Paige Bueckers Faces Tough Challenge Against Hometown Minnesota Lynx Early in Career

Early signs in the 2026 season were very promising for the Dallas Wings, as the team showcased a smooth, flowing offense under a new ideology and roster. Paige Bueckers continued to lead the team and maintained high standards in games, following up well on her Rookie of the Year campaign.

New coach Jose Fernandez also heaps praise on the star guard for her poise and decision-making in games. But all that seems to be hitting rock bottom when the player is against her hometown franchise, the Minnesota Lynx.

Minnesota Lynx Remain An Unsolved Puzzle For Paige Bueckers

With her high IQ gameplay, the former UConn star always finds a way to impact the game either with high scoring nights, top defensive plays, or involving her teammates to get the win at the final buzzer. But against the Lynx, the 2025 rookie seems to be losing her ‘magical touch’.

In the recent outing, PB scored 27 points and even had eight assists on the floor when her teammates were finding it hard to score. But her efforts just fell short, handing her fourth loss against the Lynx in as many games.

Paige Bueckers is from Minnesota, but she's now 0-4 against her hometown Lynx in her WNBA career. pic.twitter.com/CznwZ1gdd0

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) May 15, 2026

The Texas side started off strong with a 10-point lead in the first quarter. But the Minnesota Team won the next three quarters, slowly cutting the deficit, and wrapped up the close contest with a 90-86 win at College Park Center.

---

For the Minnesota Team, Natasha Howard demonstrated her command in the paint region, scoring 26 points with five rebounds and three blocks, while veteran guard Courtney Williams also had 21 points, five assists, and two steals to get the ‘W’.

The 2025 All-Star had support from Maddy Seigrist, while other players shot poorly against the Lynx’s defense. Interestingly, Bueckers already hinted at her struggles in the game and even worked on them.

Paige Bueckers Opens Up On Changes She Needs To Make In Her Game

The player’s impact on both ends of the floor makes her an all-around star that any team would love to have on the roster. League GMS even voted Bueckers as the top choice to build a team around. But she found one flaw in her game that she needs to improve.

In a pre-game interview, Bueckers said, “I feel stuff out first, and then this is obviously a new team, and we didn’t have everybody in preseason. So I think I gradually made my way through the first two games of the season. I feel like I can be more aggressive.”

Paige Bueckers says that being more aggressive is something that she’s been “battling her whole life”.

You can expect a more aggressive Paige tonight. #wingsup #dallaswings #paigebueckers pic.twitter.com/0psCDKM6WQ

— Melissa Triebwasser (@TheCoachMelissa) May 14, 2026

“But not just for me, but also for creating for others. So again, it’s something that I have battled with my whole life… I am just being more selfish, taking more shots, so it’s something that I’m very aware of, and I want to improve on as well,” PB Added.

Ironically, coach Geno Auriemma sees Bueckers as Sue Bird’s natural successor while the Wings’ star is looking to reach that level with improvement in her playmaking.