They were down 19. They clawed all the way back. And in the end, it just wasn’t enough.
The Atlanta Dream dropped a gut-wrenching 85-84 decision to the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday afternoon at State Farm Arena, a game that swung wildly before ultimately breaking the wrong way for the home crowd. Atlanta rallied from a double-digit hole with a dominant fourth quarter (21-10), but Las Vegas’ early damage proved to be just enough to hold on.
Allisha Gray Carries the Load
If there’s one name Atlanta fans should be talking about today, it’s Allisha Gray. The veteran forward poured in a game-high 25 points on 8-of-18 shooting, adding 9 rebounds and drawing 7 fouls in a performance that nearly willed this team to a comeback win. She was the engine of everything good Atlanta did offensively, and on another day, her effort would have been a winning one.
Te-Hina Paopao stepped up with a strong 19-point performance, knocking down 4-of-9 from three, and Madina Okot quietly put together one of the better all-around games you’ll see from a center, recording a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds on an efficient 58.3% from the field.
Jordin Canada’s Steal-a-Thon
Let the record show: Jordin Canada recorded seven steals in this game. Seven. It was a jaw-dropping defensive performance that created real chances for the Dream, and her 11 points and 5 assists made her one of Atlanta’s most impactful players on both ends. The effort was there.
The Collapse — and the Comeback
The Aces came in hot. Las Vegas built a lead as large as 19 points behind a balanced attack — Chennedy Carter (20 pts), A’ja Wilson (20 pts), and Chelsea Gray (21 pts, 5-of-8 from deep) were simply on fire in the first three quarters. Las Vegas outscored Atlanta 75-63 through three periods and looked like they were cruising.
Then the Dream woke up.
Atlanta’s fourth quarter was a 21-10 blitz that brought the crowd to its feet and turned a blowout into a nailbiter. The Dream’s most unanswered run of 16 consecutive points had them within striking distance at 80-81 before Las Vegas managed to stem the tide just barely enough. The final buzzer came with Atlanta trailing by just one — a single point that felt like a mile.
The Tough Stuff
Angel Reese had a difficult afternoon, finishing with 9 points and 8 rebounds but committing 8 turnovers against just 3 assists. Those turnovers were costly, helping fuel Las Vegas’ early momentum. It’s a rough line for a player who will bounce back, but on this day, it hurt.
Atlanta’s shooting (37% overall, 21.7% from three) was a real challenge for most of the game, and 37 free throw attempts — converting just 67.6% of them — left critical points on the board.
The Bottom Line
One game. One point. The Dream showed genuine fight and genuine heart in that fourth quarter, and you can build on that. But you can’t spot a team like the Aces 19 points and expect to dig out every time.
Atlanta is back in action Friday, May 22 at home against the Dallas Wings. After a game like this one, they’ll be hungry.
About the Author
