The Dallas Wings exited the 2026 WNBA playoffs in heartbreaking fashion, and superstar Paige Bueckers showcased the agony of defeat at her postgame press conference.
The Wings faced the Golden State Valkyries in a deciding Game 3 of their first-round playoff series after splitting the first two games. Dallas looked on track for a win, with the lead growing to 53-37 midway through the third quarter.
However, from there, Gabby Williams and the Valkyries took over. She scored 17 points in the second half and 11 in the fourth quarter as Golden State emerged with a 77-73 victory. It was their first playoff series win in just their second year as a franchise.
On the other side, it was a tough night for Paige Bueckers. While she scored 17 points, she went just 3-for-14 from the field. And afterward, the pain of the loss and how close the Wings came to advancing was clear for all the world to see.
At her postgame press conference with Arike Ogunbowale, Bueckers broke down in tears, burying her face in her towel, while her teammate offered a consoling pat on the shoulder. Ogunbowale led the Wings with 30 points in the deciding game.
Paige Bueckers is emotional during her post-game interview
Arike Ogunbowale is there for her. ✊
(h/t @sacbabi)
pic.twitter.com/jneboZRrvV
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 3, 2026
Bueckers is one of many stars to exit the WNBA playoffs this week. Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever were also beaten in three games by the Las Vegas Aces in a tense first-round series. The top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, with Olivia Miles and Napheesa Collier, were also dispatched by the New York Liberty in the first round, throwing the postseason wide open.
The Valkyries will play A’ja Wilson and the Aces in the semifinals, while the Liberty face off against Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream.