Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd's Defensive Skill Seen Through Wings vs Tempo Stat

Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd produced a defensive masterclass during the Dallas Wings' 88-76 win over the Toronto Tempo on July 5.

According to an X post from ESPN Insights, the Tempo scored just 5 points on 2 of 23 field goal attempts when either Fudd or Bueckers was the primary defender on Sunday. The Tempo scored 0 points in 0 of 10 attempts when Fudd was the primary defender and 5 points on 2 of 13 attempts when Bueckers was the primary defender.

Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers left their mark on both ends Sunday vs Toronto.

On offense, they combined to score or assist on 55 of 89 Wings points (62%) 🔥

And on defense, the Tempo scored just 5 points on 2-23 FG when either was the primary defender 🛑 pic.twitter.com/SHA81kYtLG
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) July 5, 2026

What's more, Fudd finished the game with one block, which made her the fastest guard to reach 20 blocks in their career in WNBA history. She also added three steals.

Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers' Defensive Success is a Testament to Their Chemistry

While this was just one game, both Fudd and Bueckers have been extremely solid on defense throughout the entire 2026 season. And that's a testament to the chemistry they have together, which has translated to their time playing together at UConn.

Much has been made about Azzi and Paige's offensive connection, and for good reason. These two have spent so much time on the court together that they have a sixth sense of where each other is and how to maximize the other's production, which manifests in success that shows up in the box score.

Defensive chemistry usually isn't quite as easy to see as assists or backcuts, and often doesn't show up in stats (aside from Sunday's impressive example). However, it does show up on the court in the form of knowing whether a teammate will rotate, whether they need help or can be left alone, and how they're going to fight over a screen.

This sort of defensive chemistry arguably depends more on trust and experience than offensive chemistry, and is even more infectious across an entire team. This is why what Fudd and Bueckers did on Sunday is so meaningful not only in how they've grown as defenders, but also in the entire Wings roster becoming an elite defensive team.

Dallas' opponents have averaged 85.5 points per game this season, which is fifth-best in the WNBA right now. There's a good chance that this improves as the season progresses, which bodes extremely well for the now 13-8 Wings continuing to make waves this season and put themselves in a good position for a deep postseason run.

Plus, Bueckers and Fudd's defensive chemistry is only going to improve from here, which poses problems for the rest of the league.

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