Call it a talented roster. Call it favorable scheduling. Call it whatever you want.
One thing has become increasingly clear under head coach Karl Smesko: the Atlanta Dream rarely lose twice in a row.
Last season, Atlanta only suffered back to back regular season losses twice. The lone exception came in the playoffs when the Dream dropped consecutive games to the Indiana Fever after taking Game 1 of the opening round series.
That resilience showed up once again Friday night.
Coming off their first double digit loss of the 2026 season, an 82-68 defeat to the Minnesota Lynx, the Dream responded with one of their most complete performances of the year, defeating the Portland Fire 86-66 at the Moda Center.
The win improved Atlanta to 5-2 on the season while showcasing exactly why many around the league view this roster as one of the deepest and most talented in the WNBA.
“We try to keep an even keel,” Smesko said after the game. “If we win, it’s a learning experience. If we lose, it’s a learning experience. Let’s try to get better throughout the course of the season.”
That philosophy continues to pay dividends.
A Championship-Caliber Roster
To echo Smesko’s point, Atlanta simply has talent most teams cannot match.
The addition of Angel Reese elevated a roster that already featured established stars Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray. Veterans Jordin Canada, Naz Hillmon, and Bri Jones provide experience and stability. Young contributors such as Te-Hina Paopao, Izzy Borlase, and Madina Okot continue to give Atlanta quality depth.
Even when the Dream are not operating at peak efficiency within Smesko’s system, they possess enough talent to survive difficult stretches.
Friday’s win was another example.
Atlanta forced a staggering 28 Portland turnovers, converting them into 33 points. The Dream collected 16 steals, including a career-high five from Naz Hillmon and six from Rhyne Howard, tying Howard’s career best.
The defensive intensity overwhelmed Portland throughout the second half and ultimately broke the game open.
“I think it was defensively,” Angel Reese said. “If you look at Nas and you look at Rhyne, 11 steals together. I think they went on a stretch where they were just back and forth steals. When you force a team into 28 turnovers, I think a lot of positive comes out on the offensive end.”
Angel Reese Continues to Make History
Reese delivered arguably her most complete performance of the season.
The All-Star forward finished with a season-high 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists while recording her fourth double-double of the season and the 53rd of her career.
Her 12 rebounds also pushed her to 900 career rebounds, making her the fastest player in WNBA history to reach the milestone, accomplishing the feat in just 71 games.
For Reese, the key continues to be impacting the game regardless of how her shot is falling.
“I know rebounds is something that I can always rely on, no matter how the game is going,” Reese said. “I didn’t do a great job last game getting offensive rebounds or even defensive rebounds. So I wanted to take pride in that tonight.”
Her growth as a facilitator was equally important. Reese led the Dream with five assists, consistently finding open shooters when Portland sent extra defenders her way.
Smesko believes that part of her game will only continue to expand.
“She’s somebody we want to be able to handle the ball and make decisions with it,” Smesko said. “If they’re sending two at her, it’ll be moving it to our shooters. It’s all about making the right basketball play based on what the defense is doing.”
Defense Wins Fourth Quarters
The game remained competitive through three quarters before Atlanta delivered its best stretch of basketball.
The Dream outscored Portland 27-13 in the fourth quarter, turning a close contest into a comfortable victory.
Smesko pointed directly to his team’s defensive pressure as the deciding factor.
“I think we put good pressure on them,” he said. “We made a lot of defensive plays. We got a lot of steals, and when you get steals, you get out in transition.”
Hillmon’s impact stood out in particular.
“I thought Nas played a great game defensively,” Smesko said. “We’ve been looking for her. She’s so solid defensively. The next step is making more defensive plays and getting more steals, and we got to see it today.”
Meanwhile, Howard’s defensive excellence continues to fly under the radar.
“Hopefully she gets the credit she deserves on that end of the floor because she’s just been fantastic,” Smesko added.
More Than Just a Bounce Back
What makes this victory especially interesting is what happened afterward.
The same Portland team that Atlanta dominated turned around and dismantled the Indiana Fever the following day.
That serves as a reminder that Portland is not a bad basketball team. The Fire entered the game at 5-3 and have already shown they can compete with quality opponents.
Atlanta simply looked like the better team.
The Dream’s starting lineup of Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon, and Angel Reese improved to 5-1 together. Gray reached another milestone by recording her 1,000th career free throw made. Rookie Madina Okot provided a spark off the bench, shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from the field.
There are still areas for Atlanta to improve. The offensive execution is not always as smooth as Smesko would like. The team is still adapting to new pieces and continuing to learn a demanding system.
But there is a difference between being imperfect and being vulnerable.
The Bigger Picture
The Dream will face tougher tests ahead.
The schedule will get harder. The competition will get stronger. Atlanta will almost certainly lose more games than it did a season ago simply because expectations are higher and the target on its back is larger.
But this roster appears capable of something greater than last year’s team.
When you have stars like Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard, and Allisha Gray, experienced veterans like Canada, Hillmon, and Bri Jones, and a coach whose teams consistently respond after adversity, there is reason to believe Atlanta’s ceiling remains among the highest in the WNBA.
The Lynx exposed some weaknesses earlier this week.
The Dream answered immediately.
And if Karl Smesko’s history is any indication, that’s exactly what this team intends to keep doing all season long.
“Be the best at getting better” ~ Karl Smesko
(Atlanta Dream Media provided cover image)
