The Atlanta Dream came out swinging Friday night, jumping out to a 10-point lead after one quarter and never looking back. Rhyne Howard was the engine of everything Atlanta did, finishing with 25 points, 8 assists, 4 steals, and a perfect 9-of-9 night from the free throw line — the kind of performance that stamps a team’s identity.
Dallas managed to claw back in the third quarter, briefly tightening the margin, but Atlanta’s fourth-quarter response was suffocating. The Dream outscored the Wings 23–11 in the final period to put the game away decisively. The Dream’s biggest lead reached 19 points and they held Dallas to a paltry 11 in the fourth.
Allisha Gray added 16 points and Angel Reese contributed 15 points and 9 rebounds inside. Jordin Canada ran the offense efficiently with 6 assists and just 1 turnover, while Te-Hina Paopao was ice cold from three — going 3-for-3 beyond the arc off the bench.
On the Dallas side, Paige Bueckers had a night to forget — 7 points on 3-of-13 shooting and a technical foul. Arike Ogunbowale was equally off, going 1-of-11 for just 2 points. The Wings’ bench, led by Awak Kuier’s 16 and Odyssey Sims’ 14, kept the score respectable but couldn’t overcome a Dream team that simply had too much everywhere.
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