ARLINGTON, Texas — One year after finishing with the worst record in the WNBA, the Dallas Wings are headed back to the playoffs.
Dallas clinched a postseason berth Tuesday night with a 96-78 victory over the Portland Fire at College Park Center, completing a dramatic turnaround from a 10-win season in 2025.
The Wings improved to 23-16 with the victory, setting a franchise record for regular-season wins while securing their first playoff appearance since 2023.
Dallas entered the season coming off a 10-34 record, but a revamped roster, the arrival of rookie guard Paige Bueckers and first-year head coach Jose Fernandez helped transform the Wings into a postseason contender in one season.
The turnaround became official against Portland.
Dallas controlled the game from the opening minutes and never trailed, building a lead that reached 26 points. The Wings shot 55.1% from the field and 45.8% from 3-point range while placing all five starters in double figures.
Bueckers led Dallas with 22 points and 11 assists, continuing a strong rookie season that has helped reshape the direction of the franchise.
Jessica Shepard added 21 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while Arike Ogunbowale finished with 17 points. Awak Kuier recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds while adding five blocks.
Alanna Smith scored 10 points.
Dallas also delivered one of its stronger defensive performances of the season, finishing with a season-high 11 steals and consistently disrupting Portland’s offense.
The victory secured the final available spot in the WNBA playoff field, but Dallas’ postseason position remains unsettled.
The Wings currently sit eighth in the standings, but their seed can still change during the final stretch of the regular season.
Dallas has five games remaining and will have an opportunity to improve its position before the postseason begins.
If the current standings hold, Dallas would face the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the opening round.
Regardless of where the Wings ultimately finish, reaching the playoffs represents a major shift for an organization that spent much of last season near the bottom of the league.
Dallas’ 13-win improvement from last season has come alongside major changes in leadership and personnel.
Fernandez took over the team before the season, while Bueckers immediately became a central part of the Wings’ offense after joining the franchise.
Ogunbowale has remained one of Dallas’ primary scoring threats, while increased production from the supporting cast has given the Wings a more balanced lineup.
The playoff berth is Dallas’ first since 2023 and its sixth since the franchise relocated to North Texas in 2016.
Dallas will next host the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, Aug. 30, at College Park Center before the league pauses for the FIBA Women’s World Cup.
With their playoff spot secured, the Wings can now turn their attention to improving their postseason seed and preparing for playoff basketball.
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