The Dallas Wings are officially WNBA playoff bound! They locked up the final spot with a huge 96-78 win over the Portland Fire on Tuesday, August 25. But seriously, the vibe around this team is just bittersweet, because getting there means overcoming the season-ending injury to their star rookie Azzi Fudd. Talk about battling through adversity.
Paige Bueckers Is Leading the Charge Through the Storm
Look, Paige Bueckers flat out delivered, dropping 22 points against the Fire to secure that playoff berth. After the game, Bueckers, who is 24, told reporters that making the playoffs “means a lot” to her and the squad. She talked about “all we’ve overcome throughout this season” and “how we did it together.” You can tell this team is tight, with Bueckers emphasizing “how connected” they are and that they “really have fun coming to work together.” That kind of bond is what gets you through tough times, especially when a key player goes down. She’s not stopping there either, adding they “want to keep building and don’t want to get complacent just clinching the playoffs.” That’s the mindset you need right now.
The Azzi Fudd Factor: A Gut Punch They Had to Shrug Off
Let’s be real, the Fudd injury was a huge blow. Just one week before clinching, on August 19, the Wings announced Azzi Fudd would miss the rest of the season and undergo surgery. She was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, only 23 years old, and a massive part of their plan. Wings head coach Jose Fernandez said losing Fudd means they are “missing Azzi, who was our best perimeter defender and how she stretched the floor.” He was open about how the team is “just a little different now in the way we’re playing.” Fudd herself confirmed the “small procedure” on her knee and is ready for the grind of “rehab, put in the work, come back ready and better than before.” Fernandez even mentioned Fudd was watching the playoff-clinching game, and her procedure went “great.” She’ll be back after the World Cup break, which is something to look forward to.
This team’s got the momentum, but they’re not settling. They’ve punched their ticket to the playoffs and now the real work begins. We’ll be watching to see how far this “connected” squad can go, and we’re all rooting for a speedy recovery for Azzi Fudd.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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