There may be friendship between Atlanta Dream Head Coach Karl Smesko and Dallas Wings Head Coach Jose Fernandez, but once the ball tipped, that friendship was put on hold.
Before Fernandez accepted the Dallas Wings job, Smesko encouraged him to make the leap to the WNBA.
“The WNBA, it’s the best league in the world. So, you want to be a part of it,” Smesko said when discussing the advice he gave Fernandez.
Fernandez took that advice and joined the Wings, but for the second time this season, Smesko and the Dream walked away with the win.
Atlanta came out with arguably its best opening stretch of the 2026 season, immediately putting Dallas on its heels with a blistering 10-0 run to begin the game. The Dream defense was suffocating early, holding the Wings scoreless for the first 6:13 of the contest, one of the longest scoreless stretches to open a game in WNBA history and a mark that now ranks in the league’s top five all time.
The Dream starting lineup of Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon, and Angel Reese once again proved effective. Atlanta is now 3-0 with that starting five on the floor together.
From the opening quarter, the Dream controlled the pace, energy, and defensive intensity. Atlanta led throughout most of the night and looked fully in command entering the fourth quarter before the Wings finally punched back.
Dallas took its first lead of the game with 7:35 remaining in the fourth quarter, fueled by the strong play of Awak Kuier. Kuier finished with 16 points and became a major problem for Atlanta in the second half due to her length and activity around the rim.
That moment could have shifted the game completely.
Instead, Coach Smesko gathered his team during a timeout and issued a simple challenge.
“What do you all want to do?”
The message was clear. Atlanta needed to rediscover the rhythm and intensity that helped build the early lead. The response from the Dream was immediate.
Out of the timeout, Atlanta produced back to back strong offensive possessions, regained control of the game, and never looked back. The Dream closed the night on a dominant 23-5 run to secure a convincing 17-point victory and improve to 3-1 on the season.
The biggest story of the game was Atlanta’s defense.
That effort was anchored by “The Permission” herself, Rhyne Howard, who delivered one of the best all around performances of the young WNBA season. Howard finished with 25 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks while also drawing the primary defensive assignment on former No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers.
Bueckers was held to just 7 points.
Howard’s impact went far beyond scoring. She controlled the tempo offensively, disrupted passing lanes defensively, and completely changed the energy of the game whenever Dallas attempted to build momentum. In her return from injury, she led the Dream in points, assists, steals, and blocks, showcasing exactly why she remains the centerpiece of Atlanta’s championship aspirations.
Allisha Gray continued her steady play with 16 points, 4 rebounds, a steal, and a block, while Angel Reese delivered another strong outing with 15 points and 9 rebounds, narrowly missing another double double. Reese once again brought physicality, energy, and rebounding that helped Atlanta dominate key stretches of the game.
Jordin Canada finished with 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists while controlling the pace offensively, and Te-Hina Paopao gave the Dream valuable shooting off the bench. Paopao knocked down all three of her attempts from beyond the arc and finished with 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.
The victory also continues Atlanta’s dominance in the series historically. The Dream now hold a 31-20 all time record against the Wings and improve to 19-7 at home against Dallas.
Most importantly, this performance looked much more like the version of the Atlanta Dream fans envisioned entering the season. The defense was aggressive, the ball movement was crisp, and when adversity finally arrived in the fourth quarter, Atlanta answered with poise and execution instead of panic.
Now sitting at 3-1 on the season, the Dream will turn their attention toward Sunday’s matchup at Gateway Arena, where they will look to continue building momentum early in the year.
