Updated 2026 WNBA Playoffs Bracket Picture and Standings After Paige Bueckers, Wings Clinch Berth

The Dallas Wings are heading to the WNBA playoffs for the first time since 2023.

Dallas clinched a spot in the 2026 postseason Tuesday with a 96-78 win over the Portland Fire. The Wings clinched the final playoff spot, meaning the Fire have been eliminated from postseason contention.

Now that the Wings are officially in, their attention will turn toward the battle for seeding. They are currently in eighth place in the WNBA standings and playoff picture

The eighth seed will play the first seed in the first round of the WNBA playoff bracket, meaning Dallas could be in store for a showdown against the Minnesota Lynx if the current playoff position holds.

Dallas making the playoffs represents one of the most impressive turnarounds in recent league history, as it was an ugly 10-34 last season and 9-31 during the 2024 campaign. It ended up with the first overall pick of the 2025 and 2026 WNBA drafts, and it turned to UConn's backcourt each time as it built the foundation for a contender.

Paige Bueckers wasted little time establishing herself as one of the WNBA's biggest stars after the Wings took her with the first pick in 2025. She captured the Rookie of the Year and was an All-WNBA Second Team selection as a bright spot for a struggling club.

Dallas then gave her a familiar teammate when it selected Azzi Fudd with the first pick in this year's draft. While Fudd hasn't been quite as dominant as Bueckers, she provided immediate shooting on the wing and remains one of the best in the league from long distance.

Playing alongside Bueckers certainly makes life easier for her and the rest of the Wings, as the guard draws plenty of defensive attention and creates openings for all of her teammates. She was once again an All-Star in her second season and has taken a leap to become an even more dominant playmaker.

In fact, she has remained in MVP discussions for much of the season, and an All-WNBA First Team selection would be anything but a surprise.

While Bueckers has been the driving force behind Dallas' turnaround with Fudd providing important secondary contributions, it hasn't all been about the youth movement.

Veterans Arike Ogunbowale and Jessica Shepard have made their presence felt with leadership and much-needed offense. They are each averaging better than 14 points a night, while Shepard is a double-double threat every time she steps on the floor.

Her inside presence provides balance and offensive versatility, which helps the Wings make opponents pay when they focus too much on the perimeter with Bueckers and the wing with Ogunbowale.

The Wings may be a season or two ahead of schedule with such a dramatic turnaround, but they are a threat to anyone in the playoffs with a superstar like Bueckers who can take over at a moment's notice and a solid supporting cast in place.