Atlanta Dream Snaps Eight-Game Losing Streak with Thrilling Win Over Seattle Storm
In a nail-biting finish, the Atlanta Dream defeated the Seattle Storm 83-81 on Friday night, snapping an eight-game losing streak. The Dream’s Rhyne Howard scored a season-high 30 points, while Allisha Gray added 19 and Tina Charles scored 16 points, including the game-winning jumper with 1.1 seconds left.
The Storm, led by Skylar Diggins-Smith’s season-high 29 points, took a 60-55 lead into the fourth quarter. However, the Dream mounted a comeback, going on a 12-5 run to take a 67-65 lead with 5:37 to play. The Storm’s Jewell Loyd hit a contested fall-away 3-pointer to tie the game at 81-81 with 4.6 seconds left.
The Dream called a timeout to move the ball into the frontcourt, and Charles caught the inbounds pass on the left block, faced the basket, and pulled up for a short jumper to give Atlanta the win.
The Storm’s Nneka Ogwumike added 16 points on 7 of 10 shooting, while Loyd scored 21. Seattle led 41-29 at halftime and by as many as 14 points in the second half before Atlanta’s comeback.
The Dream’s Howard made three 3-pointers in a 63-second span to trim the deficit to 49-44 with 5:20 left in the third quarter. She scored 14 points in the quarter, helping the Dream cut the Storm’s advantage to 60-55 entering the fourth.
Atlanta took a 64-63 lead with 6:24 to play, its first since the first quarter. The Storm has committed 15 or fewer turnovers in 19 consecutive games, the fourth-longest streak in WNBA history.
The win marks a much-needed boost for the Dream, who are now 8-17 on the season. The Storm falls to 17-9.
