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Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) is defended by Phoenix Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani (8) during the first quarter in Phoenix, at PHX Arena on June 11, 2025. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\nPaige Bueckers missed four consecutive games and didn’t even need to wipe off any rust.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Bueckers is fresh off the top outing of her short pro career as she leads the Dallas Wings into a Friday night battle against the host Las Vegas Aces.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Bueckers poured in 35 points on 13-of-19 shooting in Dallas’ 93-80 road loss against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday. She made five 3-pointers and joined Caitlin Clark (2024) as the only rookies in WNBA history to have at least 35 points and five treys in a single game.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The explosion came after Bueckers missed three games with a concussion and another due to illness.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n “I mean, I was coming back from a break and I feel like I could have used my voice more, been more disruptive, crashed the glass more,” Bueckers said of her play. “So as I get my wind under me, I’ll be better in those areas. But like I said, just trying to contribute in other areas and whatever that looks like on any given night and will try to put my full effort toward that.”<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Wings (1-10) have lost six straight entering the clash with the Aces (4-4), who are expected to be without three-time league WNBA A’ja Wilson due to a head injury.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n <\/p>\n Wilson took a hard elbow to the nose during Las Vegas’ 97-89 loss to the visiting Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday. She removed herself with 1:17 left in the third quarter and didn’t return.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Wilson had 13 points but hit just 2 of 12 shots against Los Angeles. She also had eight rebounds, five assists and four blocks.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The bigger problem for the Aces against the Sparks was their defense. Los Angeles made 15 of 18 shots (83.3 percent) — including 7 of 8 from 3-point range — over the first 14 minutes while building a 39-19 lead. Overall, Los Angeles shot 56.9 percent.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Jackie Young tied her career high with 34 points and Chelsea Gray added a season-high 28 for Las Vegas.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n “We score 89 points and we only had two good offensive production nights: Chelsea and Jackie. Everybody else were stinkers,” Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon said after the team’s second straight loss. “The bench was a stinker. But 89 points should be enough to win a game. You can’t give up 50 points at halftime. We’re still searching for that 40-minute game. It’s like a damn unicorn.”<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Friday contest is part of the Commissioner’s Cup competition, and both teams are at the bottom of the Western Conference portion. The Aces are sixth at 1-2, and the Wings are last at 0-4.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n –Field Level Media<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n