Paige Bueckers, Alanna Smith Shootaround Injury Updates Ahead Of Wings-Fire

PORTLAND, Oregon — Paige Bueckers went through the Dallas Wings‘ full shootaround Wednesday morning ahead of their road game against the Portland Fire at Moda Center. Alanna Smith was on hand but worked with the team’s training staff rather than joining the on-court portion.

Bueckers and Smith were both upgraded to questionable for the Wings’ final game before the WNBA All-Star break when the Wings submitted their injury report on Tuesday.

Paige Bueckers, Alanna Smith Trending in Different Directions

Neither Bueckers nor Smith played in Monday’s 99-98 overtime loss to the New York Liberty. Smith hasn’t played since July 12, when she hurt her right leg in a win over Chicago.

Bueckers’ absence traces back to Sunday, when she hit her head on the floor in a collision with Nneka Ogwumike late in a win over the Los Angeles Sparks. She isn’t in the concussion protocol, but the team said she was still feeling sore.

Arike Ogunbowale Answers the Bell

With its top two guards unavailable much of the week, Dallas has leaned on its supporting cast. Sabrina Ionescu had taken over for New York in overtime Monday, making all five of her shots to push the Liberty ahead 97-93 with 1:20 left, before Arike Ogunbowale answered with a 3-pointer that cut the deficit to 99-98 with 27.5 seconds left.

Her potential game-winner rimmed out as time expired, but she still finished with a team-high 29 points, and her 5 rebounds that night pushed her past 800 for her career. That makes her the third-fastest player in WNBA history to reach 4,800 points, 800 rebounds, and 900 assists, a mark she hit in 250 games, trailing only Diana Taurasi (236) and Cappie Pondexter (248).

Jessica Shepard, Azzi Fudd Deliver

Jessica Shepard has been just as steady. Her 16 rebounds Monday marked the fifth time this season she’s grabbed at least that many in a game, tops in the WNBA, and her double-double, 13 points and 16 rebounds, was her 17th of the year, tied for the league lead.

Rookie Azzi Fudd has chipped in too, hitting at least 3 three-pointers in four straight games and passing 50 career three-pointers during Monday’s loss, the second-fastest player in franchise history to reach the mark.

Portland Has Given Dallas Trouble Before

Dallas already knows Portland can be a tough out. The Fire beat the Wings 84-83 in a Commissioner’s Cup game on June 13, also at Moda Center, snapping their own four-game skid for their first Cup win in five tries. Dallas led 83-81 with 19 seconds left before Carla Leïte tied it with a layup and Emily Engstler won it at the line with 2 seconds remaining.

Bridget Carleton led Portland with 20 points that night, and she’s been hot again lately, scoring 22 on 6-of-9 shooting from three-point range in a 101-93 loss at Minnesota on July 18 that has the Fire at 11-15 entering Wednesday.

Best Start In Franchise History

None of it has slowed Dallas down. At 17-9, the Wings are off to the best 26-game start in franchise history, and a win Wednesday would send them into the break with the best record they’ve ever carried into it.

Ball movement has been part of the formula: Sug Sutton, Shepard, and Ogunbowale each had at least 6 assists against New York, the third time this season three Wings players hit that mark in the same game, and Dallas accounts for 3 of the 6 games league-wide with that distinction.

How To Watch

Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. CT at Moda Center. The game airs nationally on USA Network, and locally on KFAA. Portland leads the all-time series with Dallas, 1-0, and the two teams close out the season series Aug. 25 at College Park Center.

If Bueckers plays and Smith sits, Dallas gets its leading scorer back for a game that could put the franchise’s best pre-All-Star record in the books.