Rhyne Howard returned from missing one game with a concussion to log season highs of 25 points and eight assists on Friday as the Atlanta Dream led almost wire to wire in an 86-69 win over the Dallas Wings at College Park, Ga.
Howard hit 7 of 12 field-goal attempts and went 9 for 9 at the foul line. Her 3-pointer with 3:41 remaining gave Atlanta (3-1) a 74-65 lead and started a game-ending 15-4 run.
Atlanta’s Allisha Gray added 16 points, and Angel Reese hit for 15 to go along with nine rebounds. As a team, the Dream canned 34 of 62 from the floor (54.8%) and collected 22 assists while earning a 35-26 rebounding advantage.
Awak Kuier came off the bench to make all six of her field-goal attempts and score a career-high 16 points for Dallas (3-3). Odyssey Sims added 14 points and Jessica Shepard contributed 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
The Wings’ leading scorer, Paige Bueckers, made only 3 of 13 shots from the field while finishing with seven points and seven assists.
Dallas and Atlanta entered this game on different paths. While the Wings were seeking their third win of the week, the Dream were playing for the first time since Sunday, when they dropped an 85-84 decision to the Las Vegas Aces.
Atlanta controlled most of the first half with a defensive effort that kept Dallas, which scored 92 and 99 points in its victories this week, to nine first-quarter points. The Wings didn’t score until Azzi Fudd drilled a 3-pointer more than six minutes into the contest, cutting into a 10-0 deficit.
While Dallas found its bearings during a 22-point second quarter, the Dream continued to expand their lead as Howard had a hand in 16 straight Atlanta points. She logged four assists and scored seven points, helping the hosts get to halftime with a 44-31 advantage.
The Wings made their move in the third quarter as Kuier heated up off the bench. She tallied 10 points in the final 3:50, including a 3-pointer with 4.2 seconds left that got Dallas within 63-58 going to the final 10 minutes.
–Field Level Media
