Paige Bueckers, Wings Struggle to Find Form After All-Star Break

The Dallas Wings were expected to be one of the top contenders in the WNBA this season, but after a 78-70 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Monday, they find themselves struggling to find their footing.

With a record of 20-16, the Wings are now eighth in the league and have a long way to go before they can make a serious run for the playoffs.

Key Players Missing in Action

One of the main reasons for the Wings’ slump is the absence of key players Azzi Fudd and Jessica Shepard. Fudd, the team’s best 3-point shooter, has been sidelined since August 5 due to a right knee injury and has missed their last five games.

Shepard, who leads the Wings in rebounding and is third in scoring and second in assists, also missed multiple games during this stretch due to an ankle injury. Although she returned to action on Monday, she did not look like herself and managed just four points on 1 of 4 shooting in 26 minutes.

The Impact of Injuries on the Wings’ Offense

The injuries to Fudd and Shepard have significantly impacted the Wings’ offense. With Fudd on the floor, the team shoots 35.5% from 3-point range and 70.2% at the rim. Without her, those numbers drop to 29.7% and 60.5%, respectively.

The team’s bench is also struggling, scoring just 17 points per game, which ranks 14th in the league. This lack of depth is a major concern for the Wings as they look to climb up the standings before the playoffs.

Paige Bueckers Struggling to Find Form

Paige Bueckers, the 2025 Rookie of the Year, has also struggled to find her form since the All-Star break. Her numbers are down across the board, aside from her turnovers, which are up, and she’s shooting significantly worse from 3-point range.

Since the All-Star break, Bueckers has produced her lowest-scoring game of the season (six points on Aug. 2 vs. Sun), her three highest turnover games (seven on Aug. 17 vs. Valkyries, six on Aug. 9 vs. Lynx and five on July 29 vs. Dream), and three of her eight least efficient outings (33.3% FG vs. Sun, 38.9% FG on Aug. 12 vs. Tempo and 40% FG on Aug. 5 vs. Mystics).

Bueckers has not been as dominant late in games as she was early in the season. Prior to the All-Star break, Bueckers was scoring 6.7 points per game in the fourth quarter on absurd 61.1/46.7/85.7 shooting splits. Her 154 total fourth-quarter points led the league, and she had just 12 fourth-quarter turnovers in 188 minutes.

Since play resumed, Bueckers is averaging 4.9 points in the fourth on 48.4/20/100 splits, her 44 total fourth-quarter points rank eighth and she has seven turnovers in 68 minutes.

A Tough Schedule Ahead

The Wings have a tough schedule ahead, with six games against the league’s top-four defenses. They have also played two games apiece against both the Washington Mystics and Valkyries, and have faced the Atlanta Dream, Lynx and Fever.

However, their schedule is about to get a whole lot easier. Thursday’s game against the Fever will start a six-game homestand, and following the matchup with Indiana, Dallas will only play lottery opponents the rest of the way.

Postgame Comments Raise Eyebrows

After the Wings’ loss to the Fever on Aug. 14, first-year coach Jose Fernandez gave a strange response when asked about Awak Kuier, who had finished with eight points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks.