The Atlanta Dream are off to their first 2-0 start since 2022 after defeating Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings 77-72.
That sounds great, and it is great, but the Dream are still far from perfect.
For the second game in a row, Atlanta got off to a slow start and went into halftime being outscored by its opponent. This time, though, the deficit was much more manageable, and the Dream were able to erase it quickly. Angel Reese and Allisha Gray combined for six quick points to put Atlanta up by two early in the third quarter. From that point on, it felt like the Dream were in the driver’s seat.
Gray led the Dream with 26 points on 9-of-20 shooting, while Jordin Canada had a strong night with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Reese added another double-double with 12 points and 16 rebounds, including 8 offensive rebounds. Gray, Canada, and Reese all shot 45 percent or better from the field, with Canada and Reese both at 50 percent or higher.
Still, the problem was overall efficiency. Atlanta shot just 37.7 percent from the field as a team, and there were several missed layups in the first half that kept Dallas in the game.
Coach Karl Smesko said afterward that the Dream are still trying to clean up their shot selection and offensive execution, but he also explained one of the core ideas behind his offense: ATLs.
“ATL stands for above the line,” Smesko said. “You get a layup, you get a wide open three where we’re on balance. Those are ATLs for us. And we want to see how many of those that we can get.”
That quote matters because this offense is clearly built around shot quality. The Dream are not just trying to score. They are trying to create the best possible shots. Layups. Clean threes. Rhythm looks. Shots that fit the system.
Jordin Canada echoed that same idea when asked about how the Dream can fight through offensive lulls.
“Coach talks about ATLs and getting ATLs all the time, whether it’s three or layup,” Canada said. “When we do have those lows, we just kind of have to huddle up together and understand that we need to get better shots and better options.”
That is exactly where Atlanta is right now. They are winning games, but they are still searching for cleaner offense.
The encouraging part is that they are winning without being close to their best. Smesko admitted the team has not shot the ball well through the first two games, but he also likes what he is seeing from them late in games.
“We haven’t shot the ball well in either game,” Smesko said. “But showing a lot of toughness down the stretch in both games, they just pull together, made the plays when they needed to, and that’s a big step forward for us.”
That toughness showed again against Dallas.
The Dream held the Wings to 72 points and limited them to 38.4 percent shooting from the field. Dallas only made four threes as a team. Paige Bueckers finished with 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting, while Arike Ogunbowale scored 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting, but Atlanta made Dallas work for everything.
The rebounding battle was also important. Atlanta finished with 44 total rebounds compared to Dallas’ 34. The Dream had 11 offensive rebounds and 33 defensive rebounds, while Dallas had 7 offensive boards and 27 defensive rebounds. Reese was the biggest reason for that gap, grabbing 16 boards by herself.
Allisha Gray was once again the engine. She had 26 points, 4 rebounds, and a block, and she gave Atlanta the scoring punch it needed. Canada may have been just as important because of her control. She had only one turnover while attacking the paint, setting up teammates, and keeping Atlanta organized.
Rhyne Howard finished with 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists, but she shot just 3-of-14 from the field and 1-of-9 from three. That is the scary part. Atlanta is 2-0, and Howard has not had one of those explosive shooting nights yet. She is capable of averaging around 20 points a night and giving this team 30 point outbursts. Once she, Gray, and Reese are all clicking on all cylinders, that will be a Dream come true.
There are still concerns. The slow starts have to stop. The missed layups have to be cleaned up. The bench still needs more consistent minutes and production. The offensive execution is still a work in progress. But this is a team that has already shown it can win close games, defend when it matters, rebound, and survive nights when the offense is not pretty.
That matters.
Atlanta is 2-0 for the first time in a few years, and they are doing it while still looking like a team with another level to reach.
That should make Dream fans excited.
It should also make the rest of the league nervous.
