After 25 games, the WNBA season has reached the All-Star break and the Atlanta Dream are sitting in sole possession of second place in the standings with a 16-9 record. The team is in the midst of a franchise record eight-game winning streak.
The Dream will send Angel McCoughtry to the All-Star Game this Saturday in Minnesota and Renee Montgomery will represent the franchise as a participant in the three-point shooting contest at halftime of the game. McCoughtry, who is making her fifth All-Star appearance, is second on the team in scoring with 16.5 points per game and has grabbed 6.0 rebounds and dished out 3.1 assists per game. Montgomery is making 2.1 three-pointers per game this season, which ranks fourth in the WNBA, and has hit 53 on the season.
Tiffany Hayes, who leads the team in scoring at 17.2 ppg, did not receive an invite to participate in the All-Star game. She has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week twice this year and is 10th in the league in Player Impact Estimate at 15.5. Against Connecticut, Hayes hit an exhilarating game-winning buzzer-beater to sweep the season series on July 17, 2018. Her shot was the longest (46.7 FT) game-winner made in the last 10 seconds of a regular-season game in WNBA history.
The team, which is 9-1 in July, is averaging 86.9 points per game in the last 10 games. This is way up compared to the 74.2 ppg the Dream averaged in the previous 15 games. It is not surprising Atlanta is 11-2 when scoring at least 80 points in a game.
The league has recognized the great play by the Dream, naming McCoughtry (June 25), Jessica Breland (July 16) and Hayes (June 11, July 22) Eastern Conference Player of the Week. This is the first time since 2014 at least three Dream players earned the weekly honor.
With a rookie head coach, off-season additions and mid-season trades, things have finally started to click for the Dream and its fans are all for it.
The first half has been full of record-setting or record-breaking and impactful performances for the Dream, which has led to numerous records and milestones.
Records
Second Most Points in a Game
106 – at Washington, July 11, 2018
Second Most 3-pt Field Goals Made in a Game
11 – at Washington, July 11, 2018
Second Most Assists in a Game
31 – at Washington, July 11, 2018
Third Most Assists in a Game
29 – vs Indiana, July 13, 2018
Second Most Personal Fouls in a Game
32 – at Dallas, May 20, 2018
Second Most Points in a Game (Player)
39 – Angel McCoughtry, at New York, June 19, 2018
Most Free-Throws Made in a Game (Player)
19 – Angel McCoughtry, at New York, June 19, 2018
Most Free-Throws Attempted in a Game (Player)
22 – Angel McCoughtry, at New York, June 19, 2018
Most Three-Pointers Made in a Game (Player)
7 – Renee Montgomery, vs New York Liberty, July 19, 2018
Tiffany Hayes connected on a 46.7 foot three-point field goal to defeat Connecticut on July 17, 2018. It was the longest game-winner made in the last 10 seconds of a regular-season game in WNBA history.
Atlanta Dream 10-0 in games decided by six points or less.
The Dream matched its best record through 25 games, which was done twice before (2010 & 2014).
Milestones
- Angel McCoughtry scores 5,000 career point – May 20, 2018 at Dallas
- Nicki Collen wins first career game – May 23, 2018 at Chicago
- Jessica Breland grabs 1,000 career rebound – June 14, 2018 vs Indiana
- Renee Montgomery scores 3,000 career point – June 29, 2018 at Minnesota
- Renee Montgomery dishes our 1,000 career assist – July 22, 2018
- Renee Montgomery becomes 18th player all-time to record 3,000 points, 1,000 assists and 300 steals – July 22, 2018 vs Seattle Storm
- Elizabeth Williams scores 1,000 career point – July 24 at Los Angeles