The Dallas Wings beat the New York Liberty 88-77 at Barclays Center on Tuesday. The win marked the second time this season that Dallas has taken down the former WNBA champions. The result raised real questions about the Liberty's consistency at home as New York fell further down the WNBA standings.
Jessica Shepard's Triple-Double Powers Wings vs. Liberty Win
Wings forward Jessica Shepard set the tone for Dallas with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. The performance was her third triple-double of the season. The first-time All-Star controlled the paint and created looks for teammates all night, and the Liberty had no answer for her.
Fellow WNBA All-Star starter Paige Bueckers added 15 points for Dallas, picking apart New York's perimeter defense alongside her former UConn teammate Azzi Fudd. Together, they kept the Wings in control after a 29-11 second quarter buried the Liberty. New York shot just 2-for-15 from the field in that stretch and trailed by 16 at the half.
For the Liberty, Breanna Stewart served as a highlight as she posted 29 points and nine rebounds. But her effort wasn't enough to lift New York past a young, hungry Dallas team. A 16-5 third-quarter run pulled the Liberty within five, before the Wings pushed the lead back to 15 by the end of the period.
Where to Watch WNBA Games This Weekend
For a team with championship expectations, falling twice to the Wings qualifies as an upset and a problem New York needs will look to solve fast. They next face the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday at 1 PM ET on ABC.
The Dallas Wings, meanwhile, travel to Toronto on Friday to take on the Tempo at 7:30 PM ET on ION.
