Paige Bueckers is the fastest player to 50 points and 25 assists since Sue Bird

[CL82]

I've seen comments online that Paige is off to a slow start the Wings. Meanwhile, Paige is doing Paige things, or in this case "Sue Bird things."

Paige Bueckers is the fastest player in the WNBA to 50 points and 25 assists since Sue Bird

The Wings seems like a tough place for Paige with a new coach and a style of play that can generously be called "ISO" and is mostly reminiscent of AAU summer league play. Hopefully they figure out had a better utilize Paige and the players around her and start winning.

 

[oldude]

Good for Paige. I do think she would give up her personal stats for a couple of wins at this point.

 

[gold2323]

She could be more dominant but she is so unselfish ….this team is going nowhere as they have too many gunners (old school term) specially Arike
I’ve watched every Wings game no chemistry not sure what is the philosophy or coaches system
Paige needs to take at least 15-20 shots for them to win

 

[WiseWillie]

She could be more dominant but she is so unselfish ….this team is going nowhere as they have too many gunners (old school term) specially Arike
I’ve watched every Wings game no chemistry not sure what is the philosophy or coaches system
Paige needs to take at least 15-20 shots for them to win

Don't want to get too far off track here since this is a discussion about Paige but the team she is on is of course intricacy linked to Paige's performance in the W. The Wings have a new team and new coach but I'm not sure this coach has the right temperament to put his stamp on and instill on this team the discipline that is needed to have a cohesiveness. He seems pretty laid back and his demeanor in pressers seems to lean to want to be "buddies" with the team instead of their coach. The Wings might be better served with him as an assistant.

Getting to Paige's performance, watching the games the offensive sets kind of go off track very quickly if the defense is tight with players taking off and trying to "show their stuff" especially Erike instead of passing the ball off to the player who may be open. Paige has started as PG but moved to off ball lately but seems to be open for a shot from the perimeter but seldom gets the ball before the defense, usually a double team, closes in. Can't imagine what kind of drills are run in practices and how detailed they are. The hoped for chemistry between Erike and Paige just isn't there yet and not sure with Erike's strong "I want the ball" personality it ever will. That will certainly affect how well Paige will perform. In any event, her unselfishness is what is keeping her going on this team. Paige is definitely one of a kind. The best kind. We all wish her the very best.

 

[MSGRET]

If the Stars would use Paige like Indiana uses C. Clark they should have already won at least one game.

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

Paige needed to pay more attention to the BY. We all said Dallas would be a terrible landing place for her. If only she had listened and figured out an alternative. I feel bad for her. More losses already than she had all last year in college.

 

[MSGRET]

Paige needed to pay more attention to the BY. We all said Dallas would be a terrible landing place for her. If only she had listened and figured out an alternative. I feel bad for her. More losses already than she had all last year in college.

She will have more loses in one season than she did since her Sophomore year in high school and all of her college combined.

 

[Rb335]

She’s been pretty good so far in my eyes. She is finding shots, finding teammates, rebounding, and taking care of the ball. She’s been pretty cold shooting, the only area that’s been challenging. I’m sure some of that is in response to more athletic defenses, plus nobody on the team finds her when she’s open. When her shots start to fall, she’ll look better. I thought she missed a handful of shots against Atlanta we’re used to her making.

Some of the discourse is more negative, but I think that’s because she’ll always be compared to Clark, and Citron is off to a hot shooting start.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

It seemed to me that the Wings trading coming into the season was predicated on "lets just get the best players we can" an figure it out later. In the best of circumstances that figuring it out would take time but to date it is pretty ugly.

 

[MSGRET]

I stand corrected on my #7 quote above. Paige will actually have more game losses in her first year in the W than she did since she started playing on the varsity team as an 8th grader and that is a total of 25 games. Dallas is 0-4 as of today with 40 more games scheduled.

 

[Martin84]

She might even go 0-30 or however many games they play as in Oh for America or Oh for the WNBA. I read the coach wants all of them to hunt for their shots. Is that even a style?

 

[cferraro04]

Funny, I am not worried about Paige in the least. Water always seeks its level, and the cream rises to the top. Paige is a generational player; she will eventually land in the right spot. Either the Dallas Stars will recruit the players Paige needs, or she will wait until free agency and be free to go to the highest bidder. I wouldn't be surprised to see her land in Minnesota and possibly play with Napheesa. For the time being it is only a matter of time before Paige figures out who needs to be shooting on the Stars and who shouldn't and when the correct people start shooting the ball the team will become more efficient.

 

[EricLA]

Paige has not been shooting well so far IMHO - missing too many shots - I think she just needs to get physically stronger. Sure most of her shots are open, but maybe the bumping from players stronger than she's used to is throwing her off a bit.

I still think Dallas was a terrible place for her. And BTW it's not only Ogunbowale but also Carrington - 2 of the more selfish "black hole" players I've seen (ie. they get the ball, and like a black hole, it never goes to anyone else)...

 

[Sifaka]

Help an old feller out, please. Who in hell are the oft mentioned Dallas “Stars”?
I thought Ms. Buckets played for the Wings.

 

[Happydad745]

Records are irrelevant at this point...Paige really needs to shore up her shooting game.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Funny, I am not worried about Paige in the least. Water always seeks its level, and the cream rises to the top. Paige is a generational player; she will eventually land in the right spot. Either the Dallas Stars will recruit the players Paige needs, or she will wait until free agency and be free to go to the highest bidder. I wouldn't be surprised to see her land in Minnesota and possibly play with Napheesa. For the time being it is only a matter of time before Paige figures out who needs to be shooting on the Stars and who shouldn't and when the correct people start shooting the ball the team will become more efficient.

In 3 years I would not be surprised to see Phee hang em up.

 

[Skeets]

Has there ever been a successful coach with a man bun?

 

[oldude]

Has there ever been a successful coach with a man bun?

I hear that Bill Belichick is growing one for his upcoming season as the HC of UNC football…….

 

[Bald Husky]

Help an old feller out, please. Who in hell are the oft mentioned Dallas “Stars”?
I thought Ms. Buckets played for the Wings.

The Stars are Dallas's NHL hockey team. Unfortunately for Paige, all rookie contracts are for 4 years. Next year will be critical, as all players except the rookies this year will be free agents. This will be the opportunity for the Wings to recruit the new players that can work with Paige. Paige must buckle down and play the way she can this year. If she does, hopefully there are good players out there that will want to come to Dallas to play with Paige, just as free agents flocked to the Fever to play with CC. Hang in there Paige, look at reality, see that it is up to her to move this team, so just play like you are the difference betwee losing and winning. It could be as simple as that, she has to take over. She also must play well to get fans on her side, as I think there will be a problem with Arike going forward, and some fans will be against the newcomer if there is a "one or the other" thing going on in social media. I knew it wouldn't work, so the Dallas management may have to make a major decision next year, if not sooner. How about a first round draft pick in exchange for Arike. Sounds good to me.

 

[Sifaka]

For the time being it is only a matter of time before Paige figures out who needs to be shooting on the Stars and who shouldn't and when the correct people start shooting the ball the team will become more efficient.

“Either the Dallas Stars will recruit the players Paige needs, or she will wait until free agency and be free to go to the highest bidder.”

“If the Stars would use Paige like Indiana uses C. Clark they should have already won at least one game.”

The Stars are Dallas's NHL hockey team.

Thanks, Bald Husky. Some other fans had me confused.

 

[oldude]

“Either the Dallas Stars will recruit the players Paige needs, or she will wait until free agency and be free to go to the highest bidder.”

“If the Stars would use Paige like Indiana uses C. Clark they should have already won at least one game.”



Thanks, Bald Husky. Some other fans had me confused.

Growing up in MN, Paige must have tried her hand at Hockey. So maybe the stars could use her……

 

[David54]

I’m going with the theory that fatigue is a factor in Paige’s poor shooting percentage. She’s really been playing since Nov. without a real break lots of her shots are falling short.

 

[rubymae4]

I’m going with the theory that fatigue is a factor in Paige’s poor shooting percentage. She’s really been playing since Nov. without a real break lots of her shots are falling short.

The coach said he’d be managing her minutes because of this, but I haven’t seen that yet.

 

[Cuango]

I agree with David54. Paige is worn out from the championship season and has really had no rest or downtime since. She is also playing on a team that is shockingly individualistic. It is just tragic how they’ve allowed that sort of ethos to take over a franchise. I had hoped, upon seeing Arike’ obvious joy and excitement over landing Paige, that she (and the team) might actually make a course correction and start playing the way this game is meant to be played. That of course, has not happened and I wonder if it ever will.

I’m afraid our girl is in for some tough times in the near future. Barring a miraculous change in the make up and attitude of that team, Paige is likely looking at three years of this before she can get to a team where her full talents will be utilized in the proper context and she can actually raise the level of those around her as she always has. I just hope she can stay healthy, improve her body, and keep her chin up until that happens. Pretty sad.

 

[WiseWillie]

She might even go 0-30 or however many games they play as in Oh for America or Oh for the WNBA. I read the coach wants all of them to hunt for their shots. Is that even a style?

Again, Paige's game is unselfish and the shots she gets are always contested because for whatever reason rarely does she have the ball in her hands when she is open. Just doesn't. "Hunting for your shot" is a poor excuse for failure to develop an effective offensive discipline on a young team. This coach might be a quite likable fellow but he is not the right coach for this team at this time.

Paige will find it difficult to expand her game with the "stars" on this team who will follow the coach's mantra to "hunt for your shot". Contrast that to Paige's peers that have made successful debuts on other teams. They might have to work at it (Paige certainly does) but they don't have to struggle to establish their role. So far the Wings stand in stark contrast.

Anything Paige may get on the Wings she will definitely have to earn on her own because of her unusual talent and certainly nothing else. She is climbing a mountain but she's been through more. Just wish it was a little easier for her. Hopefully, the Wings management will step in to correct things.