Bueckers says she pulled back muscle vs. Liberty, will take it 'day to day'

NEW YORK (AP) — Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers said Tuesday night she thinks she has a pulled back muscle and will be taking “day to day.”

Bueckers, the No. 1 pick in the draft, left Tuesday night's game against the New York Liberty with 2:37 left in the third quarter and went to the locker room with tightness in her back. She said she stretched the back and received a massage gun treatment before returning to the bench at the start of the fourth and playing in the final period. She finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists in an 85-76 loss.

“I was just dribbling the ball and just felt a tightness come along,” she said of the moment of the strain. “It’s day to day. I’m hoping it won’t take me out. Just get some treatment, get some rest.

“I think it’s just a pulled muscle. I felt a strain, felt it tighten, so am just getting it worked out."

Bueckers is averaging 18.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists in her rookie season. She leads a struggling Dallas team in points, assists, steals and blocks.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball