The Dallas Wings may not be in the playoff race, but they’re in the game when it comes to playing spoiler. Against the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night, that’s exactly what they did. Paige Bueckers & Co. improved their record to 9-24, and in the process, helped the Lynx seal their spot in the postseason. That win, snatched from a playoff contender, deserved some celebrations. But did they cross a line? Well, Indy fans aren’t laughing. Or maybe they did just that.

Right after the game, the Dallas Wings did not hold back on the trolling. With a cheeky play on words, the social media team wrote: “next time you have a fever, please call out.” Having gone 1-3 against Stephanie White & Co. this regular season, that was enough to fire up the opposing fan base, but the Wings did not stop there.

The team followed it up with “better luck next time,” written upside down– a reference to the Fever x Stranger Things promotions that have been in place. Yes, they were on the winning side this time — a rare sight this season. And they earned it.

Chris Koclanes’ squad led by as many as 17 points in the fourth quarter, in a game most didn’t expect to swing in their favor. They were missing Arike Ogunbowale, after all. But the credit goes to Maddy Siegrist, who led Dallas at halftime with 12 points, alongside Paige Bueckers, who added eight. That helped offset two separate 9-0 runs by the Fever in the second quarter, tying the game at halftime, 42-42.

From there, it was all Siegrist. First, she drilled her third three-pointer of the night during a massive 19-0 third-quarter run that put Dallas back in front, 65-52. And by the end of the third, she already had a season-high 20 points with a full quarter still to play.

Finally, she tied her career-high single-game scoring mark of 22 with the first bucket of the fourth, catching a slick outlet pass from Hines-Allen. Well, that performance was enough to seal an 81-80 win over an Indiana Fever team that currently sits sixth in the WNBA standings.

But, while Wings fans were elated with the win, Fever fans had plenty to say about the team’s social media shade.

Fans torch Dallas Wings following the sly dig

The post clearly did not sit well with the Fever fans who came out with brutal truths. “Have fun in the playoffs, oh wait,” one of the comments remarked. Well, Dallas is currently 12th in the standings at 9-24, with just 11 games left to play. And…winning all 11 would be a miracle, and even then, their playoff chances would still be minimal.

But that’s been the reality for this team despite having the No. 1 overall pick, Paige Bueckers and a young team full of potential. Curt Miller was confident this was a roster enough to float in the middle of the table, but it just did not translate on the court. “Aren’t yall in second to last place in the standings?” 

Only the Connecticut Sun sit below Koclanes’ squad so close to the playoffs. The team has shown flashes of brilliance, including the 92-82 win against the Liberty, the 14-point lead against the Mystics by the first half, or even the near-dominance against the Fever. But Buckers & Co. haven’t been very successful in holding down the fort.

Kelsey Mitchell took the injury-ridden squad on a 19-2 run in the 4th quarter to nearly deny the Wings their 9th win. So, no surprise the fans were sour. “Congratulations on winning a 1-pt game to an injured Fever squad,” came another comment.

The Fever team Dallas faced Tuesday was far from full strength. While Aari McDonald is out with a broken bone in her foot, Sydney Colson tore her ACL and both are out for the remainder of the season. That, too, when Caitlin Clark is still not back in the lineup despite completing her initial recovery timeline. Yes, the Fever recently signed Odyssey Sims to a seven-day hardship contract, but she contributed just two assists in 13 minutes.

So, you know defeating a Fever squad without backcourt depth is far easier than facing the team they had before August 7. “That’s rich for a win that was in no way, shape, or form deserved. Enjoy big #9,” one wrote.

Still, Indy had multiple chances to win — but fans think officiating played a role. “Dallas Wings beat Fever and Refs in this game — the Refs almost stole it…” one user claimed.

From Caitlin Clark to head coach Stephanie White, the frustration was visible as the disparity in fouls was obvious early. In the second quarter, Clark was seen physically holding back her coach from charging at the officials over a no-call on Cunningham. She also went on to stop Aliyah Boston during her confrontation with the refs. The HC even went so far as to claim that the Fever forward is the worst officiated player in the league, that hardly any calls are made for her. Seems like the sentiment in common among the fans.

But, despite the accusations, the Fever finished with 17 fouls (including the flagrant 1) compared to the Wings’ 19. Still, Dallas’ effort was enough to disrupt Indiana’s playoff flow, dropping the Fever to a .545 winning percentage. Meanwhile, the Wings? They’re now simply playing for lottery odds in the upcoming draft. Who knows — maybe they’ll land Azzi Fudd next year.