WNBA Atlanta Dream v Toronto Tempo in Toronto on June 17, 2026.
The Atlanta Dream didn’t just beat the Toronto Tempo on Friday night. They dismantled them, 111-92, in front of a sold-out Coca-Cola Coliseum crowd — and did it with a level of balance and precision that turned a tight first half into a laugher by the fourth quarter. Every Dream starter finished in double figures, the team churned out its second-highest scoring output of the season, and Atlanta’s defense turned 20 Toronto turnovers into 29 points of its own. But two storylines stood above the rest: Naz Hillmon turning in the best game of her career, and Brionna Jones stepping back onto the floor for the first time all season.
Hillmon’s Perfect Night
Naz Hillmon has quietly been one of the most efficient players on Atlanta’s roster all year, but Friday she put together the kind of performance that redefines a ceiling. Hillmon scored a career-high 24 points — and did it on a perfect shooting night, connecting from the field, from three, and from the free-throw line without a miss anywhere.
She set the tone early, too. Hillmon led all scorers in the opening quarter with seven points, getting to the free-throw line as part of an Atlanta unit that made eight of its first nine attempts from the stripe. That aggression carried through the rest of the night as she picked her spots inside and out, capping a complete offensive showcase.
Hillmon credited the Dream’s ball movement and depth for opening things up.
“We have great guards who help find the open person or the hot hand, and we have great bigs as well, whether they’re finding their moves or kicking out,” Hillmon said. “When we’re doing what we’re supposed to, moving the ball, getting up and down the floor we’re one of the best teams.”
Bri Jones Makes Her Long-Awaited Debut
The other headline from Toronto had nothing to do with the box score, even if Brionna Jones filled it up in a hurry once she checked in. The four-time WNBA All-Star made her 2026 season debut off the bench after being sidelined since the start of the year with a right knee injury, and she looked every bit herself: six points, six rebounds and four assists in just 15 minutes of work.
Jones’ impact was immediate and physical. Atlanta bullied Toronto in the paint all night, finishing with 60 points in the lane — a number that had her fingerprints all over it even in limited minutes.
For Angel Reese, who spent her rookie season watching Jones from the opposite bench, having her now as a teammate carried extra weight.
“It’s so exciting to have Bri back,” Reese said. “Seeing her on the sideline, playing against her all last year in my rookie year, and finally being able to play with her felt really good. She brings a big presence inside, but also outside she continues to thrive. She’s a great leader for us, and we’re just really happy to have Bri back.”
A Complete Team Effort
Hillmon’s night and Jones’ return were the headlines, but this was a win built on total buy-in. Jordin Canada notched her sixth double-double of the season with 18 points and 13 assists — and didn’t turn the ball over once. Angel Reese added her 17th double-double of the year with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Rhyne Howard chipped in 10 points and five assists, and Allisha Gray rounded out the starting five with 16 points, igniting a key second-quarter run with back-to-back three-pointers after Atlanta had trailed by seven.
Off the bench, Isobel Borlase provided a scoring burst of her own with 10 points, highlighted by a red-hot fourth quarter in which the Dream shot 10-for-14 from the field. That surge came on the heels of a dominant third quarter, when Atlanta shot 13-for-19 while limiting Toronto to just seven made field goals — the stretch that turned a one-point halftime lead into total control.
Defense was just as much a part of the story. Atlanta forced 20 Toronto turnovers against only 10 of its own, adding 11 steals for good measure. As Reese put it, the tone of the whole night was set well before the offense ever got rolling.
“When you have all the starters that set the tone early … we just continue to bounce off each other’s energy,” Reese said. “I think you set the tone when you play defense.”
Looking Ahead
With Jones back in the fold and Hillmon playing the best basketball of her career, the Dream’s frontcourt depth suddenly looks a lot more dangerous heading into the second half of the season. Atlanta returns home to Gateway Center Arena on Sunday to host the Chicago Sky, looking to carry this momentum — and its newly reinforced lineup — into the next stretch of the schedule.
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