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WNBA Atlanta Dream

Atlanta 89, Chicago 80 game Notes

June 8, 2024 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Atlanta Dream News Release


Notes

The Atlanta Dream started Haley Jones, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and Tina Charles for the ninth consecutive time this season.

The Dream's all-time record against the Sky moves to 25-35 and 12-17 when playing in Chicago.

Atlanta recorded its second-highest scoring game of the season with 89 points and its highest scoring half of the season with 51 points in the first half.

Charles led all scorers for the game with 22 points, seven rebounds, three steals and one block.

Charles passed Yolanda Griffith for No. 4 on the All-Time offensive rebounds list with 1,050. She is now 13 away from entering the top three.

The center has also moved to No. 2 all-time in WNBA history for recording 15+ points in a game. This is her 275th time, passing Tamika Catchings (274) for sole possession of the No. 2 spot.

Howard finished with her second double-double of the season, with 10 points and a career high of 10 assists.

The Dream recorded a season high of 14 steals, the second-highest total in a game for the Tanisha Wright era.

The Dream produced 36 points in the paint, doubling its season average of 15.3.

Q1:

The Dream opened the first quarter with a 9-0 run that grew into a dominant 25-6 run that lasted nearly the entire quarter, initiated by a Howard steal that led to a Jones jumper in transition.

Coming off the bench, Aerial Powers and Naz Hillmon hit consecutive 3-pointers to further the Dream's lead to 17 points, 27-10.

Atlanta outscored Chicago 12-6 in the paint and 9-0 in second-chance points for the quarter.

The Dream shot 54.5% from the field, 50% from 3-point range and 100% from the free throw line as a team in the first.

Gray headlined all scorers in the first quarter, going 3-for-5 from the field to finish with eight points and one rebound.

Q2:

Continuing to anchor the Dream bench, Powers totaled seven points in only eight minutes of play midway through the second.

Hillmon also shot 2-for-2 in the second, finishing the first half with six points.

Howard accounted for 60% of the Dream's second quarter offense, adding three points while creating nine points from four assists.

Charles led all scorers in the first half, totaling 12 points after going 4-for-4 from the free throw line.

The Dream finished the first half shooting 50% from the field, 44.4% from 3-point range and 100% from the free throw line, culminating in its highest scoring half of the 2024 season.

Q3:

Extending Atlanta's lead to 14 points, Powers stole the ball from Chicago's Isabelle Harrison for the layup.

Defensively, five different Dream players recorded steals in the third quarter. Atlanta also held Chicago to shooting 0% from the 3-point line.

Charles powered Atlanta's scoring in the third quarter with eight points, two rebounds and one steal.

Parker-Tyus and Gray followed Charles with six and four points, respectively.

As a team, the Dream shot 35.3% from the field, 20% from 3-point range and 80% from 3-point range.

Q4:

Silencing a Chicago run that began midway through the fourth, Charles found Parker-Tyus in high-low action to draw the foul, sending Parker-Tyus to the line.

Parker-Tyus went perfect from the free throw line, preserving Atlanta's lead at 84-77 with under three minutes left to play.

With under two minutes to play, Howard knocked down a 3-pointer from 30-feet to put Atlanta up 87-79.

The Dream shot 45.5% from the field, 50% from 3-point range and 100% from the free throw line.

Gray, Charles, Hillmon and Powers all chipped in two points each for the quarter.

Guard Crystal Dangerfield also marked a season high in minutes played for the Dream, reaching 23:56 in the fourth quarter.

Quotes:

Tanisha Wright on the night overall...

"Good, tough, gritty win on the road. Appreciated our effort today. Great, bounce back with our effort. I'm really proud of the two that stand next to me. I thought [Charles and Parker-Tyus] dominated the game, the way they played together."

Tanisha Wright on the team's offensive performance...

"From the first person to the last person, I thought they were comfortable. We moved the ball really well, especially in that first half, and the ball found the right opportunities. And our pace, our pace was much better."

Charles on her matchup against Angel Reese...

"I just tried to tell her to settle down when she's in the post. She's an elite player. She's going to be an elite player."

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