Atlanta Dream falls short by 13 points in fierce battle

Atlanta, GA — The Atlanta Dream faced a tough challenge last night, falling to the Minnesota Lynx in a high-energy game that ended with a 13-point deficit. Despite a valiant effort, the final score stood at 79-92 in favor of the Lynx.

From the kick-off, the Dream showed their tenacity, keeping pace with Lynx throughout the first quarter. The opening period ended with Lynx holding a narrow 28-25 lead. Allisha Gray had a great first quarter as she led the charge after an early Minnesota rush.

Gray and forward Naz Hillmon combined for 10 points in four minutes. Hillmon also recorded the first 3-pointer of her WNBA career in the fourth quarter. Gray led all scoring with seven points and two assists in the first quarter. She accounted for 52.2 percent of the Dream’s points in the first quarter and also created five Atlanta points with assists.

“I thought in the first quarter we did a little bit better than what we did, as far as the start of the first quarter, so I was really proud of that,” head coach Tanisha Wright said .

However, it was in the second quarter that the Lynx began to widen the gap, leveraging their defensive prowess and capitalizing on turnovers to establish a four-point halftime lead. The Dream outscored the Lynx in the paint 22-18 in the first half and outscored Minnesota’s bench by 10.

Lynx star guard Kayla McBride had a standout performance, scoring 31 points and contributing significantly to her team’s offensive efforts. Napheesa Collier also made her presence felt with 20 points and eight rebounds, dominating the paint against a formidable Dream frontcourt. Despite their efforts, the Lynx’s balanced scoring and strong bench performance proved too much for the Dream to overcome.

“I thought our ball screen defense was really bad tonight. We didn’t execute on ball screens and as a result they were able to pick us apart all night. So we have to get to the drawing board, we have to improve. We have to take advantage of every opportunity we have to improve,” said Coach Wright.

The Dream’s offensive strategy was led by Rhyne Howard, who led all scorers with 23 points, six steals and four rebounds, demonstrating her MVP skills. Tina Charles’ playmaking abilities were also on full display, as she grabbed four rebounds to complement her 14 points, orchestrating the offense with precision.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus finished just short of a double-double, finishing with 10 points and eight rebounds. The Atlanta bench outscored Minnesota 25-9. Naz Hillmon and Aerial Powers led the Dream bench, tied with nine points each. The Dream surpassed their previous season high in a game with 22 assists in the match.

This defeat drops the Dream’s youth record to 2-2 this season. The team will need to regroup quickly as they prepare to face the Washington Mystics in their next game. With veteran leadership and a talented roster, the team remains a formidable force in the WNBA.