Atlanta Dream Notes

Four players in double-figures (Tiffany Hayes 16, Bria Holmes 15, Sancho Lyttle 14, Layshia Clarendon 13)
Dream registered 11 steals (Sancho Lyttle 3)
Tiffany Hayes with team-high 16 points
Bria Holmes ties season-high with 15 points
Layshia Clarendon with team-high 8 assists (0 Turnovers)
Fastbreak points: 12
Biggest Lead: 8 pts

San Antonio Notes

The Stars only allowed the Dream 36 points in the first two quarters, the fewest points they have allowed an opponent in a first half this season. San Antonio previously allowed 37 at New York on May 13.
Dearica Hamby grabbed a season-high 13 points and 8 boards. She previously scored 4 points at Minnesota on May 28 and 3 rebounds twice this season.
Erika de Souza blocked a season-high and game-high 3 shots. She previously blocked 2 shots vs. Dallas on May 25.
San Antonio tied their season-high 10 steals. The Stars also had 10 steals vs. Dallas on May 25.

Tiffany Hayes on SummittHoops.com Podcast: http://summitthoops.com/2017/05/31/podcast-atlanta-dream-tiffany-hayes/

Atlanta Dream Quotes

Coach Michael Cooper

On the win:

“We played against a team that was fighting real hard, trying not to stay undefeated. In those types of games, it’s not necessarily about what you do but who you are.”

On the second half improvements:

“We had to just make the game easy for ourselves. We played team basketball, we had 18 assists and were able to get back into the game.”

On Layshia Clarendon:

“Layshia’s our leader, our coach on the floor, an extension of myself, so she kept us calm and kept us in things.”

On team basketball:

“When we play team basketball, we’re hard to beat.”

Bria Holmes

On the slow start:

“We came in a little sluggish. We could have come in with more energy, but we picked it up at the half and came out with a win.”

On being player of the game:

“I felt like I was a little slow at the beginning, like all of us were, but was just doing whatever I needed to do to help my team”

Sancho Lyttle

On the slow start:

“We came out a little lackluster at the beginning, and we had to pick it up. They have good shooters and good spacers, so we were a little too spread out at first until we figured out where we were supposed to be then the game was different.”

On her age:

“Everybody knows that I’m up there in age, but once I step between the lines I’m going to give all my effort.”

San Antonio Quotes

Coach Vickie Johnson

On entering the second half:

“Bring the intensity. The game is going to get tougher. Cooper is known for his defense so I knew it was going to be a little more difficult of us to get our shots. I knew they were going to try to take us out of our comfort zone and they did that.”

On what she told the team after the loss:

“It’s about staying focused for 40 minutes. The game is not three quarters, it’s 40 minutes. In the fourth quarter, you can’t have a mental lapse. You have to be sharp as a whole, as an individual and as a team. We have to put the ball on the block, set good screens, and coming off making shots. Most important thing is boxing out and rebounding. We had 21 turnovers, we can’t win like that.”

On Kelsey Plum’s transition from college to WNBA:

“It’s a transition for her and (Nia) Coffey. Every day is a learning process. They get along with their teammates very well and it’s just a part of the process. It may take a year, half a summer, two years or three years. You never know. The transition is good but the process is even better.”

Kayla McBride

On the team’s second-half play:

“It was more so the fourth quarter. We had too many turnovers, too many breakdowns. We let them get easy points and we couldn’t make shots.”

On what Coach Johnson said at halftime:

“We need to up our toughness, which I think we did. In the third quarter we hung tight, but the fourth quarter was not great.”

On moving forward to the next game:

“We have to stay confident. I think we’re still putting pieces together, but just to stay confident. Win on the home court.”

Kelsey Plum

On adjustments that need to be made going forward:

“I think that we’re right there. It’s tough because this league is really competitive. We haven’t had a ton of time to gel like other teams have. We’ll be able to go home, practice, and work on stuff.”

Transition from college to WNBA:

“I think that getting hurt the first month wasn’t ideal. Sitting out and trying to get my rhythm back. It’s been a little difficult for me and the transition itself isn’t easy. It’s tough, but eventually I will find the rhythm. Find what the team needs and hopefully be able to help.”

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