A little birdie told us Dallas and Indiana fans are feeling blue. It’s fair because the much-hyped August 12 Caitlin Clark vs. Paige Bueckers showdown is off the table. Clark has officially been ruled out of the matchup. But don’t cancel those Gainbridge Fieldhouse plans just yet. We crunched the numbers and found another reason to snag a ticket for August 14. It’s because Paige Bueckers turns into a certified Fever-killer every time she sees Indy’s colors. You already know she torched them for her second-highest scoring night of the season, with 27 points.

But guess what? The other two times she has faced Indiana, she’s still made them sweat and work hard for those wins. Here’s the damage:

So, if Paige Bueckers laces ’em up tonight, the Fever better bring more than hustle. Actually, they’ll need a full-on survival plan to turn their hat trick over Dallas into a clean season sweep. After all, Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson are out as well. So, the moment Underdog WNBA dropped the tweet, “Paige Bueckers (back) probable for Tuesday,” fans across the W lit up like it was playoff time.

And honestly, who can blame them? Every time Indiana’s on the other side, Bueckers shows no signs of stopping. Have a look:

Going through this, you can tell that Paige Bueckers’ scoring jumps from a solid 18.5 PPG to a sizzling 23.3, like she’s saving her best work just for the Fever. She even cranks her shooting up to a cool 53.3% from the field. Even her steals are more than usual. But is this showing enough to be crowned as the Rookie of the Year? Well, that’s where things get interesting, because Paige Bueckers might not be running away with the Rookie of the Year crown after all.

Paige Bueckers and the Complicated Race to ROTY

For most of the season, the Rookie of the Year award seemed like a lock. It was practically already stamped with Paige Bueckers’ name. But now, Washington Mystics rookie Sonia Citron is crashing the conversation, and she’s doing it with a level of consistency that’s impossible to ignore, no matter where she plays. Citron’s latest 18-point performance against the Dallas Wings powered the Mystics to a 91–78 victory. On top of that, it also extended her streak to eight straight games scoring in double figures. As Yahoo Sports put it, “Sonia Citron is a BUCKET 😌 … 8th-straight game in double-figures 🔥.”

And this isn’t just a random hot streak. Citron has been making her case all season, piece by piece. She already torched Dallas earlier this year with a career-high 27 points, snatched an overtime win from them with clutch plays, and even hung 26 points on the Minnesota Lynx. She’s proving she can score, defend, and lead without showing any of the rookie nerves you’d expect. But what makes her a real threat to Bueckers’ ROY chances is how well-rounded her game is right now.

Against the Wings, Citron outplayed Paige Bueckers in multiple areas. She did it all while looking calm, efficient, and totally unshaken. She’s got the basketball IQ to find the right openings, create great shots, and dish to teammates when defenses overplay her. Throw in her focus and determination, and you’ve got a rookie who is directly impacting wins.

For Dallas, that means every game against the Mystics is a potential trap. For Paige Bueckers, it means the ROTY race that once looked like a sure thing is now a tight battle down the stretch.