Bueckers, Ogunbowale score 20 apiece and Wings defeat Liberty 92-82
Dallas led 85-62 through three quarters but a 3-pointer from Aziaha James with about 7 minutes remaining was the Wings' only basket of the final period.
New York outscored Dallas 20-3 over the first 8 1/2 minutes, capped by Jonquel Jones' 3-pointer that made it 88-82.
Bueckers — with former UConn teammate Azzi Fudd in attendance wearing an "I Heart PB" T-shirt — finally scored for Dallas, making two free throws with 1:06 remaining. After Jones missed a jumper, DiJonai Carrington made two free throws for a 92-82 lead with 54 seconds left.
The Wings led 31-19 after the first quarter and extended their lead to 63-36 at halftime, when Ogunbowale became the first player in WNBA history to have at least 15 points and 10 assists in one half.
Jones had 18 points for New York (17-8), which was playing without Breanna Stewart because of a right leg injury and lost its second straight. Sabrina Ionescu scored 17.
Luisa Geiselsoder had 14 points for Dallas (8-19).
New York: Visits Minnesota on Wednesday in a matchup of the two conference leaders.
Dallas: Hosts Atlanta on Wednesday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
19 minutes ago
- USA Today
Azzi Fudd wore adorable custom Paige Bueckers shirt to support her girlfriend
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers and her girlfriend, Azzi Fudd, hard-launched their relationship earlier this year, and now they've treated everyone to adorable things ― like custom shirts. In case you're unaware, Bueckers confirmed the pair were dating during WNBA All-Star weekend after years of speculation. There were murmurs about the former UConn Huskies teammates before then, but nothing anywhere close to official until Fudd sent fans into a frenzy in June with a "Paige Bueckers' Girlfriend" phone case she sneakily dropped in an Instagram story. Now, Fudd is continuing her somewhat quiet but intentionally noticeable support of her girlfriend by not only showing up to her WNBA games, but rocking some custom Bueckers-themed apparel. On Monday, Fudd was in attendance for a Liberty-Wings matchup wearing a lovely "I [heart] P.B." shirt with coordinating pants. How sweet is that? We can't wait to see more of Pazzi ― that's what the kids are calling them these days ― in the future.
Newsweek
20 minutes ago
- Newsweek
New York Knicks Get Major LeBron James Update
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The New York Knicks made a run all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, but came up short against the Indiana Pacers. Moving forward, the franchise is focused on winning a championship. With that being said, the Knicks have come up as a potential suitor for LeBron James. As his situation with the Los Angeles Lakers seemingly continues to sour, James has been rumored to be a potential trade candidate this year or at least a free agency option next offseason. New York has been rumored as a potential fit for James down the road. LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers tosses the ball back during a 103-96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Five of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Arena on... LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers tosses the ball back during a 103-96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Five of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Arena on April 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. More Photo byEven though the Knicks have been talked about as a potential suitor for the longtime superstar, they may be facing an uphill battle to make that happen. Read more: Report: 76ers Receive Very Concerning Joel Embiid Update CBS Sports analyst Sam Quinn took a look at New York's future as a potential James suitor. He offered an honest outlook for the team. "As of right now, New York has around $46 million in second-apron space. However, that doesn't account for the new deals we expect Mikal Bridges and Mitchell Robinson to sign between now and next summer," Quinn wrote. "If both are long-term Knicks, New York will blow past the second apron and only have a minimum to offer. If James is open to the minimum, and that's already a stretch, wouldn't he be likelier to take it in Cleveland than New York? In this scenario, the Knicks would be fighting an uphill battle." Assuming James does become a free agent next offseason, quite a few teams would have interest in him. Among those teams could be the Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, and Dallas Mavericks. There is also a chance that he could have interest in signing with whoever drafts his younger son, Bryce James, who is eligible for the 2026 NBA Draft. Read more: NBA Insider Issues Massive Lakers, LeBron James Future Prediction James is still capable of playing like one of the best players in the league. During the 2024-25 NBA season, he averaged 24.4 points per game to go along with 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and a steal. In addition, he also shot 51.3 percent from the floor and 37.6 percent from three-point range. At 40 years old, James has not talked about when he plans to retire. It's possible the 2025-26 season could be his last, but playing another year still seems to be the most likely scenario. Expect to continue hearing rumors about James and his future throughout the entire year. New York will also likely continue being connected as a possible landing spot for him next offseason. For more on the New York Knicks and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
NBC Sports
2 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Aces face critical stretch to keep championship window open amid uneven season
HENDERSON, Nev. — From management to coach Becky Hammon to the players, the Las Vegas Aces say they remain a championship team despite what has been, at best, an uneven season. The Aces must keep their championship window open or major changes could come during what is expected to be a chaotic offseason given the number of pending free agents in Las Vegas and throughout the WNBA. 'I think as we look at big-picture decisions for the Aces, this stretch is very important,' team president Nikki Fargas said. 'It's where championship habits are going to be solidified, and there's a lot of great talent that's going to be available. Are you wanting to be a part of a championship legacy? We've found that that's been a great opportunity for us to talk about that in free agency previously.' The Aces, who in 2023 became the first WNBA team to repeat in 21 years, have been one of the league's model franchises in recent seasons. They were on the short list of favorites to contend for another championship this season, but are in a fight just to secure a playoff spot. They are 13-13, which puts them seventh in the standings. The top eight teams qualify for the postseason, and the Aces are for intents and purposes in playoff mode now because the fifth through 10th teams were separated by 3 1/2 games. 'We're just trying to string together some wins,' guard Jackie Young said. 'We know every game's important. We're trying to go out there and build off of the past games, learn from our mistakes.' Falling short of the playoffs or getting bounced early could lead to major offseason changes that could be coming anyway given the number of free agents. Only Aaliyah Nye is under contract beyond this season, according to Spotrac. That's largely the case around the league as well because the collective bargaining agreement ends after this season. Players timed their contracts to take advantage of what should be a much more lucrative CBA because of an 11-year media rights deal valued at more than $2.2 billion. 'I think next year's free agency is like the wild, wild West,' Hammon said. 'There's going to be people we're obviously trying to keep their services here in Vegas, and then there are others we're going to try to bring some people in. So I just think it's about finishing the season well, keeping our culture and our character intact through the rest of the (18) games so we make this a destination that people want to come and play with and be competitive at.' Hammon quickly made the point she's not the general manager, and the Aces remain without a GM since Natalie Williams was dismissed in October. The organization chose to not fill that position, with Fargas working with Tonya Holley, vice president of basketball operations, on personnel decisions with input from Hammon. This is an organization that has built through the draft — A'ja Wilson, Young and former Aces star Kelsey Plum were all No. 1 overall picks — but also hasn't been afraid to be aggressive in free agency or trades. Point guard Chelsea Gray signed as a free agent in 2021 and a year later was named WNBA Finals MVP when Las Vegas beat Connecticut in four games for its first championship. The Aces added two-time MVP Candace Parker in 2023, but she played just 18 games before a season-ending foot injury. She retired last year. They made their most audacious move this January, sending Plum to Los Angeles in a three-team trade that brought Jewell Loyd from Seattle. The move hasn't quite worked out the way the Aces envisioned, with Plum averaging 20.1 points and 5.9 assists while Loyd has scored 10.8 points per game. That's her lowest scoring average since putting up 10.7 as a rookie in 2015. But perhaps Loyd more closely will resemble the player who was a six-time All-Star with the Storm, who just last season averaged 19.7 points. She came off the bench — at her request — in Sunday's 106-80 victory at Dallas and scored 20 points. A resurgence by her and the expected addition of Cheyenne Parker-Tyus could be major boosts entering the postseason. Parker-Tyus, who signed as a free agent, is on maternity leave and her Aces debut is yet to be determined. Fargas said she was bullish on the Aces making another title run, pointing out the number of top players on the roster with championship experience, including Wilson and her three MVP trophies. 'Any time you have the best player in the world on your team, you will always have a shot,' Fargas said. If the Aces do have another such run in them, they will do so in the unusual role as underdogs. Hammon said she didn't care what those outside of the organization thought of her team. But Gray wants the target back on the Aces. That would mean they again are playing at a high level. 'You want to be playing your best basketball in September,' Gray said. 'That's what it's all about.'
