COLLEGE PARK, GA – The Atlanta Dream's offense has been a thing of beauty over the past few games, and it's perfect for them with just a few games left in the regular season and going into the playoffs. Without Allisha Gray for a second straight game, the Dream were able to get a 104-85 win against the Los Angeles Sparks, and defeating them two times in three days.
It was Rhyne Howard who stepped up for the Dream once again, and in this game, she got hot from the 3-point line. She finished with 37 points, shooting 9-for-17 from 3, and with that, she made WNBA history by being the only player with multiple 9+ 3-point made outings in a season. Howard was one made 3-pointer away from breaking the single-season record for makes in a game. There's no question that she should be in talks as one of the best shooters in the league, and she knows that after this latest feat.
“I think it forces people to put me in that conversation with the best shooters, because you can't leave that off. Nobody's ever done it until I got here,” Howard said after the game.
Head coach Karl Smesko's offense has been a big reason for her success, and it was obvious she'd be able to do stuff like that in his system when he first arrived.
“I knew it was going to be great for me when everybody was like, ‘Oh, he likes threes and layups,’ and everybody knows I like threes,” Howard said. “But it's been working. Of course, I'm going to get them up, but the fact that I can still continue to hit them consistently is the most important part.”
Not only has the offense been catering to Howard's style, but it's also unlocked the entire team's potential on that side of the ball.
Dream have big offensive showing in win vs. Sparks
The Dream came out in the first half knocking down 3-pointers at will. Howard kept them afloat, and she went into halftime with 29 points. The one thing that has held the Sparks back this season is their defense, and the Dream took advantage of it from the perimeter, knocking down 11 of their 19 3-pointers.
The Sparks started to find a groove early in the third quarter and were able to tie the game at one point, but the Dream put their foot on the gas once again and didn't look back. It was Maya Caldwell who stole the show in the second half, as she had 14 points and shot 4-of-5 from 3.
Howard has seen the growth from Caldwell through her time with the Dream beyond this season, and it's helped the team to where they are now.
“She’s a better decision-maker. [Smesko] challenges her a lot, and I feel like every time she steps up to the plate,” Howard said. “She continues to make the right play. She makes a huge impact on defense, and that's what we expect her to do, but the way that she stepped up offensively and was able to knock down open shots like she did tonight and continue to make teams have to respect her and make teams have to guard her better than they had in the past. I think that's very much helpful for our success.”
The offense is hitting its stride at the right moment, and it's the work that they've put in over the course of the season that has helped them get here.
“We’re getting a lot of good ball movement, ball speed, and we’re knocking down shots,” Caldwell said. “Everyone’s staying ready, we know each other pretty well. The team chemistry continues to improve, so I feel like that helps a lot as well.”
“I think we’re learning to play together well,” Smesko said. “We know when it's time to get it to [Brionna] and [Brittney], we know when they need a touch. [Jordin's] distributing the ball, getting our shooters the ball where they want it. We kind of have an understanding of what everybody's good at, and we're playing into people's strengths, and that gives us a chance to have a successful offense.”
If Gray comes back and the offense continues to play at this pace, they could be hard to stop when the playoffs arrive.
