Paige Bueckers tied the WNBA rookie scoring record for a single game on Wednesday night by pouring in 44 points in a Dallas Wings' loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. Twenty-six of her points came on two-point shots as she explored the space inside of the arc with a variety of finishes. Afterwards she spoke about the importance of the midrange game, an oft-forgotten part of modern basketball.
"I truly think basketball has gotten away from it -- it's mostly layups and 3s," she said after the game. "Teams don't know how to guard it. So I think it's an advantage when you can score in the midrange."
Bueckers, who became the first person in the league's history to score more than 40 points while shooting 80% from the field, brings up an excellent point. Teams are so focused on analytical advantage supposedly gained by only going for layups or three-pointers that they are rarely tasked with guarding against anything that doesn't fit into one of those categories.
Or they just have trouble guarding stuff like this.
OMG, PAIGE ARE YOU SERIOUS?! 😱
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 21, 2025
TOUGH AND-1 SECURES THE LEAD FOR DALLAS AND SHE'S NOW AT 26 PTS!
DAL-LAS | League Pass pic.twitter.com/36iP9tPcae
Despite Bueckers's explosion, Dallas was unable to pick up the victory and now sit at 9-27, by far the worst in the Western Conference. If nothing else the historic night was a reminder that brighter days are ahead and more midrange magic will be a major part of it.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Paige Bueckers Explains Importance of Forgotten Midrange Game After Historic Game.
