The Atlanta Dream had been dealt a troublesome begin to the 2024 WNBA season, pressured to open with a pair of video games out west in opposition to the Los Angeles Sparks and Phoenix Mercury. A break up—a 92-81 win over LA and a 88-85 loss to Phoenix—is a good end result. However, extra essential than the uncooked outcomes, what have we discovered in regards to the Dream and what can we anticipate from them shifting ahead?
On Tuesday night, the Dream host an injured Dallas Wings workforce for his or her dwelling opener (7:30 p.m. ET, League Go). On Sunday, the strong-looking Minnesota Lynx come to Atlanta (6 p.m. ET, League Go).
Rhyne is shining
When previewing the Dream’s season, we expressed hope for a refined Rhyne Howard. Thus far, the third-year star is accessing the complete suite of her offensive ability set, balancing her prolific 3-point taking pictures with assaults to the basket. As she is not going to proceed to hit half of her makes an attempt from behind the arc, introducing extra drives will likely be wanted to take care of her manufacturing. That strategy additionally would assist her to earn less difficult factors from the foul line. However, she’s off to a promising constructive begin.
Within the Dream’s opening win over the Sparks, she led the workforce with a classy 25 factors, going 9-for-16 general and 3-for-7 from 3. On the Mercury, she drained 5 triples on her strategy to 21 factors.
Howard additionally has demonstrated an elevated stage of exercise in different areas of the sport. Towards LA, it confirmed by way of a pair of steals and blocks, whereas she crashed the glass for eight defensive rebounds, and 9 general, in opposition to Phoenix.
TC nonetheless has it
It’s been a little bit of a boom-or-bust begin to the season for Tina Charles. She turned in a throwback efficiency in opposition to LA, together with her 17 first-half factors reminding everybody why she is the No. 4 all-time factors scorer in WNBA historical past. She additionally dominated the glass to complete with a 21-point and 14-rebound double-double. The Dream outscored the Sparks by a team-best 16 factors when she was on the ground.
If Tina Charles goes to be ending pictures with this many defenders on her, the Dream are going to be a extremely good basketball workforce. pic.twitter.com/eETScZXxSC
— Justin Carter (@juscarts) Could 16, 2024
The second recreation in opposition to Phoenix, nevertheless, highlighted her limitations. She struggled to defend in house, with the Mercury well attacking her to saddle her with three fouls by the start of the second quarter. Her defensive points had been compounded by an off night time on the offensive finish.
Though it was only one recreation, Charles’ offensive effort in opposition to the Sparks suggests she’s going to profit the Dream. Nonetheless, Atlanta wants to raised account for her defensive unreliability, notably as a main rim protector.
Come on, Canada!
Somebody who might assist tackle these defensive ills? Jordin Canada, among the finest point-of-attack defenders within the WNBA
With Kahleah Copper smoking the Dream for a career-high 38 factors on Saturday night time, head coach Tanisha Wright absolutely wished she might have known as Canada’s quantity. Via two video games, Canada has been listed as out, relatively than uncertain or questionable, with a proper hand damage, offering no trace of how shut she is to creating her debut for the Dream.
Nonetheless, Canada can’t be counted on because the singular remedy all for the Dream protection. Atlanta has personnel that, at their greatest, ought to end within the prime half of the league in defensive score. Even when Charles is a weak level on that finish, Howard, Allisha Grey and Nia Coffey are strong defenders, whereas Cheyenne Parker-Tyus offers plus effort as an undersized large and Haley Jones has the instruments to turn out to be an above-average defender. At the same time as Wright has been hesitant to depend on her, Laeticia Amihere additionally oozes disruptive, defensive potential.
For the Dream to ship on their defensive promise, consistency, connectedness and communication should turn out to be non-negotiables, though the return of Canada would, at the very least, be good begin.
