Paige's Wings Page (merged thread)

[CL82]

We all heard Geno describe in an interview last season that Paige Bueckers was the most unguardable player in Div I and that obviously has carried over into the WNBA. There frankly are not many players that can guard Paige when she wants to score unless they hold, bump or somehow restrict her movement. She is simply too quick and agile handling the ball so that a defender is usually caught throwing their arms up uselessly in the air and/or fouling.

I just hope she doesn't get injured with all of the contact (especially the moving screens and hip checks other teams continually use to restrict her when she's defending on the perimeter) before the Wings "experimental" - building for the future? - season is over.

I don't know if it's so much speed and agility as basketball IQ and the ability to score at all three levels. You can't cheat off on Paige as wherever you do she'll put a shot up. The fact that she can do it almost instantly also makes her a very difficult player to guard.

 

[FanFromMaine]

Paige, like Skylar Diggins, is blessed with terrific hops.

 

[oldude]

As an important side note to Paige’s Wings page, GM Curt Miller made it clear today that he has no plans to trade Arike by tomorrow’s trade deadline. Miller is hoping to sign Arike to a long term contract with the Wings as he builds the team around Paige.

I have to believe that Miller spoke with Arike and she indicated her desire to stay with the Wings. She has been one of Paige’s biggest supporters since draft day. For her part, Paige has consistently praised Arike. While Arike has struggled at times this season, there have been games when Arike and Paige have played exceptionally well together.

As I suggested in another post, everyone wants to play with Paige. Recently, WNBA enforcer Sophie Cunningham came out with a story of her interaction with Paige during a recent Wings-Fever game, commenting just how much she loves Paige. Paige just might end up recruiting her own WNBA championship team.

 

[Bigboote]

For anyone who would like insight on Paige's potential as a coach in the future.

Okay, that's very cool of Paige and Arike to coach Special Olympics teams. Paige's response to that question is just priceless, though. Humorous and cutting at the same time.

 

[Dogdude]

For anyone who would like insight on Paige's potential as a coach in the future.

Her coaching style and press conference are exactly like Geno's...

 

[AidanFan20]

A number of sources say that Paige is expected to play today against the Mystics... in 29 minutes from this post.

 

[AidanFan20]

A number of sources say that Paige is expected to play today against the Mystics... in 29 minutes from this post.

Don't know why this didn't get marked as a recent post by Boneyard...

 

[CTBballfan243]

Dalla is just getting destroyed by the Mystic.

 

[Basingstoke]

How in heck could Paige only get 9 shots in over 30 minutes? It's really frustrating seeing the number of times that she gets camped in a corner, never to see the ball unless there is virtually no time on the clock, and her team doesn't even use her to create openings for others by occupying more than 1 defender.
The Wings' second half tonight was a display of inept and and unintelligent basketball (IMO).

 

[Bigboote]

How in heck could Paige only get 9 shots in over 30 minutes?

She took a few shots that didn’t count due to fouls (off-ball fouls and shooting fouls). Also, one credited shot was a heave as the shot clock expired.

Agree about the second half, which I couldn’t finish.

 

[oldude]

While the Wings followed a solid 1st half effort with a pretty miserable 2nd half last night vs the Mystics, Paige continues to rewrite the record books as she makes her case for ROY in the W. Paige is now the first player in league history to put up at least 450 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists through her first 25 games.

 

[Bald Husky]

I watched the game and was totally frustrated, actually, pissed off. Paige took only 3 shots in the second half, scored 6 points, and 4 of them came from the FF line. It seemed that she was intentionally avoiding getting the ball. She would bring it up, pass it, and stand back in a corner waiting for the ball to come back, but as usual, it did not. The team was losing it in the second half, and I believe it was Paiges responsibility to take control and be aggressive. She did the opposite and has been getting killed on social media that Cintron is beating her and now will be challenging Paige in the ROY race. If Paige was hurting then she should have left the game, and by not leaving her availability may be not there next Tuesday against the Fever. I have been patient with Koclanes, but some of his decisions are questionable, so I think he should be gone, and they need to hire a no-nonsense coach that demands defense and an offence that high lights their star and most dependable players.

 

[oldude]

I watched the game and was totally frustrated, actually, pissed off. Paige took only 3 shots in the second half, scored 6 points, and 4 of them came from the FF line. It seemed that she was intentionally avoiding getting the ball. She would bring it up, pass it, and stand back in a corner waiting for the ball to come back, but as usual, it did not. The team was losing it in the second half, and I believe it was Paiges responsibility to take control and be aggressive. She did the opposite and has been getting killed on social media that Cintron is beating her and now will be challenging Paige in the ROY race. If Paige was hurting then she should have left the game, and by not leaving her availability may be not there next Tuesday against the Fever. I have been patient with Koclanes, but some of his decisions are questionable, so I think he should be gone, and they need to hire a no-nonsense coach that demands defense and an offence that high lights their star and most dependable players.

Wow! Quite a lot to unpack in your post.

Paige wasn’t aggressive……
Citron is challenging her for ROY…..
Paige might still be hurting and shouldn’t have been in the game…..
It’s Koclanes fault…..
the Wings need to hire a new coach…..

I guess that covers it all……..

 

[Bald Husky]

Wow! Quite a lot to unpack in your post.

Paige wasn’t aggressive……
Citron is challenging her for ROY…..
Paige might still be hurting and shouldn’t have been in the game…..
It’s Koclanes fault…..
the Wings need to hire a new coach…..

I guess that covers it all……..

Just venting, but am I wrong about any of that?

 

[cancontent]

 

[browns]

Just venting, but am I wrong about any of that?

NO your right except I think Paige has ROY wrapped up..good thing she doesnt play against Citron every game because Citron definitly out played her while holding Paige down in the 2nd half..kind of like she did when she played for ND

 

[oldude]

Just venting, but am I wrong about any of that?

Citron is certainly Paige’s kryptonite. But Paige didn’t play badly last night. Furthermore, Citron has had her own less-than-stellar games recently. As browns indicated, “Paige has ROY wrapped up.” Paige was asked after the game if her back was an issue and she flatly said that “it was not.”

Could Paige have been more aggressive in the 2nd half? I suppose so. But here’s the rub. The Wings are going nowhere and Koclanes & GM Miller know that. Whether they are tanking in order to secure the first draft pick or simply trying out lots of different lineups to decide which 6 players they will hold onto leading into free agency and next season’s expansion draft, I don’t know.

There are lots of fans calling for the HC’s scalp. I think the jury is still out on Koclanes until he shows what he is capable of doing with a talented veteran lineup around Paige.

But clearly the plan is to build the team around Paige by securing the top lottery pick (right now the Wings have the best odds), hold onto rookie contracts, maybe spend some money to keep Arike and then bring in several top free agents in order to compete next season.

So we can’t watch what the Dallas Wings are doing right now as if they are the UConn Huskies and Geno is the coach. This year’s W/L record doesn’t matter to the Wings.

 

[PacoSwede]

citron was criminally ignored while at endee. vastly underrated by many (i.e. popular media) who didn't see her whole game ('twasn't flashy enough for them)

 

[EricSD]

citron was criminally ignored while at endee. vastly underrated by many (i.e. popular media) who didn't see her whole game ('twasn't flashy enough for them)

But was she (criminally overlooked)? Here are her career stats. Certainly very solid, but not spectacular. She was a 1st team all ACC twice, but never even an HM AA. I thought she'd be a solid pro, but I had no idea she'd be this good...

As a senior, her 14.3 PPG put her at #246 on the list of scoring leaders. The rest of her stats, while solid, didn't scream "look at me"...

BTW as for ROY, Paige is at 18.5 and Citron is at 14.8 PPG. Not even close. Plus Paige has scored double figures every game in her pro career. The "hype" around Paige is real, and I don't see Citron coming close. She shouldn't even get any 1st place votes IMHO, at least not if the voting were held today..

 

[oldude]

But was she (criminally overlooked)? Here are her career stats. Certainly very solid, but not spectacular. She was a 1st team all ACC twice, but never even an HM AA. I thought she'd be a solid pro, but I had no idea she'd be this good...

As a senior, her 14.3 PPG put her at #246 on the list of scoring leaders. The rest of her stats, while solid, didn't scream "look at me"...

BTW as for ROY, Paige is at 18.5 and Citron is at 14.8 PPG. Not even close. Plus Paige has scored double figures every game in her pro career. The "hype" around Paige is real, and I don't see Citron coming close. She shouldn't even get any 1st place votes IMHO, at least not if the voting were held today..
View attachment 111045

Citron was a very good player on a very talented ND team. Her stats are comparable to Azzi’s this past season, although Azzi’s team got her to the FF where she earned the MOP award.

So close and yet so far……..

 

[Huskee11]

The 2024-2025 ND team might have been the toughest test for UConn in the NCAAs if the ND team didn't implode at the end of the season. Three of the starters, Citron, Westbeld and King, have played in the WNBA this season, and Citron has been remarkably good. I knew she was good, but no clue she was THIS good.

Two others, Hidalgo and Miles, are potential first team All-Americans for 2025-2026.

And the bench was decent with Prosper, Karlen and Koval.

Plus, they beat us during the regular season.

I definitely did not want UConn to be in their region. But while UConn peaked at the end of the season, ND faded away into oblivion. Not weird with UConn, that is what Geno is all about. Weird with ND.

The Mystics really nailed it in the 2025 draft. They even got Lucy with pick 23. Too bad Amoore is out.

BUT BUT BUT - Paige is the 2025 ROY, no doubt about that.

 

[Aluminny69]

 

[HuskyNan]

Please stay on topic

 

[AidanFan20]

Wings looking good so far here... Even though Paige hasn't started to cook yet... Wait, Paige old-fashioned 3-point play...

 

[AidanFan20]

Tied at the half... More Wings lapses. we need Paige to do Paige things in the 2nd half.

 

[oldude]

The Wings pull out a tough road win at Indiana 81-80. Paige had 16 pts, but didn’t have a particularly good shooting day. She did fill up the stat sheet with 5 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals. She also was decked about 4-5 times, mostly running into screens, but one time getting hammered taking the ball to the basket, with no foul call. Nice games by both Siegrist & Yeuru.

 

[Basingstoke]

The Wings pull out a tough road win at Indiana 81-80. Paige had 16 pts, but didn’t have a particularly good shooting day. She did fill up the stat sheet with 5 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals. She also was decked about 4-5 times, mostly running into screens, but one time getting hammered taking the ball to the basket, with no foul call. Nice games by both Siegrist & Yeuru.

Agreed, on all your points, but I'd like to amplify that the refs were dreadful in their officiating (particularly regarding Paige). Paige was the victim of multiple uncalled fouls that sent her violently to the floor and ironically was called for a foul on a defensive rebound when Lexi Hull went over her back sending Paige to the floor clutching her injured back. Utterly disgusting job refs!
As you noted, Paige was obliterated several times by Boston, and I can't help but wonder how an Indiana fan would react if there were multiple instances where Caitlin was flattened by someone of similar size, strength and aggression as Boston. Unfortunately, no one on Dallas, subsequently set any aggressive screens or picks in response. I was also disappointed that Koclanes didn't object even more strenuously over Paige's mauling - I would have been happy if he protested enough to get tossed from the game trying to defend his star (even if it cost them a win, as the team isn't going anywhere this season).
My conclusion is, unfortunately, that, going forward, Dallas will need one or two enforcers to mete out equivalent aggression on opposing undersized stars in order to protect their "franchise", as the refs are incapable of discouraging dangerous plays by adequately calling a game.

 

[DEpup]

I know this won't be popular but I just think Dallas is better without Arike. I felt like both sides of the ball looked more organized and together. Paige looks more comfortable orchestrating when she doesn't have to account for Arike. I do think the refs started out OK when it came to Paige but then once Dallas got up by double digits, they swallowed the whistle.

 

[Basingstoke]

On a statistical note, of Paige's 4 turnovers tonight, I believe that 2 were when she was unable to save the ball after securing a rebound or turnover, and 1 was on (what looked to be) a blocked shot that they deemed to be an intercepted pass...

 

[The deacon]

ironically was called for a foul on a defensive rebound when Lexi Hull went over her back sending Paige to the floor clutching her injured back. Utterly disgusting job refs!

Your post was spot on regarding the refs, who sadly were typically bad both ways.

However, on the play in question, the refs got it right. It was clearly a case of Paige cutting under Lexi while Hull was in the air. Paige was hoping to draw a foul. Undercutting has forever been a no-no in basketball, and Paige was guilty of it there. I'm just glad neither player was seriously hurt... the foul called on Paige was the right one.

Imagine, if you can, that it had been Paige leaping for the rebound and a rival player ducked in under her... you'd be asking for a flagrant on the perpetrator.