Updated

Updated · CBS Sports · Aug 18

Dallas Wings Fall to 2-7 Since Break as Injuries and Paige Bueckers' Dip Drop Them to Eighth

Updated

Updated · CBS Sports · Aug 18

Dallas Wings Fall to 2-7 Since Break as Injuries and Paige Bueckers' Dip Drop Them to Eighth

Q: With Azzi Fudd sidelined, is the Dallas Wings' promising 2026 season doomed to end in a devastating first-round playoff sweep?

No — Dallas’ season is not doomed, but without Azzi Fudd it becomes much more likely to end quickly, especially if the Wings stay in the No. 8 spot and draw Minnesota. The evidence is stark. Dallas is 19-11 with Fudd and just 1-5 without her. Her value goes beyond 13.1 points per game: she is the team’s best floor-spacer, shoots 39.7% from 3, creates room for Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale, and helps defensively with 1.7 steals per game. Since she went out, Dallas’ offense has clearly worsened, and the bench — already thin — has produced only 17 points per game after the break. That said, a sweep is not inevitable. Reports around the team suggest Dallas is being cautious rather than dealing with a confirmed major long-term setback, and Fudd had progressed to on-court work. If she returns before the playoffs, the Wings still have time to stabilize. Their remaining regular-season schedule is soft, made up of lottery teams, giving them a chance to regain rhythm and possibly climb out of eighth. The bigger warning sign is not only Fudd’s absence but Dallas’ profile against strong opponents. The Wings are 0-7 against top-eight teams since the break and 6-15 against playoff teams overall. Bueckers has also dipped in efficiency and late-game control. So the season is fragile, not finished. If Fudd remains out and Dallas opens at Minnesota, a first-round sweep is a real danger. If she returns and Dallas improves its seeding, the outlook changes significantly.

Q: Will a sudden schedule shift save the Dallas Wings, or has their inability to beat elite teams already exposed a fatal flaw?

The softer schedule can steady Dallas and probably improve its seed, but it does not erase the team’s biggest problem: the Wings have not shown they can beat elite opponents consistently enough to be trusted as a real playoff threat. The evidence is strong. Since the All-Star break, Dallas is 2-7, including 0-7 against top-eight teams. For the season, it is 6-15 against playoff teams but 14-1 against lottery clubs. That split suggests the recent slump is not only about bad luck or a brutal stretch of games. It points to a clear competitive gap when the opposition is strong. Injuries are a major qualifier. Azzi Fudd’s absence has mattered enormously: Dallas is 19-11 with her and 1-5 without her, and the offense is better across the board when she plays. Jessica Shepard’s ankle issue has also hurt a thin rotation, especially with the bench producing only 17 points per game since the break. If both regain form, Dallas can look much closer to the team that built its record before the slide. Paige Bueckers is the other swing factor. Her post-break decline in scoring efficiency, playmaking and late-game control has amplified the damage from those injuries. If she rebounds, Dallas has a path to stabilizing. So the schedule shift can save the Wings’ regular season by restoring confidence, health and perhaps moving them out of eighth. But until they prove they can beat playoff-caliber teams, especially with Minnesota looming, the flaw looks exposed rather than fixed.

1 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Aug 18

A 78-70 loss to Golden State left Dallas 20-16 and just 2-7 since the All-Star break, a slide that has pushed the Wings into eighth place.
Azzi Fudd's right knee injury has been central to the downturn: Dallas is 19-11 with her and 1-5 without her, while its offense falls from a 114.2 rating with her on court to 108 without.
Jessica Shepard has also missed time with an ankle injury, and Paige Bueckers has cooled off — her post-break scoring is down to 19.3 points, her 3-point shooting to 32.5%, and her turnovers up to 2.7.
The slump has come against a tough run of opponents, but it has also exposed a bigger problem: Dallas is 0-7 against top-eight teams in this stretch and 6-15 against current playoff opponents overall.
A six-game homestand and league-easiest remaining schedule could lift the Wings from eighth, yet mounting frustration around coach Jose Fernandez's comments has added to doubts about any playoff run.