NFL
By: Nick Andre
The Atlanta Dream luckily started the second half of the season on a strong note. Thanks to a go-ahead basket by Allisha Gray, they rallied in a late-game comeback to steal an 82-81 win over the Dallas Wings. The ability to close the game down the stretch shows the resilience that the Dream have as a collective. Despite struggling on offense, they hung their hat on defense, which played a major role in their comeback.
The win is another indication that the expectations are high for the Dream. With the roster assembled, this is a team that is in the race for championship contention. They feature three All-Stars on their team who are all dynamic on both ends of the floor. While the Dream are one of the top teams in the WNBA, there are questions about whether they’re good enough to compete with teams like the Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty, and others. To prove that they are, their star players will have to continue to elevate their game to a higher level.
Rhyne Howard is one of the players that WNBA fans are waiting to unleash. Through five seasons of her career, Howard has been one of the more prominent figures in the league. She was the starting point in the Dream rebuilding their roster and has been the vocal point in their growth over the past few years. While Howard has found success in her early career, she still has another level that she has to go to lead the Dream to becoming favorites.
The Dream believed that Howard could be the franchise player. Truthfully, who could blame them? Coming out of Kentucky, Howard stood out amongst her peers as one of the elite scorers in college basketball. She is a sniper on the perimeter and can also attack driving lanes to score inside. When looking at all of the attributes Howard brings to the floor, there’s no question she has the talent to be a franchise player.
However, being the franchise leader requires more than just being the best player on the floor. It requires responsibility to be consistent both on and off the floor. Consistency has been an issue with Howard throughout her career. While she has moments where she can dominate, there are also moments where she is not playing at her best. When Howard doesn’t play at her best, it weakens the chance for the Dream to win games. The reason is that they’re missing the leadership of their alpha, who is supposed to take them to the promised land.
Howard recorded only 9 points on 30 percent shooting against the Wings, which included going scoreless in the first half. Opposing teams realize when their best player isn’t at her best. The Wings managed to take advantage of Howard being a non-factor as they got off to a strong start to the game. Why did Howard go scoreless in the first half? The reason is due to not fully engaged and in attack mode. Luckily, Howard managed to become a better factor in the second half, which played a role in the Dream’s come-from-behind win.
It’s not the first time that Rhyne Howard wasn’t a big factor in a game. The Dream’s season has been a rollercoaster affair that’s featured big wins alongside disappointing losses. When the Dream lose games, their issues are always glaring. While Howard has displayed big scoring performances, she’s also produced three single-digit scoring affairs. As a scorer of her caliber, being a non-factor offensively doesn’t help the Dream’s chances. Even if Howard can’t buy a basket, she has to continue to find ways to be effective as a decision-maker.
Luckily, the second half of the season is a great opportunity for the Dream to build consistency. As for Rhyne Howard, the biggest question is how she can lead her team to a strong finish before the playoffs. Everything starts from within as Howard has to be engaged mentally to lead her team. As her full focus is on being her best, that’s how she can set the tone for her teammates to also be at their best.
Last season, the Dream’s title hopes fell short in the first round as they were eliminated by the Indiana Fever. This time, they want to change the outcome. Based on the roster that they’ve built, the ceiling should be WNBA Finals-bound. However, to do so, the Dream will need Rhyne Howard to elevate her play to a superstar level.
