In a closely contested game, the Minnesota Lynx managed to pull away in the second half, securing a 68-55 victory over the Atlanta Dream at the Target Center. The game, marked by intense back-and-forth action, saw a significant shift when Rhyne Howard went down with an injury late in the third quarter.
The game was tight in the first half, with the Lynx holding a slight edge thanks to their strong defensive play. Tina Charles anchored the Dream with a dominant presence on the glass, grabbing five rebounds in the first quarter alone. Defensively, the Dream held the Lynx to 38.9% shooting in the first quarter, tying them in second-chance points, 4-4.
Fueled by Nia Coffey’s nine points, the Dream went on a 13-5 run in the second quarter to cut the Lynx lead to two points. Coffey led all scorers in the first half with 11 points and added three assists and six rebounds. The Dream shot 37.5% from three-point range and 100% from the free-throw line in the second quarter, staying competitive as they trailed by just one point at halftime.
The Dream continued to fight in the third quarter, with Haley Jones going 4-for-4 and cutting the Lynx lead to single digits. However, the momentum shifted dramatically when Rhyne Howard went down with an ankle injury. “At first, we all kinda worried, so we went over there to check on her… When she left the court, we all just had an understanding that we had to pick up because Rhyne is such a big part of the team,” Jones said. Without Howard and already missing Aerial Powers due to sickness, the Dream struggled to find their offensive rhythm. Coach Tanisha Wright commented on the adjustments made, stating, “We went more post-heavy… that kept us afloat for a little bit… kind of lost it at the very end.” Tina Charles led the Dream with six points and three rebounds in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap.
Coach Tanisha Wright praised the team’s effort despite the setback. “Good, gritty fight against a really good team. Down a person, I thought our fight was good, holding this team to 68 points. I thought defensively we were okay. The first half was a little bit choppy, but once we settled in, we were okay. Offensively, we missed shots, and that’s just the nature of the game,” she said. Wright also highlighted the improved defensive effort in the second half. “I thought our defensive effort was a lot better in the second half. We settled in, but we were a lot more active. I thought we did a good job on the schemes, in terms of what we were trying to accomplish. And as a result, we were able to hold them to some tough shots.”
The Dream will need to regroup quickly as they await updates on Howard’s condition. The loss not only impacted their performance on the court but also their mental toughness, highlighting the team’s strong connection to their star player. The Dream face a challenging schedule ahead and will need to find ways to compensate for the absence of key players. The focus will be on maintaining their defensive intensity and finding new offensive strategies to keep them competitive in upcoming games.
