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The Atlanta Dream are on playing some of their best basketball of the season, and they're currently on a three-game winning streak. They'll be looking to add to the streak against the Phoenix Mercury, who they beat in their previous game. A lot of good things happened in that game, including Tina Charles moving to No.2 on the all-time scoring list, but there were still some areas where the Dream think they can get better.
One of the things that head coach Tanisha Wright wanted them to do was contain Brittney Griner, who had 14 points and eight rebounds in the last game.
“I thought we had a great game against them. I thought a couple of things that we did well was take care of the ball and we have to focus on taking care of the ball tonight,” Wright said before the game. “I thought our transition defense was pretty good and we have to continue to do that as well. Obviously we have to address [Brittney Griner] and what problems she presents for us but I think if we can do those things, it’ll be a really good thing for us tonight.”
“They’re going to make adjustments that they struggled with last game and for us, going back and watching film and not coming out and making the same mistakes that you did last game,” Allisha Gray said before the game. “We have to execute certain plays better and clean up a lot of stuff.”
The Dream have to key in on Brittney Griner to defeat the Mercury
The Atlanta Dream are playing the Phoenix Mercury for the second time in three days. The Dream handled business and beat them the first time, 72-63. It was the defense that made the difference for the Dream, only allowing the Mercury to score six points in the first quarter.
Tina Charles shared how the team is approaching games now, and it starts with consistency and building an identity.
“Really good teams are very consistent in who they are. The identity that we're growing in and showing out there in the league,” Charles said after the last game. “We were just consistent, defensively, offensively, sharing the ball, and celebrating one another. I think we took a lot of things personal.”
Though the Dream just allowed six points in the first, the second and third quarters were a complete 180 of how they started. Brittney Griner and Kahleah Copper started to find a rhythm, and they eventually took a two-point lead, but that didn't phase the Dream.
The run started with Tina Charles hitting a three, which moved her up to No. 2 on the WNBA all-time scoring list, passing Tina Thompson. Maya Caldwell then scored six straight points and the defense stepped up once again, holding three of the Mercury's starters to three points each. Allisha Gray went to the free-throw line several times, and Rhyne Howard iced the game with a three-pointer.
If the Dream want to win again, they’ll have to do the same thing they did in the first matchup, plus making sure that Griner and Copper don’t get hot down the stretch. Keying on Diana Taurasi will be important as well, and even though she didn’t have a great game last time, doesn’t mean that she’ll do it again.
The Dream will also have to shoot the ball better in this game. Though they won the last game, the Mercury shot better than them from the field, three-point range, and from the free-throw line. As the season is coming down the stretch, the Dream need to keep on winning to get a spot in the playoffs.
“I think everyone’s bought in. We know what we need to execute,” Gray said after last game. “We worked really hard during the Olympic break, and it’s a great turnaround. And it’s nice to everybody back healthy. That makes it even more enjoyable as well.”
