With their playoff hopes hanging in the balance, the Atlanta Dream delivered a pivotal 86-70 victory over the Chicago Sky on Tuesday night at Gateway Center. The win pushes the Dream into the 8th and final playoff spot, with just one more game left to secure their postseason fate.
The Dream came out firing in the first half, establishing control early. By the time the second quarter reached the halfway mark, Atlanta had built a comfortable 30-17 lead, showcasing their superior ball movement and balanced attack. The highlight of the first half came when veteran center Tina Charles took the ball coast to coast, finishing with a beautiful spin move for a layup that sent the home crowd into a frenzy.
At halftime, Atlanta held a 46-32 lead, thanks to strong performances across the board. Charles led the way with her dominance in the paint, while Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada kept the offense flowing. The team’s defensive efforts, especially Canada’s ability to disrupt the Sky’s guards, prevented Chicago from finding any consistent rhythm.
The third quarter belonged to Tina Charles. Seven minutes into the quarter, Charles passed Sylvia Fowles for first place on the WNBA’s all-time defensive rebounds list, securing her 2,875th career board. Just a minute later, she tied Fowles once again, this time for the most double-doubles in WNBA history, recording her 20th of the season and the 193rd of her illustrious career.
Despite a slight dip in offensive production for the Dream, Charles’ historic night and timely buckets from Howard allowed Atlanta to keep Chicago at bay. The Dream maintained a 60-52 lead heading into the final quarter, outscoring the Sky in the paint 12-8 during the third period.
In the fourth quarter, Jordin Canada took over. Scoring 10 of her team-leading 18 points in the final 10 minutes, Canada sparked the Dream on both ends of the court. Her defensive prowess resulted in two steals, while her offensive leadership allowed Atlanta to pull away down the stretch. Tina Charles added another three rebounds to finish with 14 on the night, complementing her 16 points and further cementing her impact on the game.
The Dream outscored the Sky 26-18 in the fourth quarter, shooting 50% from the field and an impressive 75% from beyond the arc. Atlanta’s strong finish, capped by a 19-11 run, secured the 86-70 victory and pushed them one step closer to the playoffs.
After the game, both Jordin Canada and Tina Charles reflected on the win and the team’s momentum heading into the final game of the season. “I pride myself on defense. That’s one of the things that not only gets myself going but gets our team going—that spark and that energy,” said Canada, who also added five assists and three steals to her stat line.
Charles, who made WNBA history during the game, focused on the team’s continuity and camaraderie. “It’s great to be on this team. I love my role and just what I mean to them and what they mean to me,” she said. Despite tying Sylvia Fowles for most career double-doubles, Charles downplayed the personal accomplishment. “It hasn’t set in yet. I think it will when it’s all said and done.”
Head coach Tanisha Wright also highlighted the team’s effort and the importance of maintaining momentum. “This was a good momentum game for us as we move into the next game. Some really good things happened tonight… Tina tying the double-double record with Sylvia was pretty big and pretty awesome.”
With this crucial win, the Dream now hold the 8th and final playoff spot. But the road to the playoffs isn’t guaranteed just yet. As the Dream prepare to face the New York Liberty on Thursday, two other games on the same night could impact their playoff fate. The Chicago Sky will take on the Connecticut Sun, while the Washington Mystics face the Indiana Fever.
If the Sky win, things get complicated, leading to multiple tiebreaker scenarios involving head-to-head matchups and records against .500 teams. However, if the Sky lose, the Dream will clinch the final playoff spot, regardless of other results. Atlanta wins all potential tiebreakers, making it difficult for any other team to knock them out of playoff contention.
As Tina Charles put it, “It feels good to be in control, but we’re definitely not naïve about who we’re going up against.” The Dream know they still have work to do against a tough Liberty team, but their destiny remains in their hands.
