Paige Bueckers’ late dagger caps Dallas Wings’ 87-82 win over Phoenix Mercury

The quarter that bent the game

Phoenix owned the opening stretch and looked comfortable doing it. The Mercury scored the first four points, pushed ahead 8-2, and carried a 24-19 lead out of the first quarter behind sharp work from Alyssa Thomas and Natasha Mack. When Kara Dunn opened the second with a 27-foot three for a 27-19 edge, Dallas was staring at its biggest problem of the afternoon: Phoenix had the pace of the game and its best creators were already in rhythm.

Dallas changed the game with shotmaking and sequencing rather than a single avalanche. Maddy Siegrist hit from deep, Awak Kuier followed with a three, and Ogunbowale added another to keep the Wings attached. Then Bueckers took over the quarter’s shape. She drilled a step-back three at 4:28, tied the game at 41-41 with another from 25 feet at 3:45, and watched Jessica Shepard’s free throws give Dallas its first lead at 43-41. By the time Bueckers buried a 24-footer with 0.5 seconds left in the half, the Wings had turned a first-quarter deficit into a 56-49 halftime lead and a 37-point second period.

That swing mattered because this was not a night of wild momentum changes. The official game summary credited only one lead change, and once Dallas moved in front late in the second quarter, it spent the larger share of the afternoon there. Phoenix had the early control; Dallas found the stretch that lasted.

When Phoenix pushed, Dallas answered

The Mercury’s best comeback came in the third, when the game slowed and every basket began to feel heavier. Dallas opened the half by nudging its lead to 58-49, but Phoenix chipped away through Thomas and Held. Held’s three at 4:23 cut it to 60-58, and Thomas tied it at 60-60 with a jumper at 3:54. That was the moment Dallas could have lost its footing. Instead, Ogunbowale answered at 3:09, Kitija Laksa added a jumper, and Ogunbowale scored again at 1:37 before Li Yueru’s free throws stretched the margin to 68-60.

Phoenix still had one more squeeze left. A late Valeriane Ayayi three-point play sequence plus a technical free throw cut the gap to 68-64 entering the fourth, and the Mercury kept pressing after Dallas extended the lead to 73-64. Brochant’s three made it 77-72, Mack scored twice to trim it to 78-76, and Sami Whitcomb’s three with 2:26 left brought Phoenix within 80-79. That was the game’s sharpest pressure point.

Bueckers supplied the cleanest answer of the day. Her 28-foot step-back three at the 2:00 mark restored breathing room at 83-79, and after Mack brought Phoenix back within two, Ogunbowale converted the next key scoring play with a basket and free throw for an 86-81 lead. The Mercury never disappeared, but Dallas kept forcing them to chase the next possession instead of grabbing it.

The numbers behind the finish

Bueckers and Ogunbowale gave Dallas the kind of two-guard production that can carry an uneven game. Bueckers finished with 26 points, five assists and five made threes, while Ogunbowale scored 22 on 8-of-14 shooting, handed out six assists and did not commit a turnover. Kuier’s 11 points on a perfect 4-for-4 line were the ideal supporting stat, and Shepard’s 10 points, six rebounds and five assists stitched together several of Dallas’ steadier possessions.

Phoenix had star production too, and in some ways it was even broader. Thomas produced a triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Held was electric as a scorer, putting up 21 points on 7-for-11 shooting and 4-for-5 from three. Mack added 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting. Those three kept the Mercury alive deep into the fourth and prevented Dallas from turning the game into a comfortable finish.

But the margins underneath the top names favored Dallas. The Wings shot slightly worse from the field than Phoenix, 42.3 percent to 43.5 percent, and lost the rebounding battle 35-32. They still won because they took better care of the ball, 9 total turnovers to Phoenix’s 14, and turned that gap into a 19-6 advantage in points off turnovers. Dallas also doubled Phoenix in fast-break points, 19-9, and made one more three while getting four more points at the foul line. In a five-point game, those categories were the difference between a close escape and a close loss.

Our take: a game Dallas earned and Phoenix can learn from

Our take: this was one of those results that says something useful about Dallas without pretending everything was polished. The Wings did not win by overwhelming Phoenix across the board. They won because their best perimeter players were efficient, because they shared the ball for 21 assists, and because they avoided the waste that can ruin a close game. There is still room to clean up the edges. A 19-for-26 day at the line left points available, and allowing 49 first-half points is why a strong second quarter did not produce a calmer finish.

Our take: Phoenix can leave with frustration, but also with a clear picture of what would have changed the outcome. Thomas, Held and Mack supplied enough offense to win; the Mercury’s problem was what came around that core. Phoenix finished with 14 total turnovers, and Dallas converted those mistakes into 19 points. From three-point range, the Mercury were 7-for-26, and outside of Held’s 4-for-5 shooting, the rest of the roster combined to go 3-for-21. That does not mean Phoenix lacked effort or ideas. It means the next step is obvious: protect more possessions and find more second-source shooting when the primary creators do their jobs.

The final score felt right for the game. Dallas was not vastly better, but it was cleaner in the areas that usually decide close professional games. When the Mercury made them prove it late, Bueckers and Ogunbowale did exactly that.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 9:38

   Noemie Brochant makes 21-foot pullup jump shot (Alyssa Thomas assists)

2. 1st Quarter · 9:08

   Natasha Mack makes running layup (Sami Whitcomb assists)

3. 1st Quarter · 8:55

   Paige Bueckers makes 5-foot layup (Jessica Shepard assists)

4. 1st Quarter · 8:38

   Natasha Mack makes 13-foot pullup jump shot

5. 1st Quarter · 8:18

   Lexi Held makes free throw 1 of 2

6. 1st Quarter · 8:18

   Lexi Held makes free throw 2 of 2

7. 1st Quarter · 7:35

   Awak Kuier makes running layup (Paige Bueckers assists)

8. 1st Quarter · 7:04

   Arike Ogunbowale makes 10-foot two point shot

9. 1st Quarter · 6:20

   Alyssa Thomas makes driving layup

10. 1st Quarter · 5:29

    Paige Bueckers makes 26-foot three point jumper (Maddy Siegrist assists)

11. 1st Quarter · 5:06

    Natasha Mack makes free throw 1 of 2

12. 1st Quarter · 5:06

    Natasha Mack makes free throw 2 of 2

13. 1st Quarter · 4:39

    Lexi Held makes 28-foot three point jumper (Alyssa Thomas assists)

14. 1st Quarter · 4:15

    Paige Bueckers makes 10-foot fade away jump shot (Arike Ogunbowale assists)

15. 1st Quarter · 3:55

    Alyssa Thomas makes 12-foot two point shot

16. 1st Quarter · 3:42

    Paige Bueckers makes 11-foot driving floating jump shot

17. 1st Quarter · 3:05

    Alyssa Thomas makes free throw 1 of 2

18. 1st Quarter · 3:05

    Alyssa Thomas makes free throw 2 of 2

19. 1st Quarter · 2:50

    Jessica Shepard makes free throw 1 of 2

20. 1st Quarter · 2:39

    Alyssa Thomas makes driving layup

21. 1st Quarter · 2:23

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 1 of 2

22. 1st Quarter · 1:38

    Paige Bueckers makes 6-foot running pullup jump shot

23. 1st Quarter · 1:00

    Valeriane Ayayi makes free throw 1 of 2

24. 1st Quarter · 40.5

    Shay Ciezki makes free throw 1 of 2

25. 1st Quarter · 40.5

    Shay Ciezki makes free throw 2 of 2

26. 1st Quarter · 24.7

    Li Yueru makes free throw 1 of 2

27. 1st Quarter · 24.7

    Li Yueru makes free throw 2 of 2

28. 2nd Quarter · 9:09

    Kara Dunn makes 27-foot running jump shot (Noemie Brochant assists)

29. 2nd Quarter · 8:53

    Odyssey Sims makes 16-foot step back jumpshot

30. 2nd Quarter · 8:35

    Natasha Mack makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot (Noemie Brochant assists)

31. 2nd Quarter · 8:14

    Maddy Siegrist makes 25-foot three point jumper (Arike Ogunbowale assists)

32. 2nd Quarter · 7:26

    Awak Kuier makes 26-foot three pointer (Jessica Shepard assists)

33. 2nd Quarter · 7:11

    Lexi Held makes 14-foot step back jumpshot

34. 2nd Quarter · 6:00

    Lexi Held makes 15-foot pullup jump shot (Alyssa Thomas assists)

35. 2nd Quarter · 5:44

    Arike Ogunbowale makes 25-foot three point jumper (Paige Bueckers assists)

36. 2nd Quarter · 5:29

    Lexi Held makes 26-foot three point jumper (Alyssa Thomas assists)

37. 2nd Quarter · 5:27

    Alyssa Thomas makes free throw 1 of 2

38. 2nd Quarter · 5:18

    Arike Ogunbowale makes 7-foot running pullup jump shot (Paige Bueckers assists)

39. 2nd Quarter · 5:04

    Valeriane Ayayi makes free throw 1 of 2

40. 2nd Quarter · 5:04

    Valeriane Ayayi makes free throw 2 of 2

41. 2nd Quarter · 4:47

    Awak Kuier makes 6-foot reverse layup (Arike Ogunbowale assists)

42. 2nd Quarter · 4:28

    Paige Bueckers makes 23-foot three point step back jumpshot

43. 2nd Quarter · 4:28

    Awak Kuier makes free throw 1 of 1

44. 2nd Quarter · 4:15

    Valeriane Ayayi makes driving layup (Lexi Held assists)

45. 2nd Quarter · 3:45

    Paige Bueckers makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jessica Shepard assists)

46. 2nd Quarter · 3:24

    Jessica Shepard makes free throw 1 of 2

47. 2nd Quarter · 3:24

    Jessica Shepard makes free throw 2 of 2

48. 2nd Quarter · 3:16

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 1 of 2

49. 2nd Quarter · 3:16

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 2 of 2

50. 2nd Quarter · 2:37

    Alyssa Thomas makes 6-foot two point shot

51. 2nd Quarter · 2:19

    Aziaha James makes 7-foot two point shot (Jessica Shepard assists)

52. 2nd Quarter · 2:09

    Alyssa Thomas makes driving layup

53. 2nd Quarter · 1:36

    Natasha Mack makes 6-foot layup (Sami Whitcomb assists)

54. 2nd Quarter · 1:25

    Arike Ogunbowale makes driving layup (Paige Bueckers assists)

55. 2nd Quarter · 1:25

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 1 of 1

56. 2nd Quarter · 1:11

    Noemie Brochant makes 13-foot pullup jump shot (Alyssa Thomas assists)

57. 2nd Quarter · 55.0

    Awak Kuier makes free throw 1 of 2

58. 2nd Quarter · 25.7

    Aziaha James makes free throw 1 of 2

59. 2nd Quarter · 25.7

    Aziaha James makes free throw 2 of 2

60. 2nd Quarter · 0.5

    Paige Bueckers makes 24-foot three pointer (Awak Kuier assists)

61. 3rd Quarter · 7:44

    Jessica Shepard makes running layup (Arike Ogunbowale assists)

62. 3rd Quarter · 7:28

    Alyssa Thomas makes 10-foot driving floating jump shot (Sami Whitcomb assists)

63. 3rd Quarter · 6:55

    Alyssa Thomas makes 9-foot running jump shot (Lexi Held assists)

64. 3rd Quarter · 6:35

    Jessica Shepard makes 13-foot jumper (Awak Kuier assists)

65. 3rd Quarter · 5:53

    Shay Ciezki makes driving layup (Alyssa Thomas assists)

66. 3rd Quarter · 4:23

    Lexi Held makes 25-foot three point jumper (Alyssa Thomas assists)

67. 3rd Quarter · 3:54

    Alyssa Thomas makes 14-foot jumper (Lexi Held assists)

68. 3rd Quarter · 3:09

    Arike Ogunbowale makes two point shot (Paige Bueckers assists)

69. 3rd Quarter · 2:31

    Kitija Laksa makes 14-foot pullup jump shot

70. 3rd Quarter · 1:37

    Arike Ogunbowale makes driving layup

71. 3rd Quarter · 34.2

    Li Yueru makes free throw 1 of 2

72. 3rd Quarter · 34.2

    Li Yueru makes free throw 2 of 2

73. 3rd Quarter · 1.4

    Valeriane Ayayi makes tip shot

74. 3rd Quarter · 1.4

    Valeriane Ayayi makes free throw 1 of 1

75. 3rd Quarter · 1.4

    Sami Whitcomb makes technical free throw

76. 4th Quarter · 9:13

    Odyssey Sims makes free throw 1 of 2

77. 4th Quarter · 8:10

    Awak Kuier makes running layup (Arike Ogunbowale assists)

78. 4th Quarter · 7:23

    Odyssey Sims makes 17-foot jumper (Arike Ogunbowale assists)

79. 4th Quarter · 7:08

    Lexi Held makes 23-foot three point jumper (Alyssa Thomas assists)

80. 4th Quarter · 6:36

    Lexi Held makes driving layup (Alyssa Thomas assists)

81. 4th Quarter · 5:10

    Paige Bueckers makes 19-foot jumper (Jessica Shepard assists)

82. 4th Quarter · 4:27

    Jessica Shepard makes 12-foot jumper (Aziaha James assists)

83. 4th Quarter · 4:11

    Noemie Brochant makes 22-foot three point jumper (Shay Ciezki assists)

84. 4th Quarter · 3:44

    Jessica Shepard makes free throw 1 of 2

85. 4th Quarter · 3:30

    Natasha Mack makes two point shot

86. 4th Quarter · 3:03

    Natasha Mack makes 12-foot two point shot (Sami Whitcomb assists)

87. 4th Quarter · 2:42

    Arike Ogunbowale makes 16-foot fade away jump shot

88. 4th Quarter · 2:26

    Sami Whitcomb makes 24-foot three point jumper (Alyssa Thomas assists)

89. 4th Quarter · 2:00

    Paige Bueckers makes 28-foot three point step back jumpshot

90. 4th Quarter · 1:47

    Natasha Mack makes 6-foot layup (Alyssa Thomas assists)

91. 4th Quarter · 1:19

    Arike Ogunbowale makes 8-foot two point shot (Alysha Clark assists)

92. 4th Quarter · 1:19

    Arike Ogunbowale makes free throw 1 of 1

93. 4th Quarter · 31.4

    Lexi Held makes free throw 2 of 2

94. 4th Quarter · 9.7

    Paige Bueckers makes free throw 2 of 2