Paige Bueckers Makes WNBA History As Wings Lose to Tiffany Hayes, Valkyries

Even though the Dallas Wings have now lost five of their last six games after Friday's 86-76 loss to the Golden State Valkyries, Paige Bueckers continues to reach new milestones in what is already one of the best rookie seasons in WNBA history.

Bueckers finished the game with 17 points, six assists and four steals in 37 minutes. She is the first rookie ever with at least 350 points and 100 assists in the first 20 games of their career.

Bueckers also moved into second place on the all-time rookie list for most games with at least 15 points and five assists, trailing only Caitlin Clark, and she's one of the most efficient shooters in the league.

The Wings missed a golden opportunity to steal a win over the Valkyries. They jumped out to a 21-10 lead after the first quarter, with Bueckers being held scorless in the opening period.

Dallas' lead was gone by the end of the third quarter, but that didn't stop Bueckers from cooking. She closed the game with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting in the fourth quarter to keep the Wings in it until the end.

While Bueckers did her part for Dallas, Tiffany Hayes lifted the Valkyries to a big win hours after it was revealed they lost Kayla Thornton for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury that required surgery.

Hayes took charge with 17 points—her most in a game since July 5—and tied her season-high with five assists. Janelle Salaün contributed 16 points and seven rebounds in 34 minutes.

Golden State (11-12) snapped a three-game losing streak and has moved into a tie with the Washington Mystics for the final playoff spot. Those two teams have three head-to-head matchups remaining this season, starting on July 31 at CareFirst Arena.

The Wings (7-18) have dropped to 12th in the standings amid their recent cold stretch. Things won't get easier for them during their upcoming four-game homestand when they will play the Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty, Atlanta Dream and Indiana Fever.

As long as Bueckers continues to play like a star, the Wings' spot in the standings isn't a huge concern over the final six weeks of the regular season. They have found their franchise player and can continue to find the right pieces to plug in around her heading into the stretch run.