NFL
By: Nick Andre
The Atlanta Dream displayed a bounce-back performance in their 82-73 victory over the Indiana Fever Sunday afternoon. After dropping two straight on the road, the team returned home and grabbed their 15th win of the season, which is their most in five seasons. The biggest story of the afternoon was Rhyne Howard. After struggling over the previous week, Howard delivered a top-notch performance that resulted in a Dream win.
Since the second half of the WNBA season, it’s been an up-and-down journey for the Dream. The team was red hot over the last month as they went on a seven-game winning streak. Due to their mid-season success, head coach Tanisha Wright was named Coach of the Month for July.
Things took a turn over the recent few weeks. The schedule began to get tougher and the Dream found themselves in matchups against top-tier contenders. Atlanta lost five of their previous seven games that included teams like the Las Vegas Aces, Connecticut Sun, and New York Liberty. Despite the losses, it allowed the Dream to figure out areas they needed to work on. As a young team, it was great to see them put to the test against some of the WNBA’s best teams.
Heading into Sunday’s matchup, Rhyne Howard averaged only 10.2 points in her previous five games. Give credit to team defenses for making things uncomfortable and forcing her to alter shots. Sunday’s matchup against the Fever was not only important to the team but also to Howard. It was an opportunity for her to get back on track and show why she’s the best player on the Dream.
Once again, Howard continues to show her fluidity on offense. She’s a smooth operator with the ball and her ability to operate in the mid-range is superior. Howard got off to a great start in the first half with 11 points on 45 percent shooting. As she led the charge in the first half, the Dream held a nine-point lead heading into the locker room.
During the fourth quarter, the Fever began climbing back from a double-digit deficit. While Aliyah Boston continued to lead the charge offensively, Kelsey Mitchell and Erica Wheeler were also big contributors to their comeback. As many have seen in her young career, Rhyne Howard lives for the big moments. She’s calm and collected while knocking down big shots late in the fourth quarter.
Howard knocked down two clutch baskets down the stretch along the left wing. Her production offensively continued to give Atlanta a spark and eventually allowed them to come out on top in an 82-73 victory. Howard led the contest with 24 points on 50 percent shooting. In a much-needed win, the Dream’s leader delivered when it mattered most.
During her post-game interview, The Atlanta Voice’s Meghan Hall asked Howard what her superpowers were, referring to her ability to play well down the stretch. “I have the ability to stay focused and poised when the game is getting tough,” Howard answered. The comment shows the true definition of a leader. Howard never allows the outside noise to distract her from her ultimate goal. Her only job is to lead her team to a win and she succeeded on Sunday afternoon.
After returning home for one game, the Dream head back to the west coast for a three-game road trip. The schedule doesn’t get easier as they plan to face the Aces next week to cap off the road trip. For Howard, the goal is to continue her momentum from Sunday’s game and carry it over moving forward.
