NFL
By: Brad Sherrod
When we last saw the Atlanta Dream, they walked off their home floor following a 95-91 overtime loss to the Indiana Fever, with questions surrounding just how good this team really is.
Atlanta has the talent. There’s no questioning that. But as the regular season winds down, the bigger question is whether the Dream can consistently beat the teams they may have to go through in the postseason.
Tuesday night, Atlanta provided an answer.
The Dream bounced back in a major way, defeating the Las Vegas Aces 97-82 on the road behind strong performances from Rhyne Howard, Angel Reese and Allisha Gray. Howard led Atlanta with 23 points, while Reese and Gray each added 21. Reese also grabbed 10 rebounds to record her league-leading 24th double-double of the season.
It was exactly the type of response Atlanta needed.
Just two weeks earlier, the Aces dominated the Dream 109-87 in Atlanta, leading by as many as 28 points. This time, the Dream went into Las Vegas and flipped the script, snapping a six-game road losing streak against the Aces and earning their first victory in Las Vegas since July 2022.
Perhaps even more encouraging was how Atlanta’s stars complemented one another.
Howard provided the scoring punch with 23 points and helped put the game away with a three-point play during Atlanta’s 9-0 run to close the game. Reese impacted both ends of the floor, finishing with 21 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Gray gave the Dream another 21 points, giving Atlanta three 20-point scorers against one of the WNBA’s top teams.
Then there is Jordin Canada.
Canada’s presence remains important for an Atlanta team that looks more organized with its starting point guard on the floor. She doesn’t necessarily have to lead the Dream in scoring to make an impact. Her ability to initiate the offense and allow Howard and Gray to operate more naturally gives Atlanta a different look.
And against Las Vegas, the Dream looked much more like the team many expected them to become.
The Aces still received superstar production from A’ja Wilson, who finished with 27 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks, while Jackie Young added 24 points. Atlanta didn’t need to shut down Vegas’ stars completely. Instead, the Dream countered with balanced production of their own and limited the Aces’ bench to just eight points.
That’s what makes this win significant.
One game doesn’t erase every question surrounding Atlanta, especially with the postseason approaching. But the conversation feels different than it did after Sunday’s loss.
Instead of asking whether the Dream have enough to compete with the WNBA’s best teams, Tuesday provided a glimpse of what Atlanta can look like when its core is clicking.
Howard can take over offensively. Gray provides another dependable scoring option. Reese can impact the game well beyond scoring. Canada gives the Dream stability at point guard.
Atlanta is now 22-13, and if this version of the Dream shows up consistently, the question may no longer be whether they can compete with the top teams in the W.
It may be that no one wants to see them when the playoffs begin.
