a really good job holding her own. She’s tough to contain. We’ll get two more cracks at her in the next week.”

Dallas Wings’ Rally Falls Short

Down 16 points, Dallas mounted a furious rally in the fourth. They outscored Los Angeles 28-17, sparked by Bueckers’ relentless rim attacks and capped by Quinerly drilling a three with 15 seconds left to make it a one-point game.

“We locked in during the fourth quarter on what we could control — defensive effort, pressure, intensity, and pace,” Bueckers said. “Staying confident and connected the entire game is huge. Basketball is a game of runs, and at any point it can shift. We forced it to shift our way in the fourth quarter, and that’s something we can take away.”

Quinerly credited the defensive effort for Dallas’ late surge, saying the team’s energy on that end created the spark they needed.

“I think our defense,” Quinerly said. “We definitely brought it up a bit — the intensity, the physicality — and we just got out and ran with it. We scored points off of their turnovers and that kind of got us back into the game.”

Siegrist nearly tied the game late with an open three before Quinerly knocked one down moments later.

“I just feel like my teammates work really hard, and we all work really hard to get an open shot,” Siegrist said. “I thought it was in the second it left my hand, but luckily JJ got one two plays later and hit it. So I was happy for her.”

She also pointed to the atmosphere. Siegrist said the home crowd made a noticeable impact in fueling Dallas’ rally.

“They’re great,” Siegrist said of the home crowd. “Just showing up every single night — I think everyone felt the energy in that gym, especially the last two minutes. They’re just great. To have that behind you, you feed off of that.”

Siegrist added that for such a young group, playing in front of a crowd that responded to every stop and score was especially meaningful.

“Obviously this doesn’t feel good today, but you look and we were down 16 and came all the way back,” she said. “JJ and Za are always ready. A lot of kudos to them — that’s a tough position to be in, but they’re always ready. Especially on the defensive end, I thought they really brought it tonight.”

Los Angeles Sparks’ Length, Dallas Wings’ Unselfishness

The Sparks’ defense forced 11 steals to Dallas’ six, much of it from deflections and length in passing lanes. Those turnovers translated into 19 points for Los Angeles, compared to 18 for Dallas. Quinerly explained that it wasn’t so much on-ball pressure as it was the Sparks’ size and activity.

“I don’t think they really do much on the ball,” Quinerly said. “I think they’re just long in gaps, and they get a lot of tips and deflections. Of course, their guards had a few steals, but that was just us not holding off and not sealing well like we should. They’re long, so they’re gonna get those tips and steals. We just gotta learn how to take care of the ball better.”

Hines-Allen agreed that giveaways became a decisive factor, particularly in the third quarter when the Sparks built their largest lead.

“Live-ball turnovers,” she said. “They were able to get out and get easy transition points that way. Offensive rebounds as well — we were giving them points. But the turnovers were live-ball. We were legit just handing them the ball, and they were getting out and shooting layups.”

Despite the miscues, Dallas’ ball movement stood out. The Wings assisted on 32 of 38 made field goals, compared to 23 assists on 33 makes for Los Angeles.

“When we really lock in and take pride on the defensive end, it’s really hard to score on us,” Bueckers said. “I think we did really good things on offense too — we scored 96 points and shot well from the field. There are a lot of positives to take away. We’ll look at film, see what we can do better defensively, and hone in on things offensively.”

Depth Shows for Dallas Wings in Defeat

Dallas’ bench outscored Los Angeles’ 39-7, with James, Yueru, Geiselsöder, and Hines-Allen all making key contributions. The Wings often went small in the second half to match the Sparks’ versatility.

“I think we were able to get up and pressure the ball more, and that led to us getting out and running,” Hines-Allen said of smaller lineups. “The advantage is being more aggressive, being able to switch one through five or one through four, fixing whenever we need to, and everyone staying on the same string. We’re all about the same height when we go into a smaller lineup, but we’re aggressive with that mindset.”

Koclanes praised the rookie duo of Quinerly and James, who played extended roles with Ogunbowale sidelined. Both guards provided energy in the backcourt and helped spark the late comeback.

“They were great. They infused us with energy on both sides,” he said. “I’m proud of how steady they’ve been as rookies, staying ready no matter the minutes. That’s a growth area for us, too — finding consistency every night. But the depth is nice, and everyone is genuinely happy for JJ and Za. This team is super connected in that way.”

Hines-Allen said she’s focused on leading that young group. She’s returned from injury with steady production — six points, seven rebounds and strong defensive minutes — but emphasized that her role goes beyond the box score.

“For me, it’s focusing on the defensive side,” she said. “We have phenomenal scorers on the team, so I don’t need to focus on that side of the ball. It’s really our defense that I’m trying to help improve by doing the little things that matter most. Offensively, if I get open shots, I’ll take those, but I’ll never force anything. My focus is definitely on the defensive side.”

She added that the example set by veterans early in her career drives the way she now approaches her leadership.

“I look back to when I was a rookie and I had amazing vets who taught me the ropes and showed me how to play the game the right way,” she said. “They showed me that the little things matter. Now I’m just trying to give that to the rookies. We have a great rookie group who want to get better and want to learn. That’s always exciting, and I just want to pass on the knowledge I was taught when I was a rookie too.”

Respect Between Stars for Paige Bueckers and Kelsey Plum

The game also featured a duel between Bueckers and Plum, who traded baskets throughout. Both thrived in high-pressure moments, driving into the paint, drawing fouls and hitting contested jumpers.

“I mean, we’re actually pretty good friends, and the best way to show respect and have that mutual competitive fire is to go at each other,” Bueckers said. “It’s fun competing against the best. She’s one of the best guards in the league, and it’s fun to go back and forth within a team basketball game.”

Despite shooting 50.7% from the field and a perfect 11-of-11 at the free throw line, the Wings fell short because of the rebounding gap, Los Angeles’ 20-25 free throw shooting, and a Sparks’ lead that grew to as many as 16 points. Dallas won the paint battle 50-44, but Los Angeles’ perimeter shooting and second-chance points proved decisive.

Dallas will face the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.

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Grant Afseth

Senior Writer

Grant Afseth is a Senior Writer for DallasHoopsJournal.com, where he leads in-depth coverage of the Mavericks, Wings, and more. Between a focus on the latest news, closer looks at games, front office strategy, and more, Afseth provides objective coverage. Afseth contributes broader NBA coverage across platforms and has been cited in national outlets for his reporting and analysis. With nearly a decade of journalism experience, Afseth has covered the NBA and WNBA for multiple major outlets, including Athlon Sports, BallIsLife, Sportskeeda, and RG.org. He previously reported on the Indiana Pacers for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and the Mavericks for FanNation.

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