93 — 75
An early edge built on spacing and ball movement
Atlanta established the terms quickly and never surrendered them. Canada opened the scoring with a 23-foot three at 9:20 of the first quarter, and the Dream kept stretching the floor from there. Gray’s four-point play at 7:31 pushed the margin to 9-2, and Rhyne Howard followed with triples from 24 and 26 feet as Atlanta moved ahead 17-8 before the quarter was half over.
Washington settled enough to keep the night from breaking open immediately. Kiki Iriafen scored twice in the first, Sonia Citron earned repeated trips to the line, and Cassandre Prosper’s three at 1:34 helped trim the gap. Even so, Atlanta closed the quarter with Canada finishing a three-point play for a 24-17 lead, a fitting snapshot of the opening 10 minutes: the Dream creating clean offence and the Mystics chasing it.
The second quarter brought more of the same pattern. Naz Hillmon hit from 27 feet 10 seconds in, DeWanna Bonner and Gray added threes midway through the period, and Hillmon connected again from deep at 1:40. Washington answered late through Prosper and a Citron pullup jumper at the horn to get within 41-35 at halftime, but Atlanta’s offence already had a distinct rhythm. The Dream assisted on 23 of their 30 field goals by night’s end, and that connective play showed up long before the final margin did.
Washington’s push lasted until the Dream found another gear
If the Mystics were going to turn the game, the third quarter needed to provide the opening. Instead, Gray owned the start. She scored Atlanta’s first eight points of the half on finishes from close range and a 26-foot three, pushing the Dream to 48-37 by the 7:40 mark. Each time Washington hinted at momentum, Atlanta found a composed response rather than a rushed one.
Citron kept Washington alive with a sharp scoring stretch of her own. She hit a layup, then buried step-back threes from 22 and 24 feet in the third, while Onyenwere added a three-point play and another basket late in the period. By the end of the quarter, the Mystics had cut the deficit to 65-58, close enough to put real pressure on the opening minutes of the fourth.
That pressure lasted briefly. Citron’s free throws at 9:52 of the fourth made it 65-60, and Prosper’s layup at 9:14 brought Washington within 65-62. From there, Atlanta delivered the sequence that settled the game. Reese answered at 9:07, Hillmon scored on consecutive possessions at 8:31 and 8:10, Reese added two more free throws at 8:00, Howard knocked down a step-back jumper at 7:28, and Canada drilled a three at 6:42. In a little more than two and a half minutes, the Dream had turned a three-point game into a 78-62 cushion.
Washington never fully recovered from that burst. Canada made back-to-back threes at 3:46 and 3:22, then added a pullup jumper at 2:58 to keep the margin secure. The Mystics still found late offence through Citron and Iriafen, but Atlanta had already re-established the separation that its start and its overall offensive execution deserved.
Our take: Atlanta won the cleaner game
The most telling part of this result is that Atlanta did not need the rebounding edge to control the night. Washington won the glass 42-27 and collected 12 offensive rebounds, while Iriafen posted a strong 15-point, 16-rebound double-double. Normally that kind of work can tilt a game. Here, it could not outweigh the Dream’s efficiency and order.
Atlanta shot 44.8 per cent overall, hit 13 of 32 from three and went 20 of 22 at the line. Canada was central to all of it, finishing with 19 points, 11 assists and only one turnover in 35 minutes. Gray supplied 22 points, Reese added 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocks, and Howard scored 15 more. That balance mattered. Washington could not load up on one creator because several Dream players were involved in the scoring and passing chains.
For the Mystics, the problem was not effort. Citron poured in 25 points and hit three step-back threes, while Prosper gave useful bench scoring with 10 points. The issue was possession management. Washington committed 19 turnovers, and Atlanta converted those mistakes into 23 points. When a team also trails by six made three-pointers and records only 14 assists, the margin becomes difficult to manage no matter how well it rebounds. On this night, Atlanta’s sharper decisions with the ball were the difference between a competitive fourth quarter and a comfortable road win.
Scoring moments
- 1st Quarter · 9:20
Jordin Canada makes 23-foot three point jumper (Allisha Gray assists)
- 1st Quarter · 8:46
Michaela Onyenwere makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 8:46
Michaela Onyenwere makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 8:02
Rhyne Howard makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 8:02
Rhyne Howard makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 7:31
Allisha Gray makes 24-foot three point jumper (Rhyne Howard assists)
- 1st Quarter · 7:31
Allisha Gray makes free throw 1 of 1
- 1st Quarter · 6:45
Kiki Iriafen makes 8-foot turnaround jump shot (Sonia Citron assists)
- 1st Quarter · 6:38
Rhyne Howard makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)
- 1st Quarter · 6:17
Kiki Iriafen makes two point shot
- 1st Quarter · 5:15
Shakira Austin makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 5:15
Shakira Austin makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 4:50
Angel Reese makes 2-foot layup (Jordin Canada assists)
- 1st Quarter · 4:16
Rhyne Howard makes 26-foot running jump shot (Jordin Canada assists)
- 1st Quarter · 3:04
Sonia Citron makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 3:04
Sonia Citron makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 1:34
Cassandre Prosper makes 23-foot three point jumper (Kiki Iriafen assists)
- 1st Quarter · 1:11
Sonia Citron makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 1:11
Sonia Citron makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 1:00
Allisha Gray makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 1:00
Allisha Gray makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 37.9
Angel Reese makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 37.9
Angel Reese makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 19.9
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton makes 8-foot turnaround jump shot
- 1st Quarter · 3.1
Jordin Canada makes two point shot
- 1st Quarter · 3.1
Jordin Canada makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Quarter · 9:50
Naz Hillmon makes 27-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 8:09
Angel Reese makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 8:09
Angel Reese makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 7:47
Kiki Iriafen makes 8-foot two point shot (Georgia Amoore assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 5:46
Georgia Amoore makes 4-foot turnaround jump shot (Cassandre Prosper assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 5:23
DeWanna Bonner makes 22-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 4:49
Kiki Iriafen makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 4:49
Kiki Iriafen makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 4:30
DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 4:01
Allisha Gray makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 3:18
Shakira Austin makes 3-foot two point shot (Georgia Amoore assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 2:38
Shakira Austin makes 26-foot three pointer (Cassandre Prosper assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 1:40
Naz Hillmon makes 27-foot three point jumper (Allisha Gray assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 1:26
Angel Reese makes running layup (Rhyne Howard assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 1:00
Kiki Iriafen makes two point shot
- 2nd Quarter · 35.9
Cassandre Prosper makes 23-foot three point jumper (Kiki Iriafen assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 0.1
Sonia Citron makes 12-foot pullup jump shot
- 3rd Quarter · 9:28
Allisha Gray makes 3-foot two point shot (Angel Reese assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 8:54
Allisha Gray makes 3-foot layup (Jordin Canada assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 8:41
Shakira Austin makes driving layup
- 3rd Quarter · 7:40
Allisha Gray makes 26-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 7:31
Sonia Citron makes layup (Georgia Amoore assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 6:43
Sonia Citron makes 22-foot three point step back jumpshot
- 3rd Quarter · 6:23
Allisha Gray makes driving layup (Angel Reese assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 6:03
Sonia Citron makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 4:36
DeWanna Bonner makes 24-foot three point jumper (Isobel Borlase assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 4:16
Kiki Iriafen makes free throw 1 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 4:16
Kiki Iriafen makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 4:04
Allisha Gray makes 10-foot pullup jump shot (Jordin Canada assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 3:53
Kiki Iriafen makes free throw 1 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 3:46
Isobel Borlase makes running layup (Rhyne Howard assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 3:46
Isobel Borlase makes free throw 1 of 1
- 3rd Quarter · 3:37
Sonia Citron makes free throw 1 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 3:37
Sonia Citron makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 3:18
Rhyne Howard makes free throw 1 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 3:18
Rhyne Howard makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 2:43
Rhyne Howard makes 2-foot two point shot
- 3rd Quarter · 2:43
Rhyne Howard makes free throw 1 of 1
- 3rd Quarter · 2:26
Sonia Citron makes 24-foot three point step back jumpshot (Kiki Iriafen assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 1:51
Michaela Onyenwere makes driving layup (Cassandre Prosper assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 1:51
Michaela Onyenwere makes free throw 1 of 1
- 3rd Quarter · 1:21
Michaela Onyenwere makes two point shot
- 3rd Quarter · 1:04
Allisha Gray makes 13-foot fade away jump shot
- 3rd Quarter · 44.1
Cassandre Prosper makes free throw 1 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 44.1
Cassandre Prosper makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 9:52
Sonia Citron makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 9:52
Sonia Citron makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 9:14
Cassandre Prosper makes layup (Georgia Amoore assists)
- 4th Quarter · 9:07
Angel Reese makes running layup (Jordin Canada assists)
- 4th Quarter · 8:31
Naz Hillmon makes 5-foot layup (Allisha Gray assists)
- 4th Quarter · 8:10
Naz Hillmon makes two point shot
- 4th Quarter · 8:00
Angel Reese makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 8:00
Angel Reese makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 7:28
Rhyne Howard makes 22-foot step back jumpshot
- 4th Quarter · 6:42
Jordin Canada makes 24-foot three point jumper (Rhyne Howard assists)
- 4th Quarter · 5:52
Michaela Onyenwere makes 28-foot three point jumper (Shakira Austin assists)
- 4th Quarter · 4:41
Angel Reese makes 7-foot two point shot
- 4th Quarter · 4:30
Michaela Onyenwere makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 4:30
Michaela Onyenwere makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 4:18
Angel Reese makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 4:08
Sonia Citron makes technical free throw
- 4th Quarter · 3:46
Jordin Canada makes 26-foot three point jumper (Isobel Borlase assists)
- 4th Quarter · 3:36
Kiki Iriafen makes layup (Sonia Citron assists)
- 4th Quarter · 3:22
Jordin Canada makes 23-foot three point jumper (Isobel Borlase assists)
- 4th Quarter · 2:58
Jordin Canada makes 14-foot pullup jump shot
- 4th Quarter · 2:10
Sonia Citron makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot
- 4th Quarter · 1:51
Isobel Borlase makes 19-foot pullup jump shot (Jordin Canada assists)
- 4th Quarter · 1:43
Sonia Citron makes 12-foot pullup jump shot
- 4th Quarter · 1:04
Jordin Canada makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 1:04
Jordin Canada makes free throw 2 of 2
Atlanta Dream — Players
| Player | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | OREB | DREB | PF | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naz Hillmon | 33 | 10 | 4-9 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | +18 |
| Angel Reese | 28 | 15 | 4-8 | 0-4 | 7-8 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +26 |
| Allisha Gray | 35 | 22 | 8-18 | 3-6 | 3-3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | +15 |
| Jordin Canada | 35 | 19 | 6-16 | 4-8 | 3-3 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 | +23 |
| Rhyne Howard | 30 | 15 | 4-8 | 2-3 | 5-5 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | +19 |
| DeWanna Bonner | 14 | 7 | 2-4 | 2-4 | 1-2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | +1 |
| Sika Kone | 1 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Madina Okot | 4 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -9 |
| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Te-Hina Paopao | 3 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 |
| Isobel Borlase | 16 | 5 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Washington Mystics — Players
| Player | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | OREB | DREB | PF | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michaela Onyenwere | 18 | 12 | 3-8 | 1-3 | 5-5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | -4 |
| Kiki Iriafen | 35 | 15 | 5-12 | 0-2 | 5-6 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 4 | -17 |
| Shakira Austin | 33 | 9 | 3-9 | 1-1 | 2-2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -13 |
| Sonia Citron | 38 | 25 | 6-13 | 3-6 | 10-11 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | -15 |
| Georgia Amoore | 28 | 2 | 1-5 | 0-4 | 0-0 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | -16 |
| Angela Dugalic | 1 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lauren Betts | 11 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | -6 |
| Betnijah Laney-Hamilton | 11 | 2 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | -13 |
| Cotie McMahon | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cassandre Prosper | 21 | 10 | 3-5 | 2-4 | 2-4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -1 |
| Alicia Florez | 2 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -5 |
Atlanta Dream — Team statistics
| FG | 30-67 |
|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 45 |
| 3PT | 13-32 |
| Three Point % | 41 |
| FT | 20-22 |
| Free Throw % | 91 |
| Rebounds | 27 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 7 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 20 |
| Assists | 23 |
| Steals | 10 |
| Blocks | 4 |
| Turnovers | 8 |
| Team Turnovers | 0 |
| Total Turnovers | 8 |
| Technical Fouls | 1 |
| Total Technical Fouls | 1 |
| Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 8 |
| Fast Break Points | 11 |
| Points in Paint | 28 |
| Fouls | 26 |
| Largest Lead | 19 |
| Lead Changes | 0 |
| Percent Led | 98 |
Washington Mystics — Team statistics
| FG | 22-58 |
|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 38 |
| 3PT | 7-22 |
| Three Point % | 32 |
| FT | 24-28 |
| Free Throw % | 86 |
| Rebounds | 42 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 12 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 30 |
| Assists | 13 |
| Steals | 3 |
| Blocks | 1 |
| Turnovers | 19 |
| Team Turnovers | 0 |
| Total Turnovers | 19 |
| Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 23 |
| Fast Break Points | 0 |
| Points in Paint | 28 |
| Fouls | 27 |
| Largest Lead | 0 |
| Lead Changes | 0 |
| Percent Led | 0 |