Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers Light It Up Early in WNBA Preview
Preseason contests may not count in the standings, but they can provide a sneak preview. That was exactly what happened in a matchup between the Dallas Wings and Indiana Fever on Thursday—particularly as it pertains to the early performances from Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers.
The Wings controlled the game at halftime, in what was a tale of two quarters. Clark dominated the first quarter of action, Bueckers the second, but the two superstars lit it up for 19 and 20 points respectively heading into the locker room at the break.
Not only are they two of the best players in the league early in their careers, the pair bring starpower to the court every time they suit up as well. And another reason the showing served as a sneak preview is because the Fever and Wings will meet for real to tip off the regular season on May 9.
For Bueckers, one notable aspect of her early showing was how prolific she was from beyond the arc. In her first professional game next to former UConn teammate and No. 1 WNBA Draft pick Azzi Fudd, and first under new head coach Jose Fernandez, she connected on four of five triples in the first half.
Bueckers attempted just 3.3 threes a game last season as rookie, making just over 1 a contest, so seeing her with the greenlight from there provides a chance for her to expand her game even more.
Meanwhile, Clark played in only 13 games in 2025 due to injury, so watching her back at full strength is surely a welcome sight for WNBA fans. Clark shrugged off her shooting struggles from the Fever's preseason debut against the New York Liberty to hit 4-6 from the field and 2-3 from distance (she was also 9-10 from the free throw line).
Clark and Indiana will hope for a better beginning when the regular season starts, as Dallas carried a 61-46 lead into the half.
Fever Coach Understands Showcase of the Clark-Bueckers Matchup
It's certainly not lost on the schedule makers that any Clark and Bueckers matchup will be highly anticipated, and it's also something Fever coach Stephanie White understands.
"You’ve got two of the best young players in the world that are playing. [They’re] kind of highlighted, in terms of coverage. You’ve got back-to-back number one picks with Dallas, and they have a lot to be excited about. They had a great free agency, they’re gonna have a different team. Jose [Fernandez] is an outstanding coach," White said about Dallas heading into the contest.
White (whose team was playing without Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull) will get a chance to tighten things up before the Fever face off with the Wings in a game that counts.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Robin Lundberg is a media veteran and hoops head who has spent the bulk of his career with iconic brands like Sports Illustrated and ESPN. His insights have also been featured on platforms such as Fox and CNN and he can currently be heard hosting shows for Sirius XM and on his burgeoning YouTube show. And now he brings his basketball expertise to Women's Fastbreak on SI!
Follow robinlundberg