When Paige Bueckers returned to the court fully healthy, she looked more dominant than ever. “Battled some stuff, glad to be back. Excited to keep building, get back on the court,” she had shared. And that reflected huge and bright when she stepped into the PHX Arena– a massive career-high performance. But despite all her efforts, it wasn’t enough.
The Dallas Wings, ranked No. 13, added yet another loss to their growing losing streak, now at six games. And this came despite Bueckers recording a career-high 35 points, including five three-pointers in the game. Well, it was her redemption game, an opportunity for the No. 1 overall pick to make a statement. And she did just that in the first half alone, dropping 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting. The rookie phenom didn’t stop there—she added six rebounds and four assists to her stat line.
So, the question is—what went wrong? According to Bueckers, she “felt a little winded tonight,” even after scoring 35 points. That’s understandable. She was just coming off an illness, and carrying the team offensively didn’t make it easier. In fact, if you remove her 35 points, the rest of the Wings roster combined for only 55 points—a surprisingly low total, especially considering that the team averaged 76 points per game when she was out.
So it wasn’t Bueckers—it was the Wings roster struggling to keep up.
Paige Bueckers admitted she felt a little “winded” tonight even while scoring 35 points#WingsUp
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) June 12, 2025
Take Arike Ogunbowale, the Wings’ leading scorer, for instance. She missed her first seven field goal attempts and finished with just 10 points on 2-of-10 shooting. She was averaging 16.3 points and had 26 points in their previous game, an 81–65 loss to Minnesota. But why the drop-off?
Well, according to forward Luisa Geiselsoder, the issue was that the team didn’t stick to the game plan set by head coach Chris Koclanes in the locker room. That’s a major revelation, and the game tape backs it up. Just consider, Phoenix knocked down 15 three-pointers on 35 attempts, shooting a scorching 42.9% from deep. Meanwhile, Dallas went just 5-of-19 from beyond the arc—a weak 26.3% clip.
But the struggles didn’t end there. The Wings committed 15 turnovers, which led to 16 points off turnovers for Phoenix, whereas Mercury had only 11 turnovers, resulting in just 11 points conceded. And to make matters worse, Phoenix looked far more aggressive in transition, outscoring Dallas 13–9 in fast break points.
But clearly, Dallas had serious lapses, especially in the backcourt, and that made all the difference.
Is pairing Arike Ogunbowale a reason for the Wings’ losing streak?
When Wings picked up Bueckers at the draft, the major anticipation was about the backcourt pairing of rookie with Arike Ogunbowale. It was two ball-dominant guards trying to coexist in an offense built around fluidity and structure. While Paige has quickly embraced her role as the primary facilitator, it’s clear Arike is still adjusting.
Her shooting efficiency has taken a hit too, connecting on just 30% from the field and 25% from deep. Well, it’s a visible sign that she’s trying to blend into a system rather than command it, and the transition hasn’t been seamless. “I’ve just been trying to get used to the system, trying not to overdo it, and still share the ball,” she admitted.
May 19, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) in action during the game between the Dallas Wings and the Seattle Storm at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
For a player whose game thrives on quick bursts and isolation buckets, adapting to an offense where decision-making flows through someone else—namely Bueckers—is like learning a new language.
And that’s why even the head coach shared, “Continuing to just find our chemistry and find as everyone settles into their roles… We will continue to just create more fluidity and we will see that translate on the floor.” So while the team is currently grabbing yet another loss and is still at the bottom, they might figure it out soon. Till then? Resilience is something the head coach is pushing for.
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