ARLINGTON, Texas — Dallas Wings star guard Paige Bueckers will not play in Monday’s game against the New York Liberty. Bueckers was cleared of a concussion following an extensive postgame evaluation and is not currently in the league’s concussion protocol, but she will miss the game while dealing with soreness.
Bueckers was involved in a collision in the closing minutes of Sunday’s 90-82 win over the Los Angeles Sparks, exiting with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter after hitting her head. She had scored 25 points before leaving the game.
Jose Fernandez Had No Immediate Update Sunday
Wings coach Jose Fernandez had no immediate update on Bueckers’ condition after Sunday’s win.
“I don’t have an update,” Fernandez said. “I know she was being evaluated. I went back there to see her, but she’s with our doctors, and we’ll know more in the next couple of hours.”
Bueckers is listed as out with rest, while Alanna Smith is doubtful with a right leg injury. Dallas is playing the second game of a back-to-back Monday and will wrap up a stretch of three games in four days Wednesday at the Portland Fire ahead of the All-Star break. Bueckers’ status beyond Monday has not been determined.
Dallas Wings Chase Seventh Straight Without Paige Bueckers
Without Bueckers, the offensive workload figures to fall more heavily on Arike Ogunbowale and Azzi Fudd, while Jessica Shepard‘s interior scoring and rebounding become more central to Dallas’ game plan. The Wings (17-8) enter Monday on a franchise-record six-game winning streak and will try to extend it to seven without their leading scorer against a shorthanded Liberty team.
Dallas is 0-1 without Bueckers this season, an 84-83 loss at Portland on June 13 in which the Wings shot 29-of-74 (39.2%) from the field and 7-of-28 (25.0%) from 3-point range. Dallas closes its three-in-four-days stretch against that same Portland team Wednesday. New York has ruled out Satou Sabally, who remains in concussion protocol, and Leonie Fiebich, who is out with a left foot injury. Marine Johannes is questionable with a left ankle issue.
Monday’s game is also the rescheduled version of the teams’ postponed Thursday matchup, which was called off before tip-off due to mechanical issues with New York’s travel.
Over the six-game winning streak, Bueckers has averaged 23.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 7.0 assists on 53% shooting from the field and 93.3% from the free-throw line.
Tip-off at College Park Center in Arlington is set for 7 p.m. CT.
