The Dallas Wings desperately needed a win after an inconsistent start to their 2026 WNBA season. And on Sunday night against the Washington Mystics, they finally got it. Behind Paige Bueckers, Dallas cruised to a dominant 92-69 victory at College Park Center. This is their biggest win by margin so far this season. But while this helped the Wings climb to a 2-2 record, Bueckers quietly accomplished something even bigger in the process.
The 24-year-old finished the night with 18 points, three rebounds, and seven assists. Though they are strong stats on their own, they also helped the Dallas guard officially join Kelsey Plum as the only players in WNBA history to record 772 points and 216 assists through their first 40 career games.
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This achievement will become even more impressive considering Bueckers reached the mark in just four games into her second season after playing 36 games as a rookie in 2025. She also moved slightly ahead of Caitlin Clark’s scoring total through 40 career games, with Clark previously recording 769 points. There have been long-standing comparisons between Clark and Bueckers, and this latest milestone has only added fresh fuel to that conversation.
However, what makes the historic stat interesting is the connection between Paige Bueckers and Kelsey Plum, who share one of the league’s most entertaining competitive rivalries.
Back in August 2025, Bueckers exploded with a 44-point performance against the LA Sparks while shooting over 80% from the field. She finished the night 17-for-21 from the floor, becoming the first player in WNBA history to score over 40 points while shooting above 80%.
Whether it was pulling up from deep, attacking off the dribble, or creating space in the midrange, the then-Wings rookie controlled the game offensively from start to finish.
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However, despite Bueckers delivering one of the greatest scoring performances the league had ever seen, Plum still managed to walk away with a dramatic game-winning buzzer-beater. Since then, both stars have continued exchanging competitive trash talk while also showing plenty of mutual respect for each other’s game.
So while Bueckers added another historic achievement to her rapidly growing career, the performance itself also gave Dallas a win it badly needed.
Paige Bueckers and the Wings Put It Together
For the first time all season, the Wings looked completely in sync on both ends of the floor. And according to Bueckers, that came directly from the way Dallas approached practice after its frustrating loss against the Minnesota Lynx.
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“We were connected. We were moving on a string,” she said after the win. “I think it started with two very good days at practice of us holding each other accountable and us wanting to be better for each other.”
After dropping two of their first three games, Dallas spent the last few days focusing heavily on accountability and defensive communication during practice. So when the Wings came out and held the Mystics to just nine first-quarter points, their defensive energy quickly became the foundation for everything Dallas did well throughout the night.
The Wings forced 19 turnovers, constantly disrupted Washington’s rhythm, and turned those extra possessions into easy transition offense. Once Dallas started playing faster, the entire game completely opened up.
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“We play better when we’re playing with pace, when we’re playing much faster,” Paige Bueckers explained. “And that starts with getting stops so we can get the ball off the rim and play in the full court.”
While Bueckers led the team with the most points, it is worth noting that she was not the only player who stood out. Azzi Fudd also delivered her best performance of the season with 12 points off the bench, while Jessica Shepard continued doing the little things that helped Dallas dominate the game physically. The veteran forward finished with 12 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists.
So with their first home win of the season, the Wings will try to carry this momentum into a difficult three-game road trip starting against the Chicago Sky at 8 p.m. CT on May 20th, with stops in Atlanta and New York before they return home to face Las Vegas.
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