Paige Bueckers will miss the Dallas Wings' game against the New York Liberty on Monday night after leaving Sunday's win over the Los Angeles Sparks following a collision with Nneka Ogwumike.
The absence comes at a notable moment for Dallas. The Wings are riding a six-game winning streak, their first six-game run since moving to Dallas, and Bueckers has been a major reason why. She has helped push the team into fourth place after a year in which the Wings finished 10-34.
What Bueckers means to Dallas
Bueckers has been central to the Wings' early-season surge, averaging 20.7 points per game with 6.3 assists and 4.2 rebounds while logging about 30 minutes per game. Her ability to score and create has given Dallas a steady focal point on offense, and that will be harder to replace against a New York team that can punish mistakes.
In Sunday's win, Bueckers scored 25 points on 10-of-18 shooting before exiting late in the game. The Wings still closed out the victory, but Monday's matchup will be a different test without their leading scorer and playmaker available.
Next players up
If Bueckers cannot play, the Wings will need more from Arike Ogunbowale and Azzi Fudd. Both are capable of carrying more of the scoring load, but Dallas will also have to adjust how it creates offense and manages possessions without its top initiator on the floor.
For now, the main takeaway is straightforward: Bueckers is out for Monday night, and the Wings will have to protect both their winning streak and their place in the standings without her.
