Coming off two intense wins and facing a tough road trip, the Atlanta Dream wanted to maintain its high level against Toronto on Monday at State Farm Arena.

Riding a season-high 33 points and a dominant defense in the first quarter, the Dream cruised to a 94-87 victory for its fourth consecutive win. Its streak of scoring at least 100 points ended at three. The game state was a big reason. Until the final minute of the fourth quarter, Toronto didn’t get within 10 points after the Dream opened its early lead.

“I think we have some of the top defenders in the league, myself being one of those,” Rhyne Howard said. “We all have the numbers to prove it. I think you know it makes it easier for us to, when we're clicking early, it's hard for other teams to dig out of that hole.”

Howard led the Dream with 20 points, including five 3-pointers. Madina Okot scored a career-high 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Allisha Gray added 18 points, Jordin Canada 11 with 13 assists, and Angel Reese 11 points with nine rebounds.

“We have really good offensive players, and when they share the ball and move it, and we get out in transition, I think we're as good as anybody in the league,” Dream Head Coach Karl Smesko said. “It's a lot to ask your players when it's one day off, and it's another game, and then one day off and another game, and you're trying to play this type of intensity over and over again, but I guess that's part of being among the best players in the world. That's what we get asked of, and that's what we're asking of our players.”

 The game was over during the first quarter. Atlanta built a 23-point lead, led by Gray’s 11 points and Okot’s seven. The period ended with the Dream leading 33-15. Atlanta hit 52.6% of its shots, including 50% of its six 3-pointers.

Atlanta’s defense limited Toronto to 31.3% shooting and forced seven turnovers, which the Dream turned into 13 points.

The Dream kept its 18-point lead, 59-41, into the start of the third quarter. Okot added nine points to set a new career-high (16) before halftime. Her previous high was 14, set against Las Vegas on May 17.

“It's great seeing Madina in the first half, she was getting a lot of deep post touches and finishing around the rim,” Smesko said.

The Dream’s 59 points were a season-high for the first half.

Atlanta’s lead was whittled to as few as 11 at the start of the third quarter before the Dream stretched it back to 81-65 going into the fourth quarter.

Atlanta (12-4) will head to the West Coast for a truncated trip of three games in four days, starting Wednesday at the Golden State Valkyries and ending with games on Friday and Saturday.