The Atlanta Dream left no doubt on Saturday, rolling past the Washington Mystics 109-77 in a dominant performance that served notice to the rest of the WNBA. With the win, Atlanta improved to 7-3 overall and 4-1 at home, moving into a three-way tie for second place in the standings alongside the Dallas Wings and Las Vegas Aces.
The victory also carried Commissioner’s Cup implications, pushing the Dream to 2-1 in tournament play.
Angel Reese was the story in the frontcourt, matching her season high with 18 points and hauling in 17 rebounds for a commanding double-double. She did it with surgical precision at the free-throw line, going a perfect 10-for-10, and made her presence felt all over the stat sheet with four steals and a block. Reese has been Atlanta’s anchor on the glass all season, and Saturday was another reminder of why she is one of the most physically imposing players in the league.
But it was Rhyne Howard who led the Dream in scoring. The guard finished with 19 points on 71 percent shooting from three-point range — a ridiculous efficiency number — while also recording a game-high six steals. Howard was a menace on both ends of the floor, turning Washington turnovers into easy Atlanta buckets and breaking the game open in the second half.
Atlanta took a 12-point lead into halftime, powered by 13 first-half points from Allisha Gray, who finished with 15 on the night. Jordin Canada added 11 points and five assists, giving the Dream balanced production across the lineup.
Washington never seriously threatened in the second half. The Dream stretched their advantage to 26 points by the end of the third quarter and cruised the rest of the way to a final margin of 32. The Mystics fell to 4-5 on the season, dropping below .500 and out of the current playoff picture.
For Washington, Kiki Iriafen provided the lone bright spot with 24 points on 53 percent shooting, adding a steal and a block. Sonia Citron contributed 18 points and six assists, but neither player could generate enough support to slow Atlanta’s momentum. Lauren Betts, the primary focal point of the matchup according to pregame billing, was held to six points in 14 minutes off the bench.
Atlanta heads to Chicago on Tuesday for a meeting with Reese’s former team, the Sky — a storyline that will follow the Dream through every visit to the United Center. Washington returns home to host the Indiana Fever on Monday.
The Dream are playing their best basketball of the season. At 7-3, with the offense clicking and a defense capable of generating six-steal performances from a wing, Atlanta is looking very much like a team built for the long haul.
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