With the WNBA playoff teams already set, the Atlanta Dream and the Portland Fire will have different outlooks ahead of their Friday night matchup in College Park, Ga.
Atlanta (25-13) clinched a fourth consecutive postseason appearance during its current four-game winning streak, the most recent result being a 78-71 victory over the host Los Angeles Sparks on Monday. With six regular-season games remaining — and a FIBA World Cup break for the first two weeks of September — the rest of the year will be about seeding for the fourth-place Dream.
Friday will mark Atlanta’s first of four straight home games after sweeping a four-game Western Conference road trip. Since a midseason blip saw head coach Karl Smesko’s team drop six of seven, the Dream have won 12 of their last 15 and are playing with as much confidence as they have all year.
“We have had some adversity this year and we respond the same way each time. We pull together and figure it out,” Smesko said. “It’s not about pointing fingers. It’s about coming together and figuring out how to win the next game and how to be better.”
Third-year forward Angel Reese has already asserted herself as one of the most prolific rebounders in league history. She added on to her many accolades in Atlanta’s most recent triumph, pulling down a league single-game record of 26 rebounds on Monday.
Reese’s 12.4 rebounds per game this season rank third all-time in league history — behind only her averages in 2024 (13.1) and 2025 (12.6). Her 458 rebounds this season also are a WNBA record.
“I want to be able to show up for my team every single night,” said Reese, who also averages 16.1 points per game. “I think personal goals come with it. When you’re great every night and show up for your team and you’re consistent, everything else works out.”
Allisha Gray’s 19.4 points per game lead the Dream, while Rhyne Howard adds 18.2.
Portland (15-23), meanwhile, is hoping to play the role of spoiler the rest of the way. The Fire were eliminated from postseason contention with their 96-78 loss to the host Dallas Wings on Tuesday.
While the first-year expansion team won’t be extending its season past September, the young group will look to finish strong after its current three-game losing streak.
“I think the last couple games of the season, we want to feel good about the way we play and play hard, because that’s our identity,” Portland rookie forward Frieda Buhner said.
“It’s really about finishing the season with a good feeling and trying to get as many wins as possible.”
Carla Leite leads the team with 15.6 ppg and Bridget Carleton adds 14.6 for Portland, which split the first two meetings with Atlanta.
–Field Level Media
