ATLANTA — During training camp last year, the Atlanta Dream gave a resounding message: they wanted to be a top-four team in the WNBA. Just over a year later, under head coach Karl Smesko they’ve achieved that.
“We up there. I can say that this year,” Howard told the media ahead of a Minnesota Lynx matchup. We up there right with them.”
“We have so many great players here, and so the fact that we all can share — we all can eat — you never know who’s gonna have a good game. We have too many threats, and the way that we utilize that and make sure that everybody [gets] into what they’re best at, I think that’s been really helpful for us.”
“We’ve been pretty good offensively through the first part of the season. We’ve been pretty efficient. Lot of people have shared the ball,” Smesko said. “Defensively there have been some games where we have been just outstanding, but I don’t think we’ve been as consistent on that side of the ball. But there’s a lot of room for improvement.”
Smesko’s assessment is pretty spot on. Despite ranking fifth in defense rating (99.0), the Dream ranked dead last in steals per game (5.9) before playing Minnesota and twelfth in opponents points in the paint (37.9) per game.
“I’d like to see us get out and run more than we have so far,” Smesko shared with the media. “I think that’s something that could really kind of elevate our offense even to another level, put more pressure on opposing defenses.”
When the Lynx stepped foot into Gateway arena, they became a direct reflection of what Smesko hoped to see with his own team. By the midway point of the first quarter, Minnesota had forced five Atlanta turnovers and created ten points off those turnovers. A combination of ball pressure and active hands created an early hole for Atlanta that it really couldn’t get out of. (Forward Napheesa Collier lead the early surge with 11 first quarter points.)
Just when Atlanta thought it had something going defensively, the Lynx spread them out and drained shots from the perimeter. Eventually, Minnesota had 16 points off nine Dream turnovers and was shooting 50 percent from 3-point by midway through the second, making Atlanta’s 60-plus shooting percentage a moot point.
Maybe it was the basketball gods having mercy on Atlanta because an ongoing power surge stopped the Lynx’s onslaught of points (the lead was 15) around the three-minute mark.
When things finally calmed down enough for both teams to get back on the court, the Dream seemingly found itself. Guards Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard went to work creating points, getting to the line and pressuring Minnesota to cough up the ball.
Atlanta’s 19-7 surge — pun fully intended — caused mayhem during the final minutes of the half. Soon forward Naz Hillmon was involved, forcing a jump ball that fed into a Minnesota turnover into the half.
Atlanta won the third quarter 21-17 thanks to several buckets from forward Bri Jones, who had 8 points in the period and baskets from future Hall of Famer Brittney Griner. The Dream’s defense also tightened, even with Minnesota continuing to pour it on from three-point range.
In the fourth, it was Canada setting the tone and crashing the glass — all 5-foot-six of her — and picking the pockets of any Lynx player within earshot. The veteran guard had a game-high four steals and also had 12 points with seven assists by the five-minute mark.
Perhaps what was more impressive was that Atlanta was pretty cold from 3-point range (just 4-of-19). Behind Canada’s lead, the Dream had a flat-out paint party. As time wound down, the disparity was palpable: 46 points to Minnesota’s 18.
However, the Lynx weren’t done and forced Atlanta into overtime, where the team’s defensive inconsistency came back to haunt it once again.
The Dream let the Collier, guard Kayla McBride and co. hang around, allowing a 15-6 run from the end of the fourth into the opening minutes of overtime. Atlanta would go on to lose 96 to 92. It became apparent that for as good as Atlanta is, the team is still a tier below the WNBA’s best. It’s Minnesota, the New York Liberty (whom Atlanta plays next), the Phoenix Mercury and then the Dream.
“I think it just comes down to us being able to focus on the little things and the details. We’re right there, and I feel like we can still grow as a team and still get better,” Canada said postgame.
“But I think we’re right there. It’s just honestly us finishing games out, and I think you’ve seen that … we’re just missing out on the little details that we need to clean up.”
Fortunately, for Atlanta, they haven’t really gotten blown out of any game, even when facing double-digit deficits or letting teams climb back in. Much of it has been, as Canada said, finishing games. Washington. Indiana. New York. (You get the picture.)
There’s still time for the Dream to take the next step in their growth, starting with the Liberty on Sunday. Splitting the weekend’s matchups would allow Atlanta to cement its status as top-four team. Smesko knows that. The players know that. And an entire arena of fans cheering them on Friday, knew it, too. (So close, but painfully still a way to go.)
“The fans were amazing. It was a good vibe,” Gray reflected after the matchup. “Just gotta finish out. Play a complete game.”
It’s as “simple” as that.
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