Did you guys notice? Paige Bueckers and DiJonai Carrington have quickly become the comic relief we didn’t know we needed, just weeks into playing together. Whether it’s Bueckers leaning into Carrington’s media interview to mess with her, or Carrington joking that Paige is “bothersome,” their playful bond is impossible to miss. And honestly, it’s the kind of chemistry that helps uplift team morale, especially when the Dallas Mavericks are sitting at the bottom of the 13-team league with a dismal record of 1-10. But is it just about jokes?

Certainly not! The friendship between the Wings’ teammates has grown beyond playful banter—they’ve developed a bond where words are no longer necessary. That bond was on full display when Carrington found herself in a heated moment with Satou Sabally during the game against the Mercury, and Bueckers instinctively stepped in, positioning herself between Carrington and the live broadcast cameras to block the scene. She did it without hesitation, while Carrington walked alongside Sabally with a hand on her shoulder.

And it was a timely gesture, as the spotlight was quickly shifting to Carrington’s postgame behavior for all the wrong reasons. This all unfolded when the Wings visited Phoenix Arena to face the Mercury, who sit second in the Western Conference. It was an emotional night for Carrington, her first game since losing her grandfather. But that emotion didn’t slow her down—in fact, she came out even more fierce, picking up two personal fouls early on.

Interestingly, the kind of physical play Carrington is usually associated with seemed to flip sides, as Satou Sabally racked up five fouls and dominated with her aggressive energy. She kept pushing through until the final buzzer, and although Dallas fell 80–93, Carrington never took her eyes off Sabally’s on-court behavior. Tension boiled over after the game when Carrington made her way toward the Mercury’s huddle, seemingly trying to confront Sabally and others.

As cameras caught the moment, Paige Bueckers, fresh off a 35-point performance, was heard saying, “Let’s go this way… we stink,” clearly trying to de-escalate the situation and lead her team off the court. Though Carrington and Sabally shared a brief hug after the game, the drama didn’t stop there.

During the final handshake line, trash talk reignited between the teams. And, the things got heated until teammates and staff rushed in to separate the two sets of players. And just like that, Dallas not only extended their losing streak to five but also added another chapter to the growing criticism surrounding Carrington.

Despite Paige Bueckers’ heroics, DiJonai Carrington let the team down in more than one way

Well, Carrington’s rise in the WNBA has been fueled by her elite defensive intensity, but in 2025, that same intensity is starting to raise serious concerns. What began as a reputation for being a “hard-nosed defender” has now spiraled into a pattern of plays that many are labeling as reckless—or even dirty.

With her minutes nearly doubling from last season, Carrington has taken on more responsibility and embraced a level of physicality that sometimes goes beyond what the game allows. Even her former coach, Stephanie White, once admitted that they didn’t mind her inconsistent offense because her defense was that valuable. Yet, the “by-any-means” approach Carrington has adopted lately is beginning to test that philosophy.

Now, things are getting even more intense, as she’s been at the center of multiple controversial plays—for instance, pulling an opponent’s hair as they went down, or the flagrant foul on Skylar Diggins-Smith after striking her in the head during a fast-break block attempt.

What she saw today, though, was a taste of her own medicine in the form of Satou Sabally. While Sabally’s approach wasn’t as harsh as Carrington’s, every play she made matched Carrington’s competitiveness. Sabally had a well-rounded and impactful performance, pulling down 9 rebounds—8 of them on the defensive end.

Her rebounding helped limit Dallas’ second-chance opportunities and allowed her team to control the tempo. She also added 2 assists, contributing to ball movement, although she did commit 2 turnovers in the process. What truly stood out was her ability to stay engaged throughout the game. She even chipped in with a steal, though her aggressive play did result in 5 personal fouls, something that could be a concern in tighter matchups. Still, Sabally sent a clear message to Carrington: two can play this game.