The Dallas Wings officially punched their ticket to the WNBA postseason, securing a commanding 96–78 victory over the Portland Fire at a packed College Park Center. The win guarantees Dallas a playoff berth—their first since 2023—and sets a new franchise record for regular-season victories at 23–16. Meanwhile, the defeat eliminated Portland (15–23) from postseason contention.
Dallas dominated from the jump, never trailing and building a lead as large as 26 points. Second year standout Paige Bueckers delivered an all-around masterpiece, orchestrating the offense with 22 points and 11 assists. Frontcourt anchor Jessica Shepard dominated the paint, contributing 21 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, while Arike Ogunbowale added 17 points. Dallas showcased total team chemistry, as all five starters finished in double figures.
MY. GOODNESS. AWAK. 😳
This is her FOURTH block of the ball game and we're only in the 3Q!
PDX-DAL | NBA TV
Tap to watch: https://t.co/cvYeBnGNmf pic.twitter.com/NE4pJfKHpF— WNBA (@WNBA) August 26, 2026
Defensively, the Wings swarmed Portland, generating 11 steals and turning 12 Portland Fire-turnovers into 23 points. Awak Kuier anchored the rim with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocks. Bridget Carleton and Karlie Samuelson led the Fire with 14 points each, but Portland’s .375 shooting percentage proved insufficient against Dallas’s blazing .551 clip from the field.
With five regular-season games remaining, the Wings enter the playoffs riding dangerous momentum as one of the league’s most balanced contenders.
Full game highlights;
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Dallas will have one more game against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday evening before heading into the FIBA World Cup break, while the Portland Fire will have two more games—against Atlanta on Friday and Golden State on Sunday—before going on break.