Atlanta Dream Dominate Mystics 109-77 Ahead of Chicago Road Trip

Atlanta came into Saturday's matchup following a tough loss to the Indiana Fever in their second Commissioner's Cup game, looking to bounce back against a scrappy and young Washington Mystics team. Before the game, Courtside Cousins caught up with Head Coach Karl Smesko to ask him what he expects from the young and scrappy team, as well as what he expects from his team to combat that. This is what he had to say:

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Dream Head Coach Karl Smesko on the young and scrappy Washington Mystics team.

The Atlanta Dream dominated this game from start to finish. They turned defense into offense the whole night, leading to a commanding 109-77 win on Saturday at Gateway Center Arena. In what started as a tightly contested beginning to the first quarter, it quickly turned into what has been the most complete performance from this Dream squad this season. Atlanta showed relentless effort on defense, dominated the board, and had balanced scoring across the team. Washington looked like they came to play in the first, as they briefly held a 16-12 advantage midway through the opening quarter behind early aggressiveness from forward Kiki Iriafen. That didn't last long as the Dream immediately went on a 30-9 run from the 4:14 mark of the first quarter to the 4:04 mark of the second quarter. Atlanta's defense suffocated Washington's offense, turning steals into fast break points on the other end of the floor. By halftime, the Dream had built a 46-34 lead despite the Mystics holding an advantage in points in the paint. After two quarters, the biggest difference makers for Atlanta were their defensive activity, ability to capitalize on the mistakes by the Mystics, and their efficiency from behind the arc. Allisha Gray led the way in scoring with 13 first-half points, while Rhyne Howard added 12 more to their 46-point half. Angel Reese impacted the game in multiple ways, posting eight points and nine rebounds before the halftime break.

The third quarter swiftly approached, and there remained no doubt about the dominance of the Dream in this game. They came out of the locker room on a big offensive and defensive surge, going on a 20-6 run in the third quarter as Atlanta repeatedly disrupted the flow of Washington's offense. As the Dream's lead grew, frustrations started to grow for the Mystics as well. At the 3:52 mark in the third quarter, the Washington Mystics Head Coach, Sydney Johnson, became involved in a heated exchange with the officiating crew. This exchange led to Johnson receiving two technical fouls and ejected from the game before being escorted off the court. This sequence did little to slow the momentum built by Atlana as they continued to extend their lead, outscoring Washington 32-18 in the quarter and carrying a 78-52 lead into the fourth. Atlanta continued their control, going on a 14-4 run midway through the fourth quarter that pushed Atlanta's lead to as many as 35 points, allowing coach Karl Smesko to lean on his bench. This is where we saw a complete game come together as the Dream bench scored a combined 40 points this game, ensuring the Dream never lost momentum.

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Mystics Head Coach, Sydney Johnson's Head Exchange with the Officiating Crew

Takeaways

Atlanta finished the night shooting 48.5 percent from the field with an impressive 52 percent from behind the arc, knocking down 13 3-pointers from deep. The Dream also dominated the glass, outrebounding the Mystics 42-26 while holding advantages in assists (21-17), steals (16-4), points off turnovers (26-17), and fastbreak points (21-5). Angel Reese once again anchored the Dream's effort with another double-double, finishing with 18 points, 17 rebounds, 4 steals, and a block. Rhyne Howard delivered one of the most active two-way performances this season with 19 points and 6 steals while helping lead several of the Dream's runs. Allisha Gray added 15 points and 5 assists, while Jordin Canada contributed with 11 points and 5 assists. Atlanta's bench played a big role behind Madina Okot, Isobel Borlase, and Sika Kone. Okot continued to show off her strong development with 11 points in just 18 minutes.

Following the game, Smesko pointed to the defensive end as a catalyst for their offense. Here is what he had to say:

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Dream Head Coach Karl Smesko Post Game on defense into offense

For Madina Okot, her performance showed more glimpses of her adjustment to the WNBA game. The rookie center credited her teammates for helping her with all that she has learned, specifically highlighting Angel Reese as an inspiration for her. Find the full response below:

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Dream Rookie Madina Okot on what she has learned this season.

Next Up

Atlanta now heads back on the road to Chicago for a June 9 match-up against the Sky in what will be a highly anticipated game. The contest marks Angel Reese's first regular-season return to Chicago since joining the Dream, adding an extra storyline to an already significant Commissioner's Cup matchup. The Sky opened the season rolling as early-season surprises, winning three of their first four games behind a newly revamped roster. Since the hot start, Chicago has struggled with a 1-6 record following that.

For the Dream, their biggest challenge will be avoiding a letdown after one of their most dominant wins of the season. If Atlanta can carry the same defensive intensity they displayed against Washington, they will have an opportunity to continue to build momentum and help their rankings for the Commissioner's Cup.