Rough loss for the hometown team.
Atlanta — The Atlanta Dream was upset by one of the worst teams in the leagues according to win-loss records last night. The Washington Mystics defeated the Atlanta Dream 87-68.
This unexpected loss sent shockwaves through the arena, raising questions about the resilience and consistency of the Dream.
The matchup, held at the Gateway Center Arena, was anticipated to be a straightforward victory for the Dream. The Dream, known for their balanced offense and tough defense, was expected to cruise to an easy win against a team that had struggled to win a game until now.
The Dream were led by Rhyne Howard with 16 points and Tina Charles with 12 points and nine rebounds. It was a record night for Howard as she became the youngest player to make 200 career 3-pointers in WNBA history.
The Mystics were led by Ariel Atkins and Brittney Sykes with 18 points each. The Dream struggled to score as they shot 35.8% from the field. They were also out rebounded 38-32. The defense struggled to contain the Mystics as well, as they shot almost 50% from the field. The Mystics three-point percentage was 54.8% as they were 17-31 from the field. The Mystics largest lead of the game was 23.
“I think our shots were a lot harder in terms of getting to our spots and getting the open shots that we are used to getting. Like T [Tanisha Wright] said this is a really good team, and they are really disciplined on the defensive end of the ball, and they make it really tough for whoever they play day in and day out,” said Howard
From the tip-off, it was clear that the Mystics were playing with a chip on their shoulder. They displayed a level of intensity and cohesion that had been missing in previous games. Their defense was relentless, and their offense clicked with unexpected efficiency. They outscored the Dream 25-15 in the first quarter.
Despite a slow start, the Dream managed to claw their way back into the game, led by Howard and Charles. By halftime, the game was tightly contested as the Mystics led 38-33, much to the surprise of the fans and analysts alike. The second half saw the Mystics pull away definitively for their first win of the season.
The loss has sparked a range of reactions from fans, analysts, and players. The Dream Head Coach Tanisha Wright addressed the media after the game, acknowledging the team’s lackluster performance and not being prepared.
“I don’t think I did a great job of preparing them for what they were going to see tonight. Washington is a good team, they are a team that plays, they did nothing different from what they normally play outside of making shots. They made shots tonight, and it was just a matter of time that they were going to start making shots. They play basketball the right way, they move the ball, they share the ball, and they have good spacing. Defensively, they communicated and covered for each other, and they are good team as their records doesn’t indicate that,” said head coach Tanisha Wright.