rewrite this content and keep HTML tags (remove this from content : rewrite this content and keep HTML tags)
The Atlanta Dream is steamrolling the WNBA — is a first-ever title incoming? originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Atlanta Dream won again on Sunday. Amid a six-game, 12-day road trip, the Dream arrived at Chase Center and blew out the Valkyries, outscoring Golden State 54-38 in the second half of a 79-63 victory in San Francisco.
Advertisement
The win moved Atlanta into sole possession of second place in the WNBA standings. The Dream’s 22 wins are one behind the team record set in 2018 — which marks the last time Atlanta won a playoff series. At the current rate, that drought is going to end here in 2025.
MORE:Â Wings’ Paige Bueckers faces more scrutiny in WNBA Rookie of the Year race
The Dream only seems to be getting stronger as Atlanta pursues the #2 seed and a first-ever WNBA championship. Buoyed by MVP candidate Allisha Gray, the Dream is firing on all cylinders at the moment, with Atlanta’s 16-point victory on Sunday marking the fifth time this month that the Dream has won a game by double-digits.
Under first-year head coach Karl Smesko, the Dream has the league’s second-best offensive rating, its second-best defensive rating and its second-best net rating behind the league-leading Minnesota Lynx. Gray is seventh in scoring at 18.6 points per game; All-Star teammate Rhyne Howard is not far behind, averaging 16.4 per night.
Advertisement
Atlanta’s frontcourt rotation of Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones melds strong defense with reliable interior scoring. Forward Naz Hillmon has developed a 3-point shot she can hit at a 31 percent clip. Rookie Te-Hina PaoPao, a draft night steal at 18th overall, is shooting better than 42 percent from 3-point range and showing a comfort far beyond her years in the Dream offense.
On a scalding stretch of nine wins from 11 games, Atlanta’s road trip will finally end Tuesday night in Las Vegas. Win or lose, this stretch of games has demonstrated to the WNBA that come September, the championship Dream is very much alive in the Peach State.
MORE WNBA NEWS:
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/Courtney-Williams-and-Natisha-Hiedeman-877-090925-ab2c88fc35c54483ac325927f948189e.jpg?w=350&resize=350,250&ssl=1 "WNBA’s StudBudz Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman Dye Their Hair ‘Period Red’")
