WNBA: A closer look at the latest Atlanta Dream-Minnesota Lynx showdown

On Thursday night in College Park, GA, the Atlanta Dream held off the Minnesota Lynx, 75-73, sending the league leaders to a second-straight loss for the first time this season. The victory, which vaulted the Dream back to No. 2 in the WNBA standings, also secured Atlanta a 2-1 season series win over Minnesota.

Swish Appeal’s contributing photographer Christina Merrion was at Gateway Center Arena for the third and final competitive contest between the two title contenders. And here’s what she saw:

Both Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve and Dream head coach Karl Smekso are candidates for the 2025 WNBA Coach of the Year Award. Reeve, last year’s winner, has kept the Lynx on top of the league, despite an extended absence from MVP-candidate Napheesa Collier, while Smesko has ushered in a successful systemic turnaround with the Dream.

The Dream celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander Night in honor of Te-Hina Paopao’s birthday. Paopao, who is of Samoan and Tokelauan descent, finished her 23rd birthday with eight points, four assists and three rebounds as the Dream’s starting point guard. The rookie has now started nine games, in addition to shooting over 40 percent from 3.

Allisha Gray, once again, reminded everyone that she remains in the MVP conversation, dropping a game-high 27 points for the Dream. In August, when the Dream are 8-2, Gray is averaging just under 20 points per game as she shoots almost 50 percent from the field and better than 42 percent from 3. She’s improving as the season progresses, even as she has played a league-leading 1300 minutes, almost 100 minutes more than the player with the second-highest minutes load. And, she has not missed a game.

If you believe that availability is the best ability, Gray’s got to be your MVP!

One night later, on the second night of a road-road back-to-back, Jessica Shepard would record the fastest triple-double in WNBA history, accomplishing the feat in less than 22 minutes before finishing the Lynx’s win over the Indiana Fever with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. In Atlanta, she settled for a highly-efficient double-double of 15 points and 16 rebounds, shooting almost 78 percent from the field as she also tallied four assists. Kayla McBride contributed her own 15 points, netting three 3-pointers.

However, the StudBudz struggled in Atlanta. Courtney Williams, who would come up empty at crucial clutch moments, misfired on 11 of her 14 shot attempts and had five turnovers as she scored just six points. Natisha Hiedeman scored four points in less than 15 minutes of action.

Rhyne Howard likewise had an off shooting night for the Dream, but she ultimately earned 16 points that helped Atlanta get over the finish line. Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, meanwhile, celebrated one of the tough buckets that sealed the win for the Dream.

On Saturday afternoon, Atlanta consolidated their confidence-boosting victory with another home win over a championship contender, taking care of the depleted New York Liberty, 78-62, to maintain their claim to the No. 2 seed.