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    One season removed from posting the WNBA’s worst record, the Dallas Wings are headed to the playoffs.

    Paige Bueckers finished Tuesday’s win with 22 points and 11 assists, Jessica Shepard added 21 points and Awak Kuier dominated on both ends of the floor as the Wings defeated the Portland Fire 96-78 in front of a sold-out crowd at College Park Center.

    Credit: Dallas Wings

    The victory clinched Dallas’ first playoff berth since 2023 and sixth since relocating to North Texas ahead of the 2016 season. The Wings improved to 23-16 and set a franchise record for regular-season wins. Dallas can finish anywhere between second and eighth in the WNBA standings with five games remaining.

    Tuesday’s win completes the turnaround for a team that went 10-34 last season, the worst record in the WNBA. Dallas is the third team since 2016 to return to the playoffs one season after finishing with the league’s worst record.

    The Wings improved by 13 wins this season, needing three more victories to tie the greatest single-season turnaround in WNBA history. All of Dallas’ remaining games will come against teams already eliminated from playoff contention.

    Portland dropped to 15-23 and was eliminated from playoff contention. Tuesday was the third meeting between the teams, with Dallas securing a 2-1 season-series victory and its ninth series win of the year.

    Bueckers recorded her third points-assists double-double of the season and added four rebounds, two steals and one block. It marked her 23rd game with at least 20 points, moving her into second place in Wings history for the most 20-point games in a single season.

    Every member of Dallas’ starting lineup scored in double figures.

    Credit: Dallas Wings

    Shepard was one rebound shy of a double-double, finishing with 21 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals. It was her 30th double-digit scoring performance and league-leading fifth game with at least 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

    Kuier finished with 12 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks and a career-high-tying three steals. Her five blocks increased her season total to 54, tying Liz Cambage for the most in a single season in Wings history.

    Kuier joined A’ja Wilson as one of two players this season to record at least 12 points, 12 rebounds and eight combined steals and blocks while shooting at least 50% from the field.

    Ogunbowale finished with 17 points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals while shooting 7 of 14. Smith rounded out Dallas’ starters with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal.

    Dallas jumped out to a 12-3 lead behind five points from Ogunbowale. Portland made one of its first six field-goal attempts, and head coach Alex Sarama called a timeout with 6:26 remaining in the first quarter.

    Portland went on a 5-1 run out of the timeout, but Dallas responded with an 8-2 run to take a 21-10 lead. The Wings shot 61.1% from the field and led 27-18 after one quarter.

    Kuier collected five rebounds and scored eight points on 3-for-3 shooting while adding three blocks in the period.

    Dallas continued its dominance in the second quarter, shooting 62.5% from the field while Portland went 1 of 10 from behind the 3-point arc.

    Shepard scored eight of her 21 points in the quarter. Kuier had 11 points and matched her career high for rebounds in a half with eight before halftime.

    Dallas led 50-37 at halftime and opened the third quarter with a 9-2 run. Ogunbowale scored four points during the stretch, while Shepard had three assists.

    Kuier recorded a steal before Bueckers connected from beyond the arc to push Dallas’ lead past 20. Smith added a three-point play to make it 65-41.

    Portland shot 33.3% in the third quarter and connected on one of seven 3-point attempts. Bueckers scored eight points as Dallas took a 71-52 lead into the fourth.

    Portland never came within 15 points in the final quarter. Shepard scored seven points, while Bueckers and Ogunbowale added six apiece.

    Dallas shot 55.1% from the field and 45.8% from 3-point range. Portland shot 37.5% from the field and 27.8% from beyond the arc.

    The Wings turned Portland’s 12 turnovers into 23 points and recorded a season-high 11 steals. Dallas outscored Portland in points in the paint, second-chance points and fast-break points.

    Jose Fernandez will make his first WNBA playoff appearance as a head coach. Fernandez was hired by Dallas in October 2025 as the team’s fifth head coach since 2019. He became the 38th first-year head coach in WNBA history to lead a team to the postseason.

    Dallas will play its final game before the 2026 FIBA World Cup break Sunday against the Connecticut Sun. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT at College Park Center, and the game will air on WFAA.

    The post Wings Clinch First Playoff Berth Since 2023 With Win Over Portland appeared first on Dallas Weekly.

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