Aces hand Dream sixth straight loss

The Dream are currently on their longest losing streak since losing 11 consecutive games in 2021.

“I thought we had a really good fight and really good push to make the game more interesting down the stretch,” said Dream coach Tanisha Wright. “I’m enjoying coaching the fight of this team right now.

Vegas (15-7) led almost the entire way after starting the game with an 8-0 run. The Dream briefly took the lead in the second quarter with an 8-0 run, but A’ja Wilson’s three 3-pointers helped the Aces regain the lead.

Wilson ended with 33 points and 18 rebounds, along with three steals and five blocks. It was Wilson’s seventh game this season with 30+ points, setting a new career high.

“Playing against [Wilson] is always fun,” said Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, who scored 17 points for the Dream. “It gives me a competitive edge. She’s a great player. It’s hard to stop her. I just try to go back at her and make her play defense as well.”

In their first matchup in 2024, which ended in a 78-74 Dream win on May 31, the Aces were missing Chelsea Gray. Gray made an impact in this game, contributing with five points, five assists, and three boards.

“Chelsea is an Olympian and she’s the best point guard in this league, hands down,” Wright mentioned. “She’s a floor general [who] leads their team. She’s an amazing playmaker. It takes things off everyone else’s shoulder.”

Vegas led by as much as 17 and Atlanta struggled to make a comeback in the second half. The Dream made a late push in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to eight points before the Aces ultimately secured the win.

After a series of events led by the Aces, they built a comfortable lead of 82-66 with a minute remaining.

“We have to continue to fight,” Wright emphasized. “When we have opportunities down the stretch to hone in and focus and execute both offensively and defensively in terms of our schemes and not get fatigued, (continuing to fight) is basically it. We have to focus down the stretch. I love the fight this team is giving. We understand we’re without some big guns – some really good players. That’s OK. That’s just part of it. We have to continue to fight and play hard.”

A positive note for the Dream was their performance in the paint, outscoring the Aces 42-16. However, Vegas made 12 3-pointers and shot 41.4% as a team.

“You get points in the paint when you’re running in transition,” Wright explained. “That’s something that has been an emphasis for us for the last month. We’re getting some easy points. I thought [Parker-Tyus] did a great job of not settling and getting points in the paint as well.”

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Another positive was Maya Caldwell’s return to the Dream after being signed in June. Caldwell started and scored 13 points. In her previous stints, she showed promise with the Dream and the Indiana Fever.

“Every time I come [to the Dream], the energy is great,” Caldwell mentioned. “The goal remains the same: to win, to compete and to keep pushing forward no matter what the outcome. The energy was the same [this season] as it was two years ago.”

Atlanta will play two more games on the road before the All-Star and Olympic break. The Dream will face Seattle and then Minnesota before taking a month-long hiatus.

With key players injured, including Aerial Powers, Jordin Canada, and Rhyne Howard, the break will give the Dream a chance to regroup and recover.

“I think clearly for us it will be a wanted and needed stoppage for us to get healthy for sure,” Wright added.