The Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics meet for the third time this season Friday night at CareFirst Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET as both teams continue their push toward the WNBA playoffs. Atlanta enters the matchup with a 19-11 record, while Washington is 17-12.
The season series is tied at one game apiece. Atlanta earned a 109-77 victory on June 6 before Washington responded with an 81-76 win on July 2. Friday’s matchup will decide the season series between the two Eastern Conference opponents.
Atlanta enters the game after defeating the Phoenix Mercury 96-82 on Wednesday. Rhyne Howard finished with 23 points, six rebounds and eight assists, Allisha Gray added 20 points, and Angel Reese posted 14 points and 10 rebounds. Jordin Canada also recorded her 227th assist of the season, setting a new franchise single-season record.
Canada has started all 30 games this season and is averaging 11.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and a league-leading 7.6 assists per game. Gray leads Atlanta in scoring at 18.8 points per game, while Howard is averaging 17.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.4 steals. Reese enters Friday averaging 16.0 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, while Naz Hillmon is contributing 9.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest.
On Thursday, Howard and Reese were named to the 2026 USA Basketball Women’s National Team for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. They become the first two Atlanta Dream players to simultaneously represent Team USA in a 5-on-5 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup or Olympic Games.
Through 29 games, Washington is averaging 81.7 points per game while allowing 83.2. The Mystics are averaging 37.2 rebounds, 19.2 assists and 3.72 blocks per game. Atlanta is averaging 89.5 points, 34.7 rebounds, 20.8 assists and 9.3 steals per contest.
In the first two meetings between the teams this season, Rhyne Howard’s high against Washington is 24 points, Angel Reese’s best rebounding performance is 17 rebounds, and Jordin Canada’s high is seven assists. For Washington, Kiki Iriafen has recorded a high of 24 points and 10 rebounds against Atlanta this season, while Alicia Flórez has dished out seven assists.
Atlanta lists Te-Hina Paopao as out with a right leg injury.
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