Paige Bueckers bests Caitlin Clark as Dallas Wings show they're for real

INDIANAPOLIS — The Dallas Wings are the real deal. Paige Bueckers got the best of Caitlin Clark in their much-anticipated matchup and the Wings served notice to the rest of the WNBA their preseason dominance was no fluke with a 107-104 win over the Indiana Fever on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the opening game for both teams. After being at or near the bottom of the WNBA standings the last two seasons, this Wings team is built to be a contender.

As for Clark and the Fever, they're still a work in progress. The W had big hopes for this game -- a nationally televised matchup featuring the last four No. 1 picks, including Clark and Bueckers -- and it didn't disappoint.

Sure, it was sloppy, with the teams combining for 50 fouls and almost 30 turnovers. What do expect when you have a nanosecond for training camp? But it also showed why the WNBA's popularity is skyrocketing and shows no sign of tailing off.

Bueckers confirmed the faith WNBA GMs had when they tagged her as the player they'd start a team with , scoring 20 on 8-of-10 shooting and adding four assists and three rebounds with just one turnover. Her last bucket, a jumper from just inside the 3-point range, might as well have been the dagger for the Wings. Bueckers squared up from 3-point range, but pulled the ball back when an Indiana defender stepped in front of her and drilled the 2-pointer.