The Atlanta Dream trounced the Portland Fire 86-66 in Portland’s Moda Center. The match was a highlight reel for Angel Reese, who led the team in points (18), rebounds (12), and assists (5). The Dream started Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon, and Angel Reese, going 5-1 with that lineup. The team improved to 5-2 this season after the night’s win.
Reese’s 18 points are just the highlight of a complete game played by the Dream. The night had statistical significance everywhere you turned. Reese became the fastest player in the WNBA to reach 900 career rebounds (in 71 games). Alisha Gray recorded her 1,000th career free throw. Rhyne Howard led the team in steals (6) and tied a career-high. Madina Okot came off the bench and shot 100% from the field (3-3) and the free throw line (1-1). Gray, Hillmon, Howard, and Reese all finished with double-digit scoring.
The Dream were up 18-14 early in the second quarter. Portland’s Carla Leite dribbled up the court in transition and drove past three different Dream players for an easy layup to cut the deficit down to two.
Up by a point with the seconds ticking down before halftime, Jordin Canada found an open Rhyne Howard at the top of the key. Howard nailed a clutch three to increase their lead 35-31. Seconds later, she did it again, scoring six points in less than 20 seconds.
Portland put up a good fight, never letting the Dream run away with the game through the third quarter. Portland outscored Atlanta 22-21, thanks in part to Leite’s performance.
Atlanta pulled away in the fourth quarter, with their dominance reflected in the 27 points scored compared to Portland’s 13.
The Fire committed five turnovers in the fourth quarter. The Dream’s steady defense forced a total of 28.
The Dream will return to Atlanta to host the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday, June 2, at 7:30 PM.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of the Dream