“We Didn’t Really Stick to It”: Dallas Wings Fall to Phoenix Mercury Despite Bueckers’ 35-Point Return

Paige Bueckers delivered a career night in her return to the court, but it wasn’t enough to lift the Dallas Wings past the Phoenix Mercury.

Bueckers scored a career-high 35 points Wednesday night at PHX Arena, but the Wings fell 93-80 as Phoenix used a balanced offensive effort and timely perimeter shooting to spoil the rookie’s breakout performance. The loss dropped Dallas to 1-10 on the season, while Phoenix improved to 7-4.

Bueckers, who had missed the Wings’ previous four games due to concussion protocol and illness, shot 13 of 19 from the field and knocked down five 3-pointers to go along with six rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. She became the fourth rookie in franchise history to score 30-plus points in a game and joined Caitlin Clark as the only rookie to record a game with at least 35 points and five made 3-pointers.

“Just trying to contribute to winning on any given night,” Bueckers said postgame. “I felt a little winded just coming back from a break. I feel like I could’ve used my voice more, been more disruptive, crashed the glass more. As I get my wind under me, I’ll be better in those areas.”

Phoenix’s Three-Point Barrage Proves Decisive

Before the game, Wings head coach Chris Koclanes had emphasized defensive discipline against Phoenix’s perimeter-heavy attack — and how critical it would be to stay connected guarding the arc.

“We’ve got to be able to play out when we talk about wanting to shrink the floor, but can you have urgency out to the arc?” Koclanes said during shootaround. “They want to shoot threes — just extremely high volume of threes. Something like 45 percent of their attempts, second in the league in percentage of their scoring that comes from the arc. So we’ve got to mix it up with them, try to keep them out of the paint, and then don’t overreact when they do get deep into the paint — be able to play out and guard the arc.”

The Wings were unable to meet that challenge for four quarters. Phoenix knocked down 15-of-35 from beyond the arc — the most threes Dallas has allowed this season — while the Wings made just five total, all from Bueckers. The rest of the team combined to shoot 0-of-12 from deep.

Koclanes also entered the game hoping Bueckers’ return would help stabilize the team’s tempo and ball movement.

“Looking forward to just getting a consistent pace and tempo back — getting up and down the floor,” Koclanes said. “Looking at her to really be our primary playmaker, facilitator early with the ball in her hands. And then finding that balance of getting Arike into spots and getting her to feel comfortable, and then everyone else on the floor doing their jobs and us really playing connected as a unit with a little more purpose and intention.”

Early Fight, Late Fade

Dallas opened with a new-look starting lineup featuring Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington, Myisha Hines-Allen and Luisa Geiselsöder. Bueckers came out firing, going 5-of-5 for 12 points in the first quarter to help Dallas stay within one, 21-20.

Phoenix used a 14-6 second-quarter run to take control heading into halftime. Bueckers accounted for 22 of Dallas’ 36 first-half points. Carrington and Hines-Allen helped Dallas outrebound Phoenix 21-14 in the opening half. Hines-Allen was limited to just 18 minutes, finishing with three points, two rebounds and three assists.

Pregame, Bueckers stressed that discipline and execution were top of mind for the Wings entering the matchup.

“Just having discipline in our game plan,” Bueckers said before the game. “When we went through our shootaround, when we went through our practice yesterday, just being disciplined in what we practice and holding ourselves accountable to it. Just communicating on both ends of the floor. I think turnovers, making the simple play, taking the simple shot, taking the best shot available, and then getting back in transition — any easy leak out, wide open threes, and making things tougher on both sides.”

Luisa Geiselsöder: ‘We Didn’t Really Stick To It’

Luisa Geiselsöder gave the Wings a spark in the third quarter, delivering a polished performance on both ends. The German forward finished with 10 points on efficient mid-range shooting, adding five rebounds and two steals.

After the game, Geiselsöder echoed many of the same themes Bueckers had raised pregame — particularly the need to stay true to the game plan.

“We started pretty good — had a good first quarter,” Geiselsöder said postgame. “But then our defense needs to be more aggressive, needs to be tougher. We had our game plan, but we didn’t really stick to it. That needs to be better — that’s discipline.”

Meanwhile, it was a difficult shooting night for Ogunbowale. The Wings’ All-Star guard went 2-of-10 from the field, scoring 10 points but struggling to find rhythm.

“We’ll continue to create more fluidity,” Koclanes said postgame. “As everyone settles into their roles and can really champion those and be great at what they do best for our team, we’ll see that translate on the floor.”

Phoenix extended its lead to 67-57 by the end of the third quarter, led by Satou Sabally and Murjanatu Musa. Sabally finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Musa added key scoring off the bench.

Paige Bueckers, DiJonai Carrington Lead Late Push

Bueckers returned for the fourth quarter and continued to attack, scoring 10 of her 35 points in the final frame. The Wings briefly cut the deficit to 10 late, but Phoenix closed the game behind a trio of fourth-quarter threes from Kitija Laksa.

Carrington delivered a well-rounded performance with 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists, though she also committed four turnovers while playing an expanded playmaking role.

“We’re all just trying to build,” Bueckers said postgame. “As much as we can have as much of the team available, that helps. Just trying to lead by example, lead with my voice, have difficult conversations, get to know these people on and off the court, and continue to build that chemistry.”

Dallas ended the night shooting 43.3% from the field, 26.3% from beyond the arc and 73.9% at the free throw line. The Wings posted a near-neutral assist-to-turnover ratio (16 assists to 14 turnovers) and outrebounded Phoenix 36-28. However, the decisive 45-point margin from beyond the arc proved too much to overcome. Dallas also received just 11 points from its bench.

“I think there’s room to improve for sure,” Geiselsöder said postgame. “It’s just really getting over this hump. We’re always close, but then we go back down. We never get actually over the hump.”

Dallas now turns its attention to Friday’s matchup against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces as Commissioner’s Cup play continues. Tipoff at Michelob Ultra Arena is set for 9 p.m. CT on ION and WNBA League Pass.

More Dallas Wings & WNBA Articles

• “When My Number’s Called”: JJ Quinerly Embraces Expanded Role as Dallas Wings Adjust Without Tyasha Harris
• “She Just Makes Everybody Better”: Paige Bueckers Returns as Dallas Wings Are Set to Face Phoenix Mercury
• Luisa Geiselsöder Emerging for Dallas Wings as Satou Sabally Praises “Elite” Impact