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Atlanta Dream Pull Out 80-73 Win Over Mystics

Allisha Gray #15 of the Atlanta Dream shoots the ball during the game against the Washington Mystics on July 30, 2023 at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia. Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)

 

Gray Ties Career-High With 27 Points 

 

By: Jameelah Johnson 

As Gateway Center Arena filled up for its record-breaking ninth sell-out of the year, the Atlanta Dream (14-11) set out against the Washington Mystics (12-13) on Sunday for their third matchup of the season. The pair split their previous two meetups, with Washington winning one at home and Atlanta doing the same at Gateway. Both teams were coming off of a previous loss, and both teams were hungry to set things right with a win. 

It was a battle behind multiple Dream players who contributed early and Washington’s Brittney Sykes who dominated early and efficiently by attacking. She made eight out of nine free throws in the first quarter alone. Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard was able to get her offense going after knocking down her first three-point attempt off of the pass from Allisha Gray. 

Atlanta won every quarter but Washington never went away completely, taking the lead and even bringing it within three in the final quarter. It was at that point, Dream’s Nia Coffey found teammate Cheyenne Parker for a layup, and Atlanta closed out the game on an 11-7 run behind Coffey and Gray.  

Lineup notes: 

Atlanta went with the same starters as Thursday’s game, fourth straight game and 11th time this season. 

ATL: Danielle Robinson, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Nia Coffey, Cheyenne Parker 

 

WAS: Natasha Cloud, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Brittney Sykes, Myisha Hines-Allen, Tianna Hawkins 

 

Game Highlights: 

 

Both teams came with the energy as the game was tied six times and changed leads eight different times.  

 

Howard became the fastest Atlanta Dream player to reach 1000 points when she scored 11 points in Sunday’s game. She dribbled the ball up the court and calmly pulled up for a three to reach the threshold. Howard scored 1000 points in 59 games, moving into first place ahead of Angel McCoughtry who did it in 61 games. Howard joined Chamique Holdsclaw as the 14th player in WNBA history to accomplish this achievement. 

 

To start the game, Parker immediately had an impact on both ends of the floor as she attacked the paint and got to the line. She also recorded two blocks. 

 

Coffey scored 8 of her 11 points to start the third quarter and then went on to score 5 more to finish the game. Gray scored 16 of her 27 points in the second half, adding 10 when Atlanta began to lose their lead. The Dream displayed their ball-sharing with 21 assists on 27 made shots. Coffey came up with two critical blocks in the final period. 

 

Behind Coffey’s defense and Gray’s ability to draw fouls and knock down free throws, Atlanta came out on top. Gray and Washington’s Sykes went head-to-head in the fourth quarter, with Gray scoring 10 and Sykes scoring 8. Gray finished with 27 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal. Sykes had 25 points, 6 steals, 2 rebounds, and an assist. Both Howard and Parker added 11 points a piece.
 

Postgame Sounds:
 

Head coach Tanisha Wright: “Good win for us. Good to come home, get a win on this court in front of the fans again. So we’ll take it. Any win in this league is hard to come by.”  

Coffey on her game-sealing final block: “I was just trying to do my defensive assignment. Trying to help and get there and just make sure that I get an attest. So I’m just glad I was able to get that so we can just, you know, secure it during that time of the game.”
 

Howard on scoring 1000 points: “Obviously people are breaking records everyday, and you always see ‘Since Candace Parker’…I want to have an impact like that. And so it’s like, I feel like I’m in a good position to continue to, you know, etch my name in the record books but that’s not my main focus, like, when I’m playing.” 

 

Stats: 

Atlanta: 46.6% (27-of-58 FG) from the field  

Washington: 31.9% (23-of-72 FG) from the field
 

Atlanta: 16-of-19 from the line 

Washington: 21-of-25 from the line
 

Atlanta: 33 rebounds (two offensive) 

Washington: 33 rebounds (11 offensive)
 

Atlanta:  

Allisha Gray: 27 points (8-11 FG, 8-8 FT), 5 rebounds, 4 assists; Nia Coffey: 16 points (6-12 FG, 4-7 3FG), 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks 

 

Washington: 

Brittney Sykes: 25 points (8-19 FG, 8-9 FT), 6 steals, 2 rebounds; Tianna Hawkins: 17 points (5-12 FG, 6-7 FT)