Two games on Tuesday's slate, and the headline belongs to one of the rarest stat lines in the sport. Jessica Shepard recorded a genuine triple-double to lead Dallas past New York, orchestrating the Wings' offense from the frontcourt in a way that turned a competitive first quarter into a comfortable win. And in Chicago, the Sky's defense and depth were too much for Phoenix, with Kamilla Cardoso anchoring a four-block, two-way performance that helped the Sky pull away in the fourth. Here's how it all went down.

Dallas Wings 88, New York Liberty 77

Dallas trailed by two after a tight first quarter, and then completely took over. The Wings outscored New York 29-11 in the second quarter, a stretch that effectively decided the game before halftime, and cruised from there despite the Liberty's better fourth-quarter push. Final: 88-77, Dallas.

Jessica Shepard was the story of the night and one of the best individual performances of the season. She went 11-of-16 from the field for 22 points at 68.8 percent true shooting, grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished 11 assists, completing a full triple-double while committing just four turnovers. Her 71.4 percent conversion rate in the paint (10-of-14) reflected a player who was scoring, rebounding, and setting up teammates in equal measure all night. Awak Kuier added a double-double of her own with 10 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 3-of-4 from three, and dishing seven assists with only one turnover. Paige Bueckers contributed 15 points on a quieter shooting night (5-of-15) but drew four fouls and added six assists with just one turnover. Azzi Fudd chipped in 12 points on 6-of-13 shooting with two steals. Dallas's 29 assists on 35 made field goals reflected one of the most cohesive offensive performances of the season for the Wings.

New York had bright spots but could not overcome Dallas's second-quarter surge. Breanna Stewart was excellent, going 10-of-16 from the field for 29 points at 69.6 percent true shooting with nine rebounds and four assists, drawing six fouls along the way. Jonquel Jones posted a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 3-of-6 from three. Sabrina Ionescu struggled offensively, going 5-of-15 for 14 points with four turnovers. New York's 14 fast-break points and 90.9 percent free throw shooting were not enough to offset a 19.2 percent three-point shooting night (5-of-26) that left the Liberty searching for offense outside of Stewart and Jones all game.

DAL 88 · NYL 77

Chicago Sky 77, Phoenix Mercury 66

Chicago opened with a dominant 24-15 first quarter and never let Phoenix fully climb back into it. Both teams traded competitive stretches in the middle frames, but the Sky's defense, generating 11 steals and forcing 20 Phoenix turnovers, proved decisive by the fourth quarter. Final: 77-66, Chicago.

Kamilla Cardoso was the two-way anchor for the Sky, going 4-of-7 from the field for nine points with four assists, two steals, and four blocks. Her defensive presence in the paint disrupted Phoenix's interior game throughout, and her playmaking from the center position added another dimension to Chicago's offense. Sydney Taylor led Chicago in scoring with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting (3-of-7 from three), and Natasha Cloud added 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting (3-of-7 from three) with six assists against just one turnover. Azura Stevens grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double despite a rough shooting night, and Aicha Coulibaly provided efficient bench scoring, going 2-of-3 for eight points with seven rebounds. Chicago's 25 points off Phoenix's turnovers and their 40.7 percent three-point shooting as a team were the two categories that defined the win.

Phoenix got a strong individual scoring effort but not enough support around it. Kahleah Copper led all scorers with 25 points on 9-of-19 shooting (4-of-10 from three), though four turnovers and a tech foul reflected a night where her aggression occasionally worked against her. Alyssa Thomas added 11 points with five assists, four steals, and a tech foul of her own, but five turnovers were costly. DeWanna Bonner shot 3-of-6 for 12 points with seven rebounds. Phoenix's 20 total turnovers, more than any team has committed in a single game this season, were simply too many to overcome against a Chicago defense that made them pay for nearly every one.

CHI 77 · PHO 66

Tuesday's slate delivered a historic individual achievement and a statement defensive performance. Shepard's triple-double is the kind of stat line that comes around rarely, and her ability to fill the box score in every category while running Dallas's offense from the frontcourt was the difference in a game against a quality New York roster. Chicago's win over Phoenix showed the value of a complete two-way center in Cardoso, whose four blocks and playmaking helped turn a competitive game into a comfortable Sky win despite a big individual scoring night from Copper.

Star of the Night: Jessica Shepard, Dallas Wings

22 points | 11-of-16 FG | 68.8% true shooting | 12 rebounds | 11 assists | Triple-Double

A triple-double is one of the rarest achievements in basketball, and Shepard's version came with elite efficiency to match: 68.8 percent true shooting while filling every column of the box score. She was the engine of Dallas's win from start to finish, and there is no argument against this selection.

Dud of the Night: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty

14 points | 5-of-15 FG | 4 turnovers | 33.3% field goal percentage

Ionescu's 5-of-15 shooting night in a game New York needed secondary scoring support behind Stewart and Jones reflects a performance that didn't provide the offensive punch the Liberty needed. Four turnovers compounded the inefficiency in a game decided largely in the second quarter, when New York could have used more from their starting backcourt to stay competitive.