The Atlanta Dream tried to keep things light despite their seemingly diminishing chance at the WNBA playoffs. Guard Allisha Gray, a happy-go-lucky but quiet soul, recently posted a rare TikTok video. In the clip, Gray is smiling and dancing away with the help of teammates Rhyne Howard and Naz Hillmon.
“Win and survive,” Tanisha Wright said with a small smile Sunday ahead of an all-too-heavy rematch with the Washington Mystics. In pre-game availability with the media, Wright spoke about not getting down mentally, having a “short-term memory” and having a “next-play mentality.” Everything outwardly coming from the team supported players and staff keeping their heads high amid some turmoil.
But the reality is that things didn’t feel great. Atlanta’s cushion was seemingly gone, snatched like a thief in the night after a debilitating loss to Washington. Atlanta’s playoff hopes hinged on splitting a series with the Mystics, a team also fighting tooth and nail to get to the postseason and determined to make life hell for the Dream. And the Mystics did.
What was a comfortable lead through the first half and into the third quarter was quickly gone because the Mystics bench did the same thing it did just days ago – wreck Atlanta with bucket after bucket. The Dream seemingly cut off Washington’s top scorer (Brittney Sykes) and kept its second-best scorer (Ariel Atkins) mildly at bay.
However, the Mystics have a pesky bench and a never-say-die-spirit that forced Atlanta into an overtime game even with clutch buckets from players like Naz Hillmon and another monster game from Tina Charles, the third such matchup in the last five games.
Miraculously, Atlanta scored just six points in extra time. Washington only scored three points on 20 percent shooting. With backs against the wall, Atlanta pulled out a proverbial (and literal) GO BIG OR GO HOME performance. Its defense forced multiple bad shots, turnovers and shot clock violations. The defense also had numerous deflections and had THIRTEEN steals.
“The difference was tonight – we finished plays, “Jordin Canada said.
Canada seemed thrilled with the way that Atlanta didn’t get rattled even when Washington climbed its way back in. Charles, who was a massive part of that valiant effort – and who Canada described as “beast” Sunday – was also of the mindset that Atlanta was determined to win Sunday’s matchup one way or another. “The goal was to win by any means necessary,” Charles bluntly explained.
When Atlanta had to have it, the team got it done. Everyone brought their hard hats to a game with more drama than a middle school lunch table. The team was bruised and battered – Rhyne Howard took a hit to an eye, Allisha Gray had a finger situation, and Canada was seemingly always on the floor – but they survived.
AND THEY WON.
Now, the question remains: Can Atlanta do it again?
Chennedy Carter and the Chicago Sky are in town on September 17, and they, too, are fighting for their playoff lives. As daunting as it sounds, this is a dream situation (pun intended) for Atlanta.
After adding an extra page to the story, the team can dictate how its story goes. Atlanta controls what Atlanta does, and that’s the best the team could hope for. Making the playoffs still seems wobbly. But today, it’s less wobbly. Atlanta takes that every day. All day. And into overtime on Sunday.
Hall About Sports 