By Advait Jajodia
The Dallas Wings have staged a mid-season turnaround, redeeming themselves after a rough 1-11 start. Thursday鈥檚 98-89 win over the Phoenix Mercury marked their fifth win in the last seven games.Wings rookie Paige Bueckers made it clear the team鈥檚 improved performances haven’t surprised her.”I feel like we鈥檝e always had it in us,鈥 Bueckers said. 鈥淚f you look at our games they鈥檙e always never out of hand鈥.I feel like our record could鈥檝e been flipped…We鈥檝e always had it in us鈥e’re learning, we鈥檙e growing, a whole new team.鈥滲ueckers and Aziaha James combined for 51 points to lead the Wings past the #3 Mercury. The victory showcased the firepower in the Dallas roster capable of challenging any powerhouse.During this turnaround stretch, the Wings have taken down three of the top six teams in the league – the Golden State Valkyries, Atlanta Dream and Phoenix Mercury 鈥 climbing up to 10th in the standings.Paige Bueckers has emerged as the Wings鈥 go-to player during this 5-2 run. While she missed the June 28 matchup against the Washington Mystics, the guard has averaged 20.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in her last six games.Paige Bueckers has a historic outing at the College Park CenterThe Dallas Wings concluded their four-game homestand on a high with a victory over the Phoenix Mercury. While the win will boost the team’s morale heading into a tough stretch of games, it holds even greater significance for Paige Bueckers.Bueckers put up 23 points and etched her name into the record books for multiple reasons. She became the fastest rookie since Seimone Augustus in 2006 to reach 250 career points, achieving the milestone three games quicker than Caitlin Clark.The 23-year-old also joined the elite company of Jennifer Azzi to be the only other rookie in Wings history to post multiple 20+ point games while shooting at least 70% from the field.Paige Bueckers has been averaging 18.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game so far in her WNBA debut campaign, making her an overwhelming favorite to win the Rookie of the Year honors. Additionally, earning a well-deserved spot as an All-Star Game starter would also witness a major boost to her confidence.