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Dallas Wings beat Portland 101-97; Shepard records triple-double

7/23/2026

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Summary

Shepard Triple-Double

Dallas Wings beat Portland Fire 101-97 on Wednesday night.
Jessica Shepard posted a triple-double with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
Dallas outrebounded Portland 35-22, grabbed nine offensive rebounds for 16 points and handed out 28 assists.
Sarah Ashlee Barker exited in the first quarter after a hard fall that injured her left knee.

Summary

Fernandez Weighs Rest

Coach Jose Fernandez is weighing whether to rest star guard Paige Bueckers before the All-Star break.
If Bueckers sits, Odyssey Sims will start at guard and Awak Kuier will see expanded minutes at forward/center.
Paige Bueckers was cleared of concussion but remains questionable because of soreness and will start the All-Star Game on Saturday.

History

Historical Context

The WNBA’s All-Star tradition began in 1999 at Madison Square Garden, where the West beat the East 79–61 and Lisa Leslie earned MVP honors. After Sheryl Swoopes recorded the league’s first triple-double in 1998, Jessica Shepard’s triple-double in the Dallas Wings’ 101-97 win revives that rarity, prompting coaches to manage star minutes before the mid-season All-Star break.

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Shepard Triple-Double

Dallas Wings beat Portland Fire 101-97 on Wednesday night.
Jessica Shepard posted a triple-double with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
Dallas outrebounded Portland 35-22, grabbed nine offensive rebounds for 16 points and handed out 28 assists.
Sarah Ashlee Barker exited in the first quarter after a hard fall that injured her left knee.

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