Needing a win to stay alive in the playoff race, the Atlanta Dream emerged victorious over the short-handed Chicago Sky with a score of 86-70 at Gateway Center Arena.
Missing key players like Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, Chennedy Carter, and Diamond DeShields, the Sky struggled to keep up with the Dream. Despite closing the gap in the fourth quarter, Chicago couldn’t match Atlanta’s strong finish.
Jordin Canada led the Dream with 18 points and five assists, while Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray each contributed 15 points. Tina Charles recorded her 193rd double-double, tying Sylvia Fowles for the WNBA’s all-time mark.
A win for Atlanta would secure a playoff spot and set up a first-round matchup against New York. The Liberty clinched the No. 1 seed, benefiting the Dream’s playoff chances. However, Washington still has a chance to claim the No. 8 seed.
In a scenario where Atlanta loses, and Washington wins, the Mystics would own the tiebreaker. With point differential coming into play, Washington currently has a slight edge over Atlanta in the standings.
Seeds No. 1 through No. 5 are (almost) set
The top five playoff seeds are now finalized, with the Fever and Phoenix Mercury locked into the No. 6 and No. 7 seeds, respectively.
The Liberty secured the No. 1 seed, while the Lynx nabbed the No. 2 seed with a thrilling win over the Sun. The Las Vegas Aces clinched at least the No. 4 seed with a victory over the Storm.
A’ja Wilson set a new rebounding record as the Aces positioned themselves for the No. 3 seed. The Storm will settle for the No. 5 seed, while Vegas could potentially move up to No. 3.
