Paige Bueckers sends message to Dallas Wings after loss to Las Vegas Aces

Bueckers was left displeased with her team once again after yet another disappointing defeat against the Las Vegas Aces

Aug 15, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) reacts during the second half against the Los Angeles Sparks at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Rookie guard Paige Bueckers still has faith the Dallas Wings will eventually reverse course in the coming years. Still, this season hasn't been one to celebrate much about outside of player-led accolades alongside the possibility of Bueckers taking home Rookie of the Year Honors.

Nevertheless, Bueckers again opened up regarding team chemistry and cohesiveness following the Wings' 106-87 loss to the Las Vegas Aces Sunday.

Bueckers' 18 points to go alongside forward Maddy Siegrist's game-leading 23 points weren't enough to overcome an Aces team that has now won seven straight games as the playoff push draws closer to fruition.

For the former UConn Huskies great, stomaching each loss has become more difficult. While it isn't a breaking point, Bueckers told Dallas Hoops Journal and other assembled media that, ultimately, finding a winning recipe starts from within.

READ MORE: Dallas Wings' Maddy Siegrist turning corner after career-high performance

"Just having different people step up in different ways,” Bueckers said post-game. “Nobody can replace Arike, so everybody just has to step up and do a little bit more. It’s really been a team effort to try to make up for her absence.”

Bueckers didn't put the loss directly on herself, but did echo that she expects excellence and growth along the way in pressure situations. Dallas (9-26) failed to do so, while the Aces (21-14) had a field day between forwards Kierstan Bell and A'ja Wilson, combining for 52 points.

“At the point of attack, we weren’t good enough,” Bueckers said. “That led to scrambling. Kierstan Bell went 6-for-7 from three. That’s what she wants to do. We just have to be better in our screen coverages—switching, being up, rather than coming off horizontal. They popped the ball too easily.”

At the end of the day, Wings coach Chris Koclanes took away the positives to separate the negatives after all.

“Next-woman-up mentality. It’s a group effort—gang rebounding, boxing out, guards helping,” Koclanes said. “Offensively, we still tried to establish an inside-out presence against switches and use mismatches. Regardless of who’s missing, we have to keep playing inside-out.”

Dallas will have to move on fairly quickly from yet another challenging defeat. It takes on the Los Angeles Sparks Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET. It begins a stretch of six games in 11 days for the Wings, which takes the team through Sept. 1 as the season continues to tick toward its unsatisfying, non-postseason conclusion as a tough rebuild carries forward.

For now, only time will tell.

READ MORE: WNBA superstar Paige Bueckers claps back at Sophie Cunningham's comments

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