Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) tries to corral a loose ball ahead of Los Angeles Sparks forward Jihyun Park (6) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Sunday, July 19, 2026, in Arlington.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
ARLINGTON — The Dallas Wings have been clutch all season, and they came through again when it mattered most.
Timely baskets from WNBA All-Star starter Jessica Shepard and Arike Ogunbowale got them over the finish line and a 90-82 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday afternoon for their franchise-record sixth straight victory.
The Wings (17-8), who haven’t lost in July, have won 10 clutch games in 2026, the most of any team in the league.
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“The fact that our fourth quarters have been our best quarters is really good for us,” Ogunbowale said. “We seem to be able to lock in and hold defense and get scores when it matters.”
Dallas had to endure the final moments of Sunday’s contest without the services of All-Star starter Paige Bueckers after she clashed with Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, hitting her head on the court with just over three minutes remaining in the game.
Bueckers was evaluated in the locker room by the Wings’ medical staff. There was no update on her injury status, but she walked off the court unassisted while holding her head. She finished with 25 points and five assists, while shooting 10 of 18 from the field.
Ogunbowale finished with 20 points, including six in the final three minutes after Bueckers left the game. Shepard recorded her fifth consecutive double-double, finishing with 11 points and 14 rebounds to go with six assists.
The Sparks trailed the Wings by as much as 11. However, the Sparks regained the lead with 3:53 left in the third quarter after a run led by Ogwumike and Cameron Brink.
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“Sometimes we don’t start the best coming out of halftime,” Wings guard Odyssey Sims said. “Our third quarters are a little slow, but we eventually pick it up.”
After not playing for seven days, the Wings made some untimely errors, turning the ball over 14 times in the first three quarters which allowed Los Angeles to find a way back into the contest. The Wings average 11.5 per game, the league’s fewest.
“A lot of those were live unforced turnovers,” Wings head coach Jose Fernandez said. “No excuse, we looked like a team that hadn’t played in a week. A loss of rhythm at times.”
Dallas found itself playing inside-out in the second half. Despite shooting 36.8% from 3-point range for the game, Dallas shot just 2 of 8 from beyond the arc in the second half.
The Wings took advantage of opportunities to attack the basket, as 13 of their 18 second-half field goals came in the paint, including nine in the restricted area.
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Azzi Fudd, the No.1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA draft, scored 11 points while creating havoc on the defensive end, picking up three steals.
Fan favorite Li Yueru, coming off her first double-double of the season against Chicago, played crucial minutes in the third quarter Sunday.
A 6-7 center from China, Yueru finished with four points, four rebounds and two blocks in 13 minutes.
The Dallas bench scored 19 points while providing steady contributions to both ends of the floor.
“We know everybody is important on our team, not just the starters,” Sims said. “Whoever goes in, we’re all ready to play. I think today we had good bench production, and we know it’s going to be key down the stretch.”
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Because of mechanical issues with the New York Liberty’s charter flight before Thursday’s game, the WNBA pushed their matchup with Dallas to Monday. The postponement forces the Wings to play their first back-to-back of the season. Wednesday’s road game against Portland will be the Wings’ third game in four nights.
“This will be my first back-to-back in the W,” Fernandez said. “We practiced getting ready for New York on Wednesday.”
Dallas won’t have a shootaround Monday so players can take additional time to rest and recover before the matchup with New York. The game tips off at 7 p.m. at College Park Center.
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) holds her head after a collision with Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike (not pictured) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Sunday, July 19, 2026, in Arlington. Bueckers left the game and did not return.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News