Sports stats



WNBA Atlanta Dream

Game Recap: Atlanta Dream 87, Los Angeles Sparks 74

June 16, 2024 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Atlanta Dream News Release


Notes

The Atlanta Dream started Haley Jones, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Nia Coffey and Tina Charles for the second consecutive time this season.

The Dream's all-time record against the Sparks moves to 22-20 and 13-8 when playing at Gateway Center. Atlanta has won its 2024 series against the Sparks, the Dream are now 2-0 in a best of three series.

Atlanta secured its largest win of the season in front of its seventh consecutive sellout crowd this season, with 3,260 fans in attendance at Gateway Center.

Gray led all scorers with a season high of 25 points, three rebounds and three steals. The guard shot 3-for-5 from 3-point range and 4-for-4 from the free throw line.

Charles followed with her fifth double-double of the season, finishing with 20 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and one block.

Aerial Powers led the bench, tying her season high in points and rebounds with 13 points and six, respectively.

Quotes:

Head coach Tanisha Wright on the win overall...

"Good win for us. Great bounce back win. We need to work on consistency. So, our message to them is not being satisfied."

Tina Charles on her conversations with young players in the league...

"I just try to pay it forward. You know when I came in this league, Sylvia Fowles used to always talk to me in a game, literally telling me what I should be doing. Nakia Sanford, Chasity Melvin, Asia Jones, who came to work when I was in Connecticut. So, I'm just paying it forward. But that's just who I am."

Head coach Tanisha Wright on the team's mentality...

"I'm happy that they could have a next play mentality. We talked about that a lot. Not dwelling on the last play but being able to move on so that we can focus on the play at hand."

Tina Charles on the energy brought by Aerial Powers...

"You walk in, [and] you just know who she is, just her energy. She energizes me, I'm very even keel very quiet at times, or a lot of times... [Powers] is very special. I think this organization is very fortunate to have her, and just what she's able to do on and off the court for us as a person."

Game Summary:

Q1:

After the Sparks struck first, the Dream went on a 10-2 run lasting over half the first quarter, fueled by four consecutive points from Gray.

Charles and Gray led Atlanta's scoring in the first with six points each.

Charles went 3-for-5 from the field while Gray went 2-for-4.

Howard, Naz Hillmon and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus all chipped in two points each.

Gray also headlined the Dream defensively, racking up two steals for the quarter.

Coming off the bench, Hillmon and Parker-Tyus tied to lead Atlanta in rebounds with three boards apiece.

The Dream shot 38.1% from the field and 100% from the free throw line in the first.

Atlanta outpaced the Sparks in both points in the paint and fast break points, 10-8 and 6-4, respectively.

Q2:

Providing a spark for the Dream off the bench, Powers opened the second quarter for Atlanta with a 3-pointer from 24-feet.

Powers and Parker-Tyus then went on to produce the next seven consecutive points for the Dream, driving them to a double-digit lead, 29-19.

Los Angeles fought back to get within four points of the Dream, but Atlanta jumped out on a 7-0 run to go up 43-32, capped off with a Charles layup to force a Sparks timeout.

With seven points in the second, Gray finished with 13 points, two steals and one rebound in the first half to lead the Dream.

Charles also finished the first half in double figures, totaling 11 points and three rebounds.

Powers totaled seven points, two rebounds and two assists to headline the Dream bench in the first half.

Atlanta shot 40% from the field, 42.9% from 3-point range and 90.9% from the free throw line in the second.

Q3:

The Sparks attempted to close the gap once again, but Howard and Charles answered for the Dream. The two combined for six points to keep Atlanta's lead at nine points midway through the third, 55-46.

Howard and Charles led Atlanta's scoring in the third, with five points each.

Howard also led the Dream in rebounding with five total boards in the quarter.

The Dream shot 31.2% from the field and 55.6% from the free throw line.

Atlanta outscored the Sparks in second chance points, 3-2.

Q4:

Powers opened the fourth with four consecutive points to tie it for the Dream, 64-64.

Los Angeles answered with a layup to take the lead, but Howard, Gray and Powers combined for seven points to reclaim the lead for the Dream, 71-66. Their efforts forced a Sparks timeout and totaled a 15-5 Atlanta run.

Coming out of the timeout, Gray knocked down a 3-pointer from 25-feet to put the Dream up, 74-66.

Atlanta's response grew into a dominant 20-8 run.

Hillmon found Gray for the jump shot to extend Atlanta's lead to nine, 80-71, forcing the Sparks to call another timeout.

Howard then scored Atlanta's next four points herself, putting the Dream up by 13 and forcing Los Angeles to use its final timeout.

With 27 points, the Dream produced a new scoring high for the fourth quarter this season.

Check out the Atlanta Dream Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Women's National Basketball Association message board...

Women's National Basketball Association Stories from June 16, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central