A'ja Wilson scored 32 points to lead Las Vegas past Dallas in Thursday night's Wings vs Aces showdown. The 99-84 win helped Las Vegas avoid a regular-season sweep and recover after Tuesday's loss to the New York Liberty.
The Aces set the pace early with a 10-0 run that built toward a 15-4 lead, eventually closing the first quarter at 28-17. Dallas's fiery offense subsequently cut the deficit to 53-49 in the third quarter, but couldn't get any closer.
The Wings shot just 2-for-21 from 3-point range, while Las Vegas controlled the glass with a 35-24 rebounding edge and shot 53.3% from the field.
Guard Chelsea Gray Makes WNBA History in Wings vs Aces Win
Along the way, star Aces guard Chelsea Gray hit a career milestone. She finished with 12 points and nine assists, becoming the fourth player in WNBA history to reach 4,500 career points and 2,000 assists.
Jackie Young added 20 points, including a four-point play in the third quarter that stopped Dallas's push.
For the Wings, Paige Bueckers scored 25 points while Jessica Sheppard added 22 points and 14 rebounds.
The Golden State Valkyries shut down Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers, taking the 91-80 WNBACommissioner's Cup victory in Wednesday's Wings vs Valkyries game.
Bueckers finished with 15 points on 5-of-13 shooting as rookie guard Azzi Fudd also suffered shooting struggles. She finished the night with just 10 points on 4-of-13 from the field.
Golden State's physical defense disrupted the rhythm of both Dallas playmakers throughout the game.
Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd Stats Slump in Wings vs Valkyries Loss
The WNBA Commissioner's Cup clash turned physical late, as Bueckers and Valkyries guard Veronica Burton collided while diving for a loose ball. Burton — a former Wings WNBA draft pick — answered with an all-around performance, recording 11 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
Beyond limiting Paige Bueckers, Golden State also benefited from Dallas going cold from deep. The Wings could not find their range behind the arc, particularly during a rough second quarter. Azzi Fudd in particular faced a 3-point skid, going 2-5 on the night.
The WNBA Commissioner's Cup result extends Golden State's winning streak while leaving Dallas searching for consistency.
Without reliable outside shooting to complement Bueckers, the Wings face a familiar problem heading into their next stretch of regular-season WNBA games. They face the Chicago Sky on Saturday at 8 PM ET, live on CBS.
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers took in her first FIFA World Cup match over the weekend.
Sidelined with an ankle sprain, the WNBA sophomore joined her teammates at AT&T Stadium in Arlington to watch the 2-2 Japan vs Netherlands group-stage draw on Sunday.
WNBA Star Paige Bueckers Reacts to FIFA World Cup Game
"They asked us to come to a game and we all said yes, of course," Bueckers told reporters. "It was the first World Cup experience that we ever got to enjoy."
However, the World Cup outing wasn't the 2025 Rookie of the Year's first-ever soccer match.
Last September, Bueckers attended an NWSL clash between Angel City and the Washington Spirit in Los Angeles, also ending in a 2-2 draw. One month later, she caught her first Premier League match as Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace 1-0 at the Emirates.
But the fan support during the 2026 international tournament left a big impression. Thousands of supporters traveled from Japan and the Netherlands to cheer on their home teams.
"To see the fan support from all across the world, it was really cool," Bueckers added.
Bueckers plans to catch stars like France's Kylian Mbappé and Argentina's Lionel Messi later in the tournament. However, she confirmed her primary allegiance remains with Team USA.
Dallas continues to be Las Vegas’s kryptonite, blasting the defending champion 96-66 in last night’s Aces vs Wings showdown to keep the Commissioner’s Cup race alive.
The win snapped a six-game Aces winning streak, as the Wings tallied a second straight victory over Las Vegas after May 28th’s 95-87 result.
Dallas vet Arike Ogunbowale led the offensive ambush with 22 points, while rookie Azzi Fudd added 19 on 8-of-9 shooting, and center Jessica Shepard finished one assist shy of her third triple-double this season.
The loss saw the Aces pull level with Minnesota atop the Western Conference standings after the Lynx routed Portland 107-74. However, the Wings sit just one game back ahead of Wednesday’s final slate.
Las Vegas can clinch the Cup championship with a win over Phoenix or a Lynx loss, while Minnesota advances with a win over LA plus an Aces loss.
If both top teams lose and the Wings beat Golden State, it’ll trigger a three-way tie with the Lynx likely taking the point-differential cake — unless Minnesota loses to the Sparks by 40+ points.
Where to Watch Wednesday’s WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Games
The battle for the West wraps tomorrow starting at 10 PM ET, live across WNBA League Pass and USA.
Paige Bueckers scored a season-high 31 points to lead Dallas past Phoenix 85-70 in Thursday's Mercury vs Wings matchup.
The Commissioner's Cup clash provided Dallas the chance to reset after Tuesday's 100-76 result in Minnesota — a loss that snapped the Wings' four-game winning streak.
However, Dallas learned from its mistakes against the Mercury.
Paige Bueckers Overcomes Injury Scare in Mercury vs Wings Clash
Bueckers opened the scoring and set the pace from there.
She put up 13 in the second quarter alone despite getting into foul trouble. She then briefly hit the locker room after turning her ankle on a defensive rebound. After missing roughly 30 seconds, she scored on the next two possessions, finishing 14-of-19 from the field and 3-of-4 from three.
"Adrenaline is the best drug, so I didn’t really feel it during the game," Bueckers after her injury scare. "I just wanted to power through and help the team get a win."
Wings Defense Stifles Mercury as Monique Akoa Makani Struggles
After giving up 100 points against Minnesota, the Wings made defense a priority.
They held Phoenix to 39% shooting and forced 16 turnovers. Only Lexi Held (17 points) and Kahleah Copper (13 points) reached the double-digits.
Guard Monique Akoa Makani was limited to just six points on the night for the Mercury — with four of those coming from the free-throw line.
No. 1 draft pick Azzi Fudd anchored the defensive effort, adding three blocks alongside 17 points. The Wings' win pushes them to 3-1 in the WNBA Commissioner's Cup standings.
Where to Watch WNBA Commissioner's Cup Games This Weekend
The Wings next head to Portland to face the Fire on Saturday at 8:30 PM ET, before Phoenix hosts the LA Sparks at 10 PM ET. Both matchups air live on WNBA League Pass.
Olivia Miles scored 24 points, seven rebounds, and six assists as the Minnesota Lynx beat Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings 100-76 on Tuesday.
With the win, Minnesota (10-2) extended its streak to eight straight, becoming the first WNBA team to reach double-digit wins this season.
Minnesota's 1st Half Shooting Seals Lynx vs Wings Win
Minnesota set the tone early.
The Lynx shot 72% from the floor in the first half, building a 58-38 lead that Dallas never seriously cut into. Kayla McBride added 22 points on four 3-pointers while rookie sensation Miles and the Lynx starters combined for 71 points through three quarters.
2025 Rookie of the Year Bueckers led the Wings with 23 points, but she couldn't carry the load alone.
Wings mainstay Arike Ogunbowale chipped in 16 points, but the Wings' defense ultimately had no answer for Minnesota's ball movement. Minnesota hit the 100-point mark for the third time this season in the Lynx vs Wings win, subsequently pulling away in the final minutes.
Where to Watch WNBA Commissioner's Cup Games This Week
Dallas looks to rebound from the loss as the Wings host Phoenix on Thursday at 9 PM ET, live on Prime.
Minnesota later takes its winning streak to Las Vegas on Saturday at 8 PM ET, live on WNBA League Pass.
Two Western Conference titans are colliding, as No. 4 Dallas and No. 1 Minnesota carry unbeaten Commissioner’s Cup records into tonight’s high-stakes rematch.
The Lynx won last month’s non-tournament clash 90-86 behind Natasha Howard’s buzzer-beating 26 points, while Dallas looks to extend a four-game winning streak after Friday's 104-96 victory over LA boosted the Wings to No. 2 in the Commissioner’s Cup race.
“Our defense in that game was maybe right before we started figuring some things out,” top 2026 draft pick Azzi Fudd said of Dallas’s May 14th loss. “Now we have a much better understanding of our defensive identity.”
The clash pits Fudd against record-breaking No. 2 pick Olivia Miles, after Miles out-dueled her with 15 points and six assists in their first meeting.
“She’s a great shooter and a great passer,” Wings forward Maddy Siegrist said of Miles. “She’s going to make a lot of ‘wow’ plays, so you just try to make everything as difficult as possible.”
Dallas will expect reinforcement from previously injured Li Yueru and Aziaha James, while veteran Odyssey Sims remains sidelined.
Where to Watch Lynx vs Wings WNBA Commissioner's Cup Game
Minnesota hosts Dallas tonight at 8 PM ET, live on WNBA League Pass.
The WNBA Commissioner’s Cup tipped off last night, as No. 3 Dallas rocked No. 13 Seattle 79-56 before No. 1 Minnesota routed No. 15 Phoenix 111-77 to open the in-season tournament.
Aziaha James led the Wings with 18 points in 18 minutes off the bench, while starter Paige Bueckers secured the team’s season-high 23-point victory with 10 points, seven assists, and a career-high nine rebounds.
Courtney Williams stole the nightcap, lifting the Lynx over the struggling Mercury with 30 points on 13-of-20 shooting, backed by rookie Olivia Miles’s 19 points, four rebounds, and nine assists.
In-Season Tournament Offers $500K Purse, Charitable Donations
The sixth-annual Commissioner’s Cup starts with an in-conference group-stage, as Eastern and Western teams vie for $200,000 in charitable donations.
The team with the best record in each conference then advances to the June 30th final, where a $500,000 team payday adds incentive.
The competition has historic postseason implications, after recent champions have gone on to make deep playoff runs, including 2025’s Indiana, 2024’s Minnesota, and 2023’s New York.
Where to Watch Tonight's WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Games
Commissioner’s Cup play continues tonight as Connecticut faces Atlanta while Chicago takes on Washington at 7:30 PM ET. Later, Portland visits Golden State and LA hosts Las Vegas at 10 PM ET.
All Tuesday WNBA games air live on WNBA League Pass.
The Dallas Wings are heading into the 2026 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup with plenty of momentum.
Sitting at a 5-3 record, Dallas is looking to build on its strong start to the WNBA season. However, as the tournament tips off, the players have more than just a trophy on their minds.
Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale kept things transparent when asked about the tournament's $500,000 prize pool.
"No matter how much money you get, it's always good to make more money," the four-time All-Star told reporters. "So definitely, that's a motivation."
I asked Arike Ogunbowale about the cash prize as a motivator in the Commissioners Cup as well as Paige Bueckers’ debut jersey selling for more than her rookie salary:
— Melissa Triebwasser (@TheCoachMelissa) May 31, 2026
“No matter how much money you get, it’s always good to make more money.”#wingsup pic.twitter.com/VBdkokOaEQ
Dallas Opens WNBA Commissioner's Cup Campaign in Seattle
The in-season WNBA tournament gives teams some spark amid a grinding summer schedule.
Launched in 2021, the Cup has crowned a different champion every single year with a winner's circle that includes the Indiana Fever, Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas Aces, and New York Liberty. Dallas now hopes to cement its place in history as the sixth franchise to hoist the trophy.
The Wings open the tournament on the road against the Seattle Storm. Dallas routed Las Vegas over the weekend, with rookie Azzi Fudd leading the team with 22 points.
With a loaded roster featuring Ogunbowale, Fudd, and 2025 Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, the Wings appear to be a top contender this year.
Arike Ogunbowale Commends Rookie Pay Raise
Ogunbowale also reacted to news that teammate Bueckers's game-worn debut jersey recently sold for $65,000 at an auction. That price tag was more than Ogunbowale's entire rookie salary in 2019.
Rather than showing frustration, the veteran celebrated the financial shift for newer athletes entering the league.
"Rookie contracts were really, really small," Ogunbowale said of the previous salary system.
She went on to explain that past players needed secondary jobs just to survive. Today, however, league growth has changed that narrative.
"Now, obviously, this can be your major source of income. Even without endorsements, you'll be okay with just your W contract."
WNBA Games Today: When and Where to Watch
The 2026 WNBA Commissioner's Cup kicks off with Wings vs. Seattle tonight at 8 PM ET, live on USA.
The 2026 WNBA schedule has arrived, as the league released key dates on Wednesday despite ongoing CBA talks that threaten to delay the start of the upcoming season.
Opening day will be Friday, May 8th, when the WNBA tips off with a tripleheader featuring incoming expansion side Toronto Tempo against the Washington Mystics, the New York Liberty hosting the Connecticut Sun, and the Golden State Valkyries visiting the Seattle Storm.
Fellow 2026 addition Portland Fire will debut on Saturday, May 9th, hosting the Chicago Sky to close out another tripleheader that includes a 2025 WNBA Finals rematch between the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces and the Phoenix Mercury, as well as a Rookie of the Year showdown between the Paige Bueckers-led Dallas Wings and Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever.
Other 2026 season highlights include the return of the annual WNBA Commissioner's Cup in June and the Chicago Sky-hosted All-Star Weekend in late July, with the league set to pause for a two-week break in early September to allow its stars to compete in the FIBA World Cup.
After the regular-season closes on Thursday, September 24th, the 2026 WNBA Playoffs will tip off on Sunday, September 27th, with a repeat of last year's best-of-three first round, best-of-five semifinals round, and best-of-seven Finals.
Notably, the 2026 WNBA schedule drop falls within the current status quo period, which allows the league to conduct certain aspects of its business as usual under the old CBA while continuing to negotiate new terms with the players union.
"I'm just starting to see [the light at the end of the tunnel]," New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart told Front Office Sports this week, hinting at a bargaining resolution while an official work stoppage remains on the table.