Paige Bueckers didn't waste time putting her first professional points on the board.
The No. 1 draft pick made his turnover less than a minute into the WNBA debut, thus starting his first point of the rookie season. She scored 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes Friday night's 99-84 loss to Minnesota.
Wings remained in the finals until the third quarter of the 46-46 game. Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams had a total of 33 points in Lynx's 33 third quarter scores, winning despite not having two starters.
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Collier is an early MVP contender after his career, leading all scorers by 34 points. Williams scored 24 shots of 15 in nine assists. Jessica Shepard scored 15 and Diamond Miller added 13 to the bench.
The Bueckers initially had an early bucket, a second pullover, a second jumper, a third jumper and four free throws to attack the rim. As the game progressed, her efficiency gradually disappeared, and the Bobcats discovered their stout defense. She was 3 of 10 at the time and 0 of 4 in the second half.
She holds her forward and MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier and is among the highlights of Husky-on-Husky. The 6-foot point guard played forward in her third season at UConn and brought versatility to pros.
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Arike Ogunbowale led all wing scorers with 16 points. His offense did not rely on Ogunbowale as a mass shooting game, but instead spread the offense between her, Dijonai Carrington, Bueckers and Maddy Siegrist.
The debut came as a full moment after UConn's four-year career injury, reaching its peak last month with an NCAA title. Bueckers attended Lynx Games since childhood and is a local Hopkins, Minnesota native. Her father, Bob Bueckers, called the game "surreal" in an emotional broadcast interview. Her hometown city council announced Friday as "Page Bux Day" and renamed the town in her honor.
Her arrival is the beginning of a new era in Dallas, with first-year head coach Chris Koclanes making his debut. The franchise has entered the first round of the playoffs at one time since moving to Dallas in 2016. They were Tulsa Shock and won three titles as Detroit shocked.
Just like their childhood in Bueckers, Lynx is one of the best in the league. The general manager made Minnesota a favorite to win the game after losing the WNBA final to New York in overtime.
When asked about the airing, Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve kept his simple attitude during the first quarter break.
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"We have to play better defense. Thank you," Reeve said, leaving the interview.
2024 MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier echoed his emotions 46-46 in the half.
"Our defense looks bad," Collier said. "If we want to win, we have to change that in the second half."
Lynx was one of the league's defenses last year (75.6 points allowed), but couldn't take advantage of it on opening night. Their defense improved in the third inning and rushed into the young Wings, but it was the offense that put them in a 15-point lead. In the last 13 minutes, wings never exceeded 11.
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Collier scored 70%, and Williams hit all five of her shooting attempts, including 15-point shooting percentage from three. Jessica Shepard's only other Lynx score in the third statistic table.
Lynx doesn't have two regular starters from the final appearance. Defender Kayla McBride didn't play in the preseason, while Reeve rested between seasons. McBride played in the unparalleled 3x3 league, founded by Collier and Breanna Stewart before returning to Turkish club Fenerbahce. Forward Alanna Smith was not injured and was missed on the board.