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Paige Bueckers returned from a knee injury on Thursday to lead the Dallas Wings against the Phoenix Mercury. The No. 1 pick of the 2025 WNBA draft sat out Saturday when the Wings pulled off a 79-71 win against the Washington Mystics. Bueckers and Co. hoped to cap off a four-game home stand with another victory.
The rookie led the Wings' scorching hot start. Behind her, the hosts raced to a 32-20 lead after 10 minutes. Bueckers went 3-for-3 for eight points and two assists. She did not show any lingering issues from the knee injury that forced her to sit one game.
Paige Bueckers sat the first two minutes of the second quarter before resuming her playmaking duties for the Dallas Wings. She promptly gave the offense its rhythm once the took over. Bueckers added six points to her tally to help push the Wings' lead to 61-43 at halftime.
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The former UConn point guard opened the third quarter with a 13-foot pullup jumper off a pass from fellow rookie JJ Quinerly. A few plays later, Bueckers returned the favor by setting up Quinerly for a layup. Aziaha James, another rookie, delivered secen points and two assists. The contributions from the trio enabled the Dallas Wings to stay ahead 82-71 entering the fourth quarter.
The free-flowing offense in the first three quarters gave way to a gritty defensive slugfest in the fourth frame. Paige Bueckers and JJ Quinerly remained steady to carry the home team to a 98-89 win.
Paige Bueckers and Dallas Wings rookies lead team to hard-fought win against Phoenix Mercury
The Dallas Wings held on for a 98-89 win behind their rookies Paige Bueckers, Aziaha James and JJ Quinerly. Without star guard Arike Ogunbowale, the trio carried the team to an impressive victory against the surging Mercury. Bueckers, James and Quinerly combined for 68 points, 18 assists and 15 rebounds. They shot 25-for-42, including 8-for-16 from behind the arc.
James' 28 points is a career-high and the second-highest this season for a rookie behind Bueckers' 35, which she did against the Mercury on June 11. Quinerly made clutch baskets when the Phoenix threatened to overhaul the Wings' lead on Thursday.
