Just last month, podcaster Nekias Duncan noted that the Wings were still searching for an identity under new Head Coach Chris Koclanes, who heavily relied on aggressive defensive blitzes. However, this high-risk defense required quick and smart rotations—something the young Dallas roster struggled with, often leading to sloppy defensive breakdowns. But now, nearly a month later, the bigger concern might be whether the Wings have gone too soft on defense.

Well, that concern was clearly highlighted when the Wings were dominated by the Aces, 106–80, marking their 19th loss of the season. “It’s defense, first and foremost,” Koclanes said postgame. “Offensively we show spurts and we need consistency more on both sides of the floor, but we need to know that we’re going to give ourselves a chance every night on the defensive end. And right now, that just hasn’t been the case.”

And yes, it all made sense as the Wings were without Paige Bueckers, and that absence was evident. Offensively, they looked disjointed and lacked presence on defense as the team shot just 38% from the field, made only four threes, and recorded 15 assists, half of what the Aces put up (30 assists). But now, the question is: will things get better? Will PB be there to support her team in a crucial matchup against one of the league’s top teams?

Injury Report for Dallas Wings vs New York Liberty

Well, after missing the game versus the Aces for rest, Paige Bueckers is once again ruled out and will be cheering from the sidelines for her teammates. And it makes perfect sense—this year has been physically demanding for her. First, she made an incredible run with UConn, driving them toward a national championship. Then came the WNBA Draft, followed by intense practice sessions, and within weeks, she was suiting up for the Wings in their regular season campaign.

Since then, she’s been consistently supporting the team, even after suffering a right knee issue on June 28, which was later confirmed to be related to her patellar tendinopathy, not a structural injury. While she did make a brief comeback, participating in the All-Star Weekend as a starter likely added to her fatigue, which is why the team has opted for rest and recovery.

And to be honest, she herself hinted at it too before when she shared, “But we usually either have an off day or a light practice day to where I can recover…Assuming I would either have to play a lot of minutes or be managed, we thought it was the smart thing to do—to rest and recover.” Though Mistretta had initially stated that Bueckers would tentatively start the game versus the Liberty, ESPN has now listed her as out. And yes, she’s not alone.

Dallas Wings

• Maddy Siegrist – Siegrist has been ruled out due to a lingering right knee injury sustained during a key matchup against the Phoenix Mercury on June 11.

• Paige Bueckers – Bueckers is currently listed as out due to rest, with no long-term concerns reported.

• Myisha Hines-Allen – As of late July 2025, Hines-Allen is out with a right lower-leg injury. She was recently photographed wearing a walking boot during practice, and her return date remains uncertain. The team continues to monitor her condition closely.

• Tyasha Harris – Harris suffered a left knee injury during Dallas’s May 27, 2025, game against the Connecticut Sun. The injury required surgery, which was performed by Dr. Tariq Hendawi on June 10 at Trinity Park Surgical Center in Arlington, Texas. She has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

New York Liberty

• Breanna Stewart 

Stewart exited early in the first quarter of a recent game against the Los Angeles Sparks with what was described as a lower-leg injury. She did not return. Follow-up imaging and medical evaluation revealed no major damage, and Stewart is expected to travel with the team on their upcoming road trip. However, her playing status remains uncertain. The absence of the All-Star forward, who averages around 19 PPG and anchors the Liberty defense, would significantly impact team dynamics.

• Nyara Sabally

Sabally has been managing persistent right knee discomfort and recently received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection to aid her recovery. She has been ruled out for approximately 2–3 weeks as a precautionary measure, which rules her out of upcoming matchups, including the one against the Wings.

• Emma Meesseman

The 2019 WNBA Finals MVP and recent EuroBasket standout, Emma Meesseman, is set to join the Liberty. However, her availability is pending P-1A visa approval. The timeline for this process can vary, taking several weeks or even months unless expedited, and will ultimately determine her debut with the team.

Projected Starting 5

Dallas Wings

• • Arike Ogunbowale
  • JJ Quinerly
  • DiJonai Carrington
  • Luisa Geiselsöder
  • Li Yueru

New York Liberty

• •  Sabrina Ionescu
  • Natasha Cloud
  • Leonie Fiebich
  • Jonquel Jones
  • Kennedy Burke

So, how would the game look when key players are out?

Heading into the upcoming game, Wings face significant challenges on the second night of a back-to-back, coming off a crushing 106–80 loss to the Las Vegas Aces. Still without their leading scorer and playmaker Paige Bueckers, they’ve struggled to find any offensive rhythm.

And now, their record sits at 7–19, and fatigue could play a critical role after such a physically and mentally draining defeat. On the other hand, Liberty sits comfortably atop the Eastern Conference at 17–7 and has proven itself consistent even when navigating roster changes, despite the recent loss.

And while they’re coming up without Stewie, they remain structurally sound and defensively versatile. It’s because key players like Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud can step up to maintain control on both ends of the floor. So, you know Liberty’s deeper rotation gives them a clear edge against a depleted Dallas bench that has lacked the same level of impact or consistency.

So, Liberty’s defensive discipline and ability to dictate pace could be a serious hurdle for the Wings, especially with limited recovery time. Well, New York is favored by 8 points and has covered the spread in five of its last six games, while Dallas has managed to cover just twice in the same span.

Even historically, the Liberty have also had the upper hand in head-to-head matchups, which adds further weight to their current advantage going into this contest. So, you know why even ESPN predicts Liberty to win the game by 69.9%.