Jordin Canada etched her name into the Atlanta Dream record book on Wednesday night, and her teammates made sure the moment came inside a comfortable win. Atlanta used a balanced, five-starters-in-double-figures attack to pull away from the Phoenix Mercury 96-82 at Gateway Center Arena, but the night’s signature moment belonged to the point guard.
Canada Passes Clarendon for the Assist Crown
With 5:35 remaining in the fourth quarter, Canada threaded a pass to Bri Jones for a layup — her fourth assist of the night and the 227th of her Dream career. That dime moved her past Layshia Clarendon’s mark from 2017, making Canada the franchise’s all-time assists leader.
It’s the kind of record that says as much about a player’s teammates as it does about the player herself, and Rhyne Howard made sure to point that out afterward.
“You don’t get assists unless you hit shots, and so she’s doing her best to create those advantages, find us when we’re open, and we have to knock it down so that she looks as good as she does,” Howard said. “Having somebody who’s looking, always scanning the floor, but also being able to do what she can for herself. I think it goes unnoticed sometimes because she does often have to work as hard to get those passes off sometimes.”
Canada finished with 17 points to go with the historic dime, continuing a season defined as much by her playmaking as her scoring.
A Balanced, Blowout-Level Performance
This wasn’t a one-woman show, though. Howard led all scorers with 23 points, and behind her, Atlanta got 20 from Allisha Gray, 17 from Canada, a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double from Angel Reese, and 10 from Naz Hillmon. All five Dream starters reached double figures, and the team finished with 29 assists — a share-the-ball night that had Karl Smesko beaming afterward.
“It’s probably the best ball movement we’ve had in a long time,” Smesko said. “Overall, a good defensive effort.”
The head coach also passed a milestone of his own, moving into third place in franchise history in wins.
“Great game, great win,” Smesko said.
Atlanta Rediscovers Its 3-Point Stroke
After struggling from beyond the arc in two of its previous three games — 1-of-16 against Dallas and 4-of-24 against Las Vegas — the Dream found their rhythm against Phoenix, connecting on 14 of 33 3-pointers. The 14 makes tied a season high, and the 42.4% clip ranked as Atlanta’s third-best shooting night from deep this season.
“It felt better that we were getting open shots from creating them, rather than taking them,” Howard said. “Now you have the extra confidence to knock it down.”
That improved shot quality showed up early. Atlanta matched its season high for first-quarter points with 33, then blew the game open in the third, turning a five-point halftime edge into a 20-point cushion behind a 22-7 run. The lead never dipped below 12 the rest of the way.
“Seeing her play with joy again felt really good,” Smesko said of Howard’s night.
Up Next
The win snaps back from Monday’s loss to Las Vegas and pushes the Dream to 19-11 on the season. Atlanta hits the road next, facing Washington on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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