The Atlanta Dream entered their matchup against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces as the league’s last undefeated team at 2-0. Awaiting them was A’ja Wilson, who has consistently played well against Atlanta, including recording her career high against the Dream in Atlanta during the 2023 season. With Rhyne Howard sidelined in concussion protocol, Te-Hina Pao Pao got the start for the Dream.
The Aces opened the game with a statement play as Wilson blocked Allisha Gray at the rim before Chelsea Gray knocked down a transition three-pointer on the other end. Early on, Chelsea Gray’s size created problems for Jordin Canada, helping the veteran guard score two quick baskets in the paint.
Pao Pao provided an immediate spark for Atlanta in the first quarter, shooting 2-for-3 from the field and scoring seven points. Former Dream guard Chennedy Carter also made an impact off the bench for Las Vegas, going 2-for-4 from the field with six points, highlighted by several impressive moves to the basket.
Atlanta committed five turnovers in the opening quarter, though the Aces converted them into only four points. Despite the miscues, the Dream stayed within striking distance, trailing 24-23 at the end of the first quarter.
Las Vegas opened the second quarter with an 11-3 run as Atlanta committed two quick turnovers. Chelsea Gray and Carter fueled the surge for the Aces. Allisha Gray kept the Dream within reach, scoring five points by the 4:30 mark as the Aces held a 37-30 lead. At that point, Atlanta was shooting just 25% from the field.
A pair of quick buckets from Allisha Gray and a key offensive rebound by Angel Reese helped cut the deficit to 44-36 while boosting the Dream’s field goal percentage to 36%. In the final minute of the half, Atlanta found momentum with three straight baskets, including a three-pointer from Pao Pao, which led to a 7-0 run, trimming the deficit to 51-44 at halftime.
Allisha Gray led the Dream with 12 first-half points, and Atlanta controlled the boards with a 21-15 rebounding advantage. However, the Dream shot just 27% from beyond the arc compared to the Aces’ 46%. Turnovers were also a major factor, as Las Vegas committed 10 in the first half.
Early in the third quarter, the Aces used offensive rebounding to extend their lead to 69-48 at the 7:16 mark. Las Vegas grabbed three offensive boards within the first three minutes of the period, while NaLyssa Smith added six early points to help fuel the run.
The Aces continued to build momentum during a 7-0 stretch that featured three pointers from Chelsea Gray and A’ja Wilson, pushing the lead to 17. Looking for a spark, Atlanta added rookie Indya Nivar to the lineup, and she immediately brought energy and intangibles on both ends of the floor.
Te-Hina Paopao knocked down a big three pointer at the 2:15 mark to cut the deficit to 73-59. Chennedy Carter later hit two free throws at the end of the quarter as the Dream closed the gap heading into the fourth, trailing 75-65. Atlanta also cleaned up its turnovers during the period, committing just one while scoring seven points off turnovers.
To open the final quarter, the Aces regained momentum and extended their lead to 80-64 at the 8:09 mark. However, with Madina Okot and Nivar back in the game, the Dream found the spark they needed and cut the Aces’ lead to 81-75 with less than four minutes remaining.
Atlanta then went on a 17-0 run over a four-minute stretch to pull within one with two minutes left to play. Wilson stopped the run with a basket, but she was later called for a foul on Allisha Gray, who converted two clutch free throws.
With less than 30 seconds remaining, the Dream took their first lead of the game at 84-83 when Canada finished a fastbreak layup.
The lead was short lived, as Chelsea Gray answered with a shot in the paint to put the Aces back in front. Las Vegas then came up with a steal in the closing moments to seal the game, handing the Dream an 85-84 loss and their first defeat of the season.
The Dream’s next game is against the Dallas Wings on May 22nd at 7:30 pm at Gateway Center Arena.
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