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Paige Bueckers scored 21 points to lead the Dallas Wings to an 86-83 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Friday. Remarkably, Bueckers led the Wings in scoring despite missing all her field-goal attempts in the second half.
After the game, Wings coach Chris Koclanes was asked about his prized rookie's display in the final 20 minutes. Koclanes responded that Bueckers continued to do good things for the team even though she couldn't get a bucket to go. He also cited Bueckers' leadership as a quality that shone through.
'It’s what makes her special, it makes her what she is," Koclanes said. "Even on a night like tonight, she carries us the 1st half, scoring-wise, and then doesn't have a FG in the second half, but has five assists, plays fantastic defense and continues to find ways to impact the game and make winning plays. Off the floor, continuing to get more and more confident each day."
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Though Bueckers missed her four field-goal attempts off the halftime break, she impacted the game by dishing out four assists, making three shots at the charity stripe and getting a steal.
Helping Bueckers carry the load were her fellow rookie Aziaha James (17 points, five rebounds, five assists) and center NaLyssa Smith (12 points, seven rebounds, one steal). While the Wings have a long way to go before reaching a .500 record, Bueckers' scoring, playmaking, and intangibles offer a solid foundation for the team's improvement.
Paige Bueckers duplicates two-time WNBA MVP's feat in first 10 games
As far as numbers are concerned, Bueckers has been joining some exclusive lists with her stat lines since entering the league. One of these lists includes just Bueckers and an all-time WNBA great.
According to I talk hoops, an X account that covers WNBA statistics, Bueckers has duplicated Cynthia Cooper's feat of tallying "at least 150 points, 50 assists, and 25 stocks (steals+blocks)" in her first 10 games.
Bueckers' numbers speak to her brilliance on both ends of the floor. As she continues to get more games under her belt, Bueckers inches closer to a possible Rookie of the Year win in 2025.
