Paige Bueckers drops 27 points in Dallas Wings’ loss to the Indiana Fever
The highly anticipated matchup between Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers will have to wait until next month, with the Fever’s star guard Clark missing Friday’s matchup with a groin injury.
The Dallas Wings lost 94-86 to the Indiana Fever on Friday at the American Airlines Center even though rookie sensation Paige Bueckers had 27 points, six assists, two steals and two blocks for the Wings.
Bueckers’ scoring surge drives comeback
Bueckers has been a driving force for the Wings, with four of her six 20-point games coming in her last five games. Three of those games were victories for Dallas.
After the game, Bueckers explained what was behind her recent scoring prowess.
“Think just being aggressive, looking to create my own shot, which also helps me create for others, just reading what the game means for me on that given night and for this team, what this team needs me to be, which is I feel like is aggressive on offense, and then my teammates doing a great job of getting me the ball, screening, coach drawing up plays for me and giving me the opportunity to do that,” said Bueckers.
Fever center Aliyah Boston praised Bueckers’ performance, citing the guard’s intelligence postgame.
“I think every time you play against Paige, Paige is just such a smart player. She reads defenses well; she knows how to pick you apart and so when you play against her, you have to make sure that you’re aware of where she is at all times, and also, she does a great job of putting her teammates in great position,” said Boston. “Paige is just playing great basketball, and makes sure that she sets up her teammates for the same.”
The Wings trailed by as many as 23 points in the first half Friday. Bueckers started the game 1 for 6 from the field.
The Wings, though, roared back in the second quarter and cut the lead to 13 by halftime on a deep 3-pointer from Bueckers and headed into the fourth quarter only down by five.
The Wings grabbed a lead on an and-one bucket by JJ Quinerly with 5 minutes, 29 seconds remaining. But the Fever went on a 6-0 run in taking an 88-82 lead and finished the game on a 12-4 run.
Boston and Kelsey Mitchell combined for 53 points to lead the Fever in the victory on 65% shooting from the field.
Wings’ slow start to the season
The Wings had a dismal start to the season. They came out of the gate with a 1-11 record.
Some have questioned head coach Chris Koclanes in his first season as the team’s head coach.
But following a brutal loss to the Las Vegas Aces, the Wings have begun to turn things around, winning three of four games coming into Friday’s game.
Pregame Friday, Koclanes explained what he thought led to the team’s recent turnaround.
“I think just a little more discipline on both sides of the ball, so staying a little more committed offensively, kind of the system and within our roles, and everyone just really buying in and doing what’s asked of them,” said Koclanes.
“And then defensively, I think we’re getting to the next place sooner. We haven’t been perfect, but I think our compete and our level of intensity has just been better, and we sustained it for longer periods of time.”
Koclanes said, despite the loss, there’s something the Wings can learn from the comeback effort.
“It’s tough, we’re going to try to pull the positives out of all of it. It was disappointing the way we started that game, just extremely disappointing how we came out flat and that we needed that to get us going and so that’s on me,” said Koclanes, “That being said, though, when you put yourself in a hole to scratch and claw and to again, our bench, our bench was just productive and a surge, nad then the starters responded early in the third. And so yeah, it’s encouraging to know that you have a group that is resilient and not going to just roll over. So again, we’re still working to put 40 minutes together consistently.”
The Dallas Wings are 4-13 and are set to play next at 7 p.m. Saturday against the Washington Mystics at College Park Center.
This story was originally published June 27, 2025 at 9:00 PM.
