Paige's Wings Page (merged thread)

[YKCornelius]

Paige did lead the Wings with 6 assists and 0 turnovers for an A/TO ratio of infinity? Yes she could have had more, even on the team she played with last night if there was a little more organization to their chaotic offense.

I have watched most of the Wings games this season and they are just not a good team. Some of the mistakes they make look like a bad pickup basketball game.

On the other hand, Paige had a wonderful all-around game with 27 pts, a rebound, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks while shooting 50/67/100 for the night. Her shooting stats were amazing considering that she had a really bad shooting 1st half, up until hitting that 30 footer at the halftime buzzer with Boston closing on her.

As I watch this team, I honestly don’t know which if any of the players not named Paige Bueckers are worth keeping for next season. That might also apply to the HC & GM as well.

Olddude, I have become a fan of Luisa Geiselsoder, and look forward to her return to the line-up when she comes back from Eurobasket. IMO, she is a keeper.

I am also a fan of Ty Harris, but will have to see how she bounces back from knee surgery. As a six-year player, she might not even be available next year.

Finally, given the paucity of bigs in the league who can guard other bigs, I think Li Yueru is also worth keeping as a back-up center. I think she is really enjoying playing with Paige.

 

[ConnMotors]

There will be a bright spot for the Wings next season. They will be a lottery team and will get the chance to get additional help. This upcoming class of seniors is full of talent. Plus whatever comes from overseas.

 

[Basingstoke]

I was concerned about how Paige might fare in anticipation of tonight's 2nd of back-to-back games (after playing 36 minutes last night), so I checked the box scores for the Big East Tournament this Spring.
UCONN actually played 3 games in 3 days (3/8-3/10).

3/8 (St John's): 30 mins, 20 pts, 9/16 FG, 0/4 3pt,
2/2 FT, 5 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 1 TO

3/9 (Villanova): 33 mins, 23 pts, 10/17 FG, 2/4, 1/1 FT, 1 Reb, 6 Ast, 1 Blk, 0 TO

310 (Creighton): 38 mins, 24 pts, 7/14 FG, 3/5 3pt, 7/7 FT, 8 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 0 TO

Needless to say I'm feeling a bit more upbeat in thinking about tonight.

 

[Bone Dog]

I think Li Yueru is also worth keeping as a back-up center. I think she is really enjoying playing with Paige.

Who doesn’t enjoy playing with Paige?

 

[BRS24]

Paige out tonight. Hopefully just precautionary with b2b games, along with the ding she took a few games ago.

 

[oldude]

Paige out tonight. Hopefully just precautionary with b2b games, along with the ding she took a few games ago.

Paige hit the floor a bunch of times in last nights game. There was one play in the second half when she was dragged down in the lane by a Fever player. There was no foul called and Paige was a little slow getting up. Hoping it’s minor. But I don’t like the sound of anything having to do with a knee, particularly considering Paige’s history.

 

[CL82]

Who doesn’t enjoy playing with Paige?

"Friendship is her superpower."

 

[CL82]

I was concerned about how Paige might fare in anticipation of tonight's 2nd of back-to-back games (after playing 36 minutes last night), so I checked the box scores for the Big East Tournament this Spring.
UCONN actually played 3 games in 3 days (3/8-3/10).

3/8 (St John's): 30 mins, 20 pts, 9/16 FG, 0/4 3pt,
2/2 FT, 5 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 1 TO

3/9 (Villanova): 33 mins, 23 pts, 10/17 FG, 2/4, 1/1 FT, 1 Reb, 6 Ast, 1 Blk, 0 TO

310 (Creighton): 38 mins, 24 pts, 7/14 FG, 3/5 3pt, 7/7 FT, 8 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 Stl, 2 Blk, 0 TO

Needless to say I'm feeling a bit more upbeat in thinking about tonight.

Still, one would think her legs would be tired, given that she's carrying her whole team.

 

[Jonathan14]

There was a very nice article about Paige in The Athletic yesterday, "Don’t let the Dallas Wings’ record fool you: Paige Bueckers’ rookie season is phenomenal." (Unfortunately, The Athletic doesn't allow gift links like the rest of the New York Times so I apologize that many of you will find it behind a paywall.) Here are some of the highlights:

The Dallas Wings have been mostly off the radar to start the 2025 WNBA season, after a massive offseason overhaul left them short of their expectations in the win column.

But the lack of overall team success has obscured an otherwise impressive campaign from Paige Bueckers. The No. 1 draft pick is quietly having one of the best rookie seasons in league history. The offensive creation, ease in the half court and tough shot-making that defined Bueckers’ UConn career have all quickly translated to the pro level. Her averages of 17.7 points and 5.8 assists are both in the top 15 league-wide.

As was the case in college for Bueckers, it starts with the midrange. She is supremely confident and smooth at beating defenders to her spots at the elbows, creating space with a jab and elevating for the jumper. Bueckers has been devastatingly effective in that zone; defenders know where she wants to go, and they still can’t stop her. The average WNBA player takes 10 percent of her shots between 10 and 16 feet — Bueckers has attempted 31.4 percent of her field goals from the midrange and made 58.2 percent, making her the highest-volume midrange scorer in the league.

Perhaps it’s the shadow cast by last year’s Rookie of the Year that has dimmed Bueckers’ present accomplishments. A year ago, Bueckers’ statistics would have been historic; now, she’s merely following a pattern of first-year excellence, and even falling a little short of the bar Clark set.

Maybe the current generation of college stars will continue to adjust to the WNBA at a rapid pace and produce at All-Star levels early in their careers. Or maybe Bueckers, like Clark before her, is a special talent who should be recognized as such, a relative rarity even in a star-studded era.

 

[Basingstoke]

There was a very nice article about Paige in The Athletic yesterday, "Don’t let the Dallas Wings’ record fool you: Paige Bueckers’ rookie season is phenomenal." (Unfortunately, The Athletic doesn't allow gift links like the rest of the New York Times so I apologize that many of you will find it behind a paywall.) Here are some of the highlights:

I actually think that Paige has raised the bar regarding efficiency, as her assist to turnover ratio is far better than Clark's (& she's doing it without a Boston or Mitchell to pass to).

 

[RoadMaster]

Paige out tonight. Hopefully just precautionary with b2b games, along with the ding she took a few games ago.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

If she's healthy I don't get the point of sitting a 22-year-old because it's a back-to-back. Sounds like the con they do in the NBA.

 

[cancontent]

If she's healthy I don't get the point of sitting a 22-year-old because it's a back-to-back. Sounds like the con they do in the NBA.

The WNBA schedule is much more notorious for back-to-back games compared to the NBA. Considering it's her knee, taking precautions make sense in my opinion.

Just because she's 22, it doesn't mean they shouldn't be pragmatic about her minutes. She played a heavy load with UConn and had less than 2 months to get ready for the WNBA. I'd rather them err on the side of caution versus seeing her have a nagging issue like Clark seems to have right now with her groin injury.

 

[Plebe]

Didn't Koclanes also say at the start of the season they were going to "manage" her minutes coming off a long college season? If by "manage" he meant playing her 35-40 minutes per game, then I guess he kept his word.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

The WNBA schedule is much more notorious for back-to-back games compared to the NBA. Considering it's her knee, taking precautions make sense in my opinion.

Just because she's 22, it doesn't mean they shouldn't be pragmatic about her minutes. She played a heavy load with UConn and had less than 2 months to get ready for the WNBA. I'd rather them err on the side of caution versus seeing her have a nagging issue like Clark seems to have right now with her groin injury.

Does she have a nagging injury? If not they are sitting a top pick on the idea that playing back-to-back is an issue. Just eliminate consecutive games.

 

[Basingstoke]

I just checked the Wings' schedule and, unless I'm mistaken, this was the only back-to-back for the team this season.

 

[fireford]

Strange couple of days for the Wings. Lose to Fever without Clark after the Fever got blown out the night before without her. Then turn around the next night and beat a surging Mystics team without Paige.

 

[hoopsfan22]

If she's healthy I don't get the point of sitting a 22-year-old because it's a back-to-back. Sounds like the con they do in the NBA.

She'll be 24 in a few months.

 

[Basingstoke]

Strange couple of days for the Wings. Lose to Fever without Clark after the Fever got blown out the night before without her. Then turn around the next night and beat a surging Mystics team without Paige.

It's funny, I just made the same observation on the WNBA 2025 Season thread on the general board...

 

[cancontent]

Does she have a nagging injury? If not they are sitting a top pick on the idea that playing back-to-back is an issue. Just eliminate consecutive games.

I'm with you there as the WNBA scheduling is a hot mess. There was an article that did a great breakdown on the problem. Will post it if I can find it again.

With respect to nagging injury, not that I'm aware of, but she's had her fair share of knee issues over the years. That's why I don't see the harm in them doing this because her injury history.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

With respect to nagging injury, not that I'm aware of, but she's had her fair share of knee issues over the years. That's why I don't see the harm in them doing this because her injury history.

I don't know. She has seemed quite healthy since the knee sprain halfway through her last season at UConn. They could manager her minutes by not playing her 37 on a back-to-back. It's not like a loss is going to cost them anything.

 

[cancontent]

I don't know. She has seemed quite healthy since the knee sprain halfway through her last season at UConn. They could manager her minutes by not playing her 37 on a back-to-back. It's not like a loss is going to cost them anything.

Just because she seems quite healthy to us doesn't mean she may not be dealing with something. Paige is a tough player.

They can definitely manage her minutes better but they reported her out listing her knee. They want to be cautious and I respect it.

 

[oldude]

Just because she seems quite healthy to us doesn't mean she may not be dealing with something. Paige is a tough player.

They can definitely manage her minutes better but they reported her out listing her knee. They want to be cautious and I respect it.

I wonder if they just had to report something to the league as the justification for giving Paige the day off? The NBA has a similar rule of sorts. She looked fine on the bench, although you can’t tell much when someone is standing around in street clothes.

 

[HuskyNan]

Seven games in 17 days playing 35-37 minutes a game, right on the heels of the NCAA Tournament, the championship celebrations, TV appearances, a million interviews, and the WNBA draft. She just needs a break

 

[HuskyNan]