Dallas Blew an 83-81 Lead With 19 Seconds Left, And Emily Engstler's Icy Veins Are Not Getting Enough Credit

Holy cow, you guys! What a wild finish in Portland on Saturday night. If you didn't catch the Portland Fire take on the Dallas Wings, you missed some serious drama. The Fire, our expansion buddies to the south, finally snapped a brutal four-game losing streak, beating the Wings 84-83 in Commissioner's Cup play. And how did they do it? With Emily Engstler stepping up to the line and draining the second of two free throws with just two seconds left on the clock! Talk about clutch.

Carleton Goes Off, Fire Finds a Spark

The Fire needed a win, and they absolutely fought for it. Bridget Carleton was on fire, no pun intended, dropping a team-high 20 points. She was dialed in from deep, hitting 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. That kind of shooting can change a whole game, can't it? Megan Gustafson added a solid 16 points, and Engstler, beyond her game-winning free throw, chipped in 11 points herself. We also saw Sarah Ashlee Barker and Carla Leite each add 10 points. Leite even hit the crucial tying layup just seven seconds before Engstler's heroics. This was their first Commissioner's Cup win in five tries, pushing Portland's record to 7-8 overall. It's about time they got one in the Cup, you know?

Wings Watch a Win Slip Away

Man, Dallas has got to be kicking themselves after this one. Arike Ogunbowale led the Wings with 22 points, showing why she's a force. Azzi Fudd wasn't far behind with 18 points, Aziaha James had 17, and Jessica Shepard pulled down a double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds. The Wings are still looking good in Cup play at 3-2, with two games left before the June 30 championship game. But this one? This one stings. Shepard had a huge three-point play to give Dallas a 76-73 lead, and Fudd even put them up 83-81 with a three-point play with a mere 19 seconds left. You're up two, less than 20 seconds to go, and you let it slip? That's a tough pill to swallow for Dallas fans. What's next for these squads? The Wings have to regroup fast as they host Las Vegas on Monday night. Meanwhile, the Fire will look to build on this momentum, heading to Minnesota on Monday night. For Dallas, those last two Cup games are going to be absolutely massive to see if they can still grab a spot in that championship. For Portland, it's all about riding this high and turning that losing streak into a winning one. You love to see it!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.