By: Tori Newman, Atlanta Dream Communications Assistant
ATLANTA, Ga. — The Atlanta Dream fell to the New York Liberty in its second 2024 Commissioner’s Cup game 61-78, playing in front of its fifth consecutive sellout crowd at Gateway Center.
Atlanta’s overall record moves to 4-4 overall, 2-3 at home and 0-2 in Commissioner’s Cup play. With the result, a second donation of $1,000 has been made to the Dream’s Commissioner’s Cup charity, Helping Mamas, totaling $2,000 for the season.
Allisha Gray led Atlanta’s scorers with 16 points, two steals and five rebounds. Tina Charles led the Dream on the boards with eight rebounds and eight points.
Guard Aerial Powers headlined the Dream bench, recording a new season high of 13 points, adding two assists and three rebounds.
The Dream opened the game with an 8-0 run, paced by Howard, Parker-Tyus and Gray, who produced all the Dream’s first quarter offense, contributing four points each.
Atlanta held the visitors to shooting just 27.3% from the field and 18.2% from 3-point range in the first, holding New York to a new low in first quarter points with just 15.
Down by 3 points, Powers opened the second quarter with seven consecutive points for the Dream, tying it up for Atlanta 19-19 and ending a 15-6 Liberty run herself. She was the sole source of offense for Atlanta’s bench in the first half.
Lorela Cubaj then emerged as a spark for the Dream coming off the bench. The Italian forward scored her first points of the 2024 season for the Dream, knocking down two free throws. Her four total points in the third quarter equaled her career high.
Refusing to give up, Atlanta went on a 10-2 run, paced by Gray, Cubaj and forward Naz Hillmon. Cubaj also recorded her first assist of the 2024 season, finding Gray for an 8-foot jumper to bring the Dream within five of the Liberty, 42-47, forcing a New York timeout.
The Liberty outscored the Dream by 10 points in the fourth quarter to conclude the night, but Powers continued to fuel Atlanta’s bench after accounting for 69.2% of the Dream’s fourth quarter offense.
Atlanta will travel to Chicago next to take on the Sky for game 3 of Commissioner’s Cup play on June 8, tipping off at 5:00 p.m. and streaming on Peachtree Sports Network.