Allisha Gray poured in a game-high 27 points as the Atlanta Dream rallied in the fourth quarter to edge the league-leading Minnesota Lynx 75-73 on Thursday in College Park, Georgia. Rhyne Howard added 16 points for the Dream (23-13), who have won eight of their last 10 games and sit atop the Eastern Conference standings.
Gray notched her 15th 20-point outing of the season for Atlanta (23-13), as the Dream matched their 2018 franchise record with 23 wins.
Minnesota (28-7), which dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season, was led by Bridget Carleton’s 16 points. Jessica Shepard posted 15 points and 16 rebounds, Kayla McBride scored 15, while Alanna Smith added 10 points and Courtney Williams dished nine assists.
Down six entering the fourth, Atlanta seized control with a 12-0 run capped by Te-Hina Paopao’s 3-pointer for a 66-60 advantage. Howard’s second triple later pushed the lead to five, but Smith answered from deep to cut it to two.
After a key Atlanta turnover, Gray grabbed a crucial rebound on Smith’s missed layup, setting up Maya Caldwell’s two free throws for a 75-71 cushion with 22.4 seconds left. Shepard trimmed the deficit with a layup, but the Lynx failed to attempt a shot in the final possession.
The Dream controlled much of the first half, using a 10-0 opening-quarter run—featuring four points each from Brittney Griner and Howard—to take a 25-24 lead. A barrage of threes by Caldwell, Paopao and Gray stretched the advantage to 42-32, though the Lynx rallied to close the gap to 42-40 at halftime.
Atlanta extended its lead to eight early in the third, but Minnesota stormed back with a 13-2 run to enter the fourth up six, setting the stage for the Dream’s decisive rally.
Gray notched her 15th 20-point outing of the season for Atlanta (23-13), as the Dream matched their 2018 franchise record with 23 wins.
Minnesota (28-7), which dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season, was led by Bridget Carleton’s 16 points. Jessica Shepard posted 15 points and 16 rebounds, Kayla McBride scored 15, while Alanna Smith added 10 points and Courtney Williams dished nine assists.
Down six entering the fourth, Atlanta seized control with a 12-0 run capped by Te-Hina Paopao’s 3-pointer for a 66-60 advantage. Howard’s second triple later pushed the lead to five, but Smith answered from deep to cut it to two.
After a key Atlanta turnover, Gray grabbed a crucial rebound on Smith’s missed layup, setting up Maya Caldwell’s two free throws for a 75-71 cushion with 22.4 seconds left. Shepard trimmed the deficit with a layup, but the Lynx failed to attempt a shot in the final possession.
The Dream controlled much of the first half, using a 10-0 opening-quarter run—featuring four points each from Brittney Griner and Howard—to take a 25-24 lead. A barrage of threes by Caldwell, Paopao and Gray stretched the advantage to 42-32, though the Lynx rallied to close the gap to 42-40 at halftime.
Atlanta extended its lead to eight early in the third, but Minnesota stormed back with a 13-2 run to enter the fourth up six, setting the stage for the Dream’s decisive rally.
