Atlanta Dream’s Up And Down Opening Week

The Atlanta Dream finished their first full week of the WNBA season on Sunday at a record of 2-2. With Courtney Williams and Glory Johnson returning to the lineup, the Dream started to resemble the team that was put together when the season was announced. Let’s take a look back at the last seven days for the Dream:

 

Wednesday: Loss vs. Las Vegas

Even though Elizabeth Wiliams scored 16 points, the Dream fell to 1-1 with a 100-70 loss against the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday night. Atlanta was outscored 53-35 in the second half against one of the best teams in the entire league. 

Atlanta played a pretty even first half until the seven minute mark of the opening half. Alexis Jones hit a three point basket to bring the deficit to two. After that basket, Dearica Hamby and the Aces went on a 12-1 run and the Dream couldn’t recover. 

Hamby finished the game with 20 points and Aces All-Star Forward A’ja Wilson added 21 points and 11 rebounds as the Aces evened their record at 1-1. The Las Vegas defense held Atlanta to five for 28 from beyond the arc.

Blake Dietrick scored 13 points off the bench and rookie Chennedy Carter had 11 even though she shot three for 11 from the floor. 

 

Friday: Victory vs. New York

Betnijah Laney scored a career-high 30 points and Carter added 17 points and six assists as the Dream defeated the New York Liberty, 84-76. Atlanta won their second game of the season, even though it was marred by an injury to New York star guard Sabrina Ionescu. 

Laney scored from all over the court as New York had no answer for the fifth year guard. She finished 11 for 18 from the floor, knocking down both of her three point attempts and providing eight rebounds in 35 minutes of action. 

Elizabeth Williams and Monique Billings combined for 25 rebounds as the Dream outrebounded the Liberty by 10. The team also had 17 offensive rebounds in the game. 

Both Courtney Williams and Glory Johnson made their season debuts in the contest. Williams struggled to shoot the ball, missing eight of her 10 shot attempts and played extended minutes due to Carter being in foul trouble. But her energy was a shot in the arm to a team that needed a spark during moments of the fourth quarter. 

Johnson was still getting her legs under her as she played seven minutes in her first contest with Atlanta. 

 

Sunday: Loss vs. Indiana

Atlanta started Sunday afternoon’s contest with the Indiana Fever with a 10-0 run in the opening few minutes. But led by Kelsey Mitchell’s 23 points and Candace Dupree’s 21 points, the Fever were able to overcome the deficit and handed the Dream their second loss of the season by the score of 93-77.

Courtney Williams scored 18 points off the bench as the Dream cut the lead to seven with 3:36 to play in the game but it wasn’t enough. Indiana used a 10-2 run to put the game away.

Mitchell finished the game with four three pointers and Indiana knocked down eight as a team to give them their second win of the season. Rookie Julie Allemand added 10 points, nine assists and six rebounds for the Fever.

 

Laney gave Atlanta 13 points, six rebounds and a career high four steals for Atlanta, who are now 2-2 on the season.