Paige Bueckers Back As Dallas Wings Close Out Pre-All-Star Break Schedule At Portland

PORTLAND, Oregon — Dallas Wings coach José Fernández confirmed Wednesday that Paige Bueckers is back with no restrictions for the regular-season finale before the WNBA All-Star break, and he and guard Sug Sutton both laid out what it will take to beat the Portland Fire in pregame media availability at Moda Center.

No Restrictions On Bueckers

Bueckers missed Monday’s overtime loss to New York as a precaution after hitting her head on the floor in a collision with Nneka Ogwumike during Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Sparks. Asked what changes with her back in the lineup, Fernández didn’t hesitate.

“No restriction,” Fernández said. “It’s different when she’s on the floor. She’s a calming factor, and there are so many other things that she does for us.”

Guarding The Arc, Slowing The Pick-And-Roll

Fernández and Sutton independently landed on the same answer when asked what it takes to beat a Portland team that already won the first meeting between the two clubs. For Fernández, it starts on the perimeter.

“We’ve got to guard the arc. That’s number one,” Fernández said. “I think we’ve also got to do a great job taking care of the basketball and making really good decisions, adjusting to how they’re going to defend us, not only in the full court, but in the half court.”

Sutton framed the same idea in terms of Dallas staying true to its own identity while locking in defensively.

“I think the key is for us to continue being ourselves,” Sutton said. “Offensively, we’ve been doing a really good job of getting into our flow. Portland plays really hard and has a really good defense, but there are some things we can do offensively to expose their defense.”

She was more specific about the defensive assignment, emphasizing pick-and-roll coverages.

“Stopping their pick-and-roll game is really important because they’re really good in those situations,” Sutton said. “Our pick-and-roll defense is going to be a big key tonight.”

What Went Wrong Monday

Fernández didn’t dwell on Monday’s overtime loss to New York, which snapped Dallas’s franchise-record six-game winning streak, but he was direct about what went wrong.

“Don’t forget, before the New York game we had won six straight,” Fernández said. “We didn’t close the way we wanted to the other night. I thought the glass was a very big part of that, along with some personnel coverages and some defensive breakdowns.”

He said the response he wants is straightforward.

“You want to go into the break with a win, especially a road win,” Fernández said. “It’s going to be a really great basketball atmosphere here. Portland plays hard, they shoot it well, and they share the ball really well, so we’re going to be tested defensively.”

What’s At Stake

Dallas enters at 17-9, the best 26-game start in franchise history, and a win Wednesday would send the Wings into the break, which runs Thursday through Monday, with the best record they’ve ever carried into it.

Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. CT at Moda Center. The game airs nationally on USA Network and locally on KFAA.