The only way for the Atlanta Dream to win against a quality WNBA team is is to get the job done on both ends of the floor. They did that against the Chicago Sky on Sunday to score an 87-81 win and improve to 2-1 in the team standings.
Carla Cortijo came off the bench to provide damage as well, scoring 12 points and dishing out five assists in close to 13 minutes of play. She was a plus-14 in the match, helping the Dream blitz past the Sky's defense to create scoring opportunities. The Dream had 31 free throw attempts in the match, nine more than the Sky, thanks mainly to their guards' aggressiveness.
But the main reason for the Dream's victory was defense. In the 2015 season, the Dream were the fourth worst squad in defensive rating and the worst in points allowed. On Sunday, the Dream shut down the Sky to just 37.7 percent from the field, and forced them to commit 13 turnovers including nine in the second half.
It looked like the Sky were on their way to an easy win after taking a 22-12 advantage in the first quarter, but the Dream flipped the switch on the defensive end, limiting the Sky to only 36 points in the next two and half quarters.
The Sky opened the game making five of their first 10 field goal attempts, but were 24-for-67 the rest of the way. That is credit to the Dream's defense especially in the second half, when they played the passing lanes well and forced the Sky into traps to prevent Chicago from executing. The Dream outscored
Elena Delle Donne had 16 points, seven rebounds, and four blocked shots to lead the Sky. Cappie Pondexter added 17 points and five assists, while Jessica Breland chipped in 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting and 10 rebounds.
The Sky did not have Courtney Vandersloot in the game, and her absence definitely hurt them from a playmaking standpoint. Getting to the rim is one thing, but Vandersloot's vision is different. Vandersloot tallied 18 assists in the Sky's first two games. In this game, Jamierra Faulkner only had one assist. Allie Quigley had two, Betnijah Laney had none.
But the Sky should be pleased with their interior defense. The team had 11 blocks, and made the Dream bleed for their points early in the contest. That kind of defense will evelate the Sky to another level. They should not just outscore their foes but also get stops, and people are seeing improved defense from the team so far.
Last night's scores
Atlanta Dream 87, Chicago Sky 81
Minnesota Lynx 78, Seattle Storm 71
Alysha Clark led the Storm with 20 points. Breanna Stewart had 14 points and 13 boards, while Jewell Loyd scored 14 points, but had six turnovers and no assists.
Angel McCoughtry scored a game-high 21 points, including 9-for-12 from the foul line. Layshia Clarendon gave the Dream a huge boost, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter on her way to finishing with 15 in the game. Her aggressiveness in getting to the rim gave the Sky lots of problems, and the Dream did a great job involving her in pick and roll plays to cause trouble for the Sky's defense.3 Qtrs in the books as the @AtlantaDream lead at @wnbachicagosky 64-58 behind @angel_35's game-high 19. #WatchMeWork pic.twitter.com/UyKK4Nz2Sn— WNBA (@WNBA) May 22, 2016
Carla Cortijo came off the bench to provide damage as well, scoring 12 points and dishing out five assists in close to 13 minutes of play. She was a plus-14 in the match, helping the Dream blitz past the Sky's defense to create scoring opportunities. The Dream had 31 free throw attempts in the match, nine more than the Sky, thanks mainly to their guards' aggressiveness.
But the main reason for the Dream's victory was defense. In the 2015 season, the Dream were the fourth worst squad in defensive rating and the worst in points allowed. On Sunday, the Dream shut down the Sky to just 37.7 percent from the field, and forced them to commit 13 turnovers including nine in the second half.
It looked like the Sky were on their way to an easy win after taking a 22-12 advantage in the first quarter, but the Dream flipped the switch on the defensive end, limiting the Sky to only 36 points in the next two and half quarters.
The Sky opened the game making five of their first 10 field goal attempts, but were 24-for-67 the rest of the way. That is credit to the Dream's defense especially in the second half, when they played the passing lanes well and forced the Sky into traps to prevent Chicago from executing. The Dream outscored
Elena Delle Donne had 16 points, seven rebounds, and four blocked shots to lead the Sky. Cappie Pondexter added 17 points and five assists, while Jessica Breland chipped in 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting and 10 rebounds.
The Sky did not have Courtney Vandersloot in the game, and her absence definitely hurt them from a playmaking standpoint. Getting to the rim is one thing, but Vandersloot's vision is different. Vandersloot tallied 18 assists in the Sky's first two games. In this game, Jamierra Faulkner only had one assist. Allie Quigley had two, Betnijah Laney had none.
But the Sky should be pleased with their interior defense. The team had 11 blocks, and made the Dream bleed for their points early in the contest. That kind of defense will evelate the Sky to another level. They should not just outscore their foes but also get stops, and people are seeing improved defense from the team so far.
Last night's scores
Atlanta Dream 87, Chicago Sky 81
Minnesota Lynx 78, Seattle Storm 71
The Lynx kept their unbeaten run going after defeating the Storm. All starters scored in double-digits. Maya Moore had 17 points, nine rebounds, and four assists to lead the way. Sylvia Fowles added 15 points and eight rebounds.The @minnesotalynx hold off the @seattlestorm 78-71 led by @MooreMaya 17p & 9r. @Alysha_Clark w/ 20p. #WatchMeWork pic.twitter.com/z9RCgrLWc7— WNBA (@WNBA) May 23, 2016
Alysha Clark led the Storm with 20 points. Breanna Stewart had 14 points and 13 boards, while Jewell Loyd scored 14 points, but had six turnovers and no assists.
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