Tough night but a historic crowd.
Atlanta, GA — The Atlanta Dream played in front of a sold out crowd at State Farm Arena on Friday night. It was a record for a home game attendance with 17,575, breaking the 11,609 fans in attendance at the inaugural game against the Detroit Shock in 2008.
Unfortunately for the Dream it was not the result they were looking for, losing their second consecutive game to the Indiana Fever in a disappointing 91-79 defeat. This marks a another significant setback for the Dream as they struggle to find their rhythm this season.
Nalyssa Smith led the charge for the Fever, scoring 21 points and adding nine rebounds. Aliyah Boston also had a stellar performance, contributing 10 points and dominating the paint with 10 rebounds. Caitlin Clark contributed 16 points and seven assist to the win. Their combined efforts were instrumental in maintaining the Fever lead throughout the game.
The Dream, despite the loss, had notable performances from their star players. Tina Charles scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Charles is now third on the WNBA all-time leading offensive rebounder list as she passed Taji McWilliams-Franklin. Allisha Gray added 19 points and three assists. Haley Jones scored 12 points and Aerial Powers added another 10 points from the bench.
However, their efforts were not enough to overcome the Fever relentless pressure and strategic play. The Dream were without their best player, Rhyne Howard, who was out as she recovers from a leg injury.
Head coach Tanisha Wright expressed her disappointment in the postgame press conference. “I promise y’all if I had answers for y’all, I would tell you. I don’t have the answers, but I know it’s my job to figure out how to get this team to play together,” Wright said. “We got to the free throw line tonight. That worked well for us especially after that first quarter after what I thought they missed some opportunities to make some calls for us.”
This loss is particularly concerning for the Dream as it highlights their ongoing struggles against bottom-tier teams. The Dream shot 22% from the 3-point line and they allowed 48 points in the paint. The Fever largest lead was 19 as the Dream never led in the game.
As the season progresses, the Dream will need to address their inconsistencies and find ways to elevate their play. Their next matchup will be crucial in determining whether they can bounce back from these consecutive losses and regain their momentum.