Paige Bueckers has made progress from a back injury, but her availability isn’t assured when the Dallas Wings host the New York Liberty on Friday night in Arlington, Texas.
Bueckers is listed as questionable by the Wings after missing Thursday’s practice, one day prior to the latter part of the home-and-home series between the two teams. The Liberty notched an 85-76 home victory on Tuesday.
“I think it’s just a pulled muscle,” Bueckers said after Tuesday’s game. “I felt a strain, felt it tighten, so am just getting it worked out.”
Dallas coach Chris Koclanes said Thursday he’s hopeful of seeing Bueckers on the court, saying “she should be fine for (Friday).”
The Wings (8-22) certainly don’t want to be without the services of Bueckers as they attempt to halt a three-game slide.
Bueckers has recorded four consecutive 20-point outings to give her 13 on the season. She averages 18.6 points — seventh-best in the WNBA prior to Thursday’s games — to go with 5.4 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game in 24 appearances.
On Tuesday, Bueckers produced 21 points and eight rebounds despite the injury. The bigger issue in the contest was long-range shooting.
Dallas was an anemic 6 of 27 from 3-point range while New York sank 12 of 24 attempts. Jonquel Jones and Stephanie Talbot each made three for the Liberty.
“It’s really tough to beat a team that good when they shoot 50 percent from three,” said the Wings’ Maddy Siegrist, who had 13 points in her first game since June 11 due to a knee injury.
The Liberty (19-10) were led by Jones with 15 points and 10 rebounds, but Emma Meesseman also stood out in her second game since joining the squad. Meesseman scored 13 points in 24 minutes.
The two-time WNBA All-Star is back in the league for the first time since 2022 with the Chicago Sky. The Belgian has been the EuroLeague Women’s MVP in three straight seasons.
“I’ve been doing what I love and then this is the result of it,” Meesseman said after Tuesday’s win.
Sabrina Ionescu is impressed with the quick impact Meesseman has made. She’s averaging 12 points in 20.5 minutes per game.
“That’s why we really wanted her here,” Ionescu said. “It’s more just reassuring knowing that she came in, and this is what she’s done in her first two games. It hasn’t really been any transition period, it’s been like, ‘This is Liberty basketball and you fit in.'”
Liberty star Breanna Stewart (right knee) will miss her sixth straight game and might miss the rest of the month. The Wings’ Myisha Hines-Allen (left ankle) is probable after sitting out Tuesday.
The season series is tied 1-1 entering the final matchup of the campaign. Dallas recorded a 92-82 home win on July 28.
–Field Level Media
