2018 Atlanta Dream and WNBA Previews

[lethalweapon3]

The Atlanta Dream worked hard this year to get a Top 2 seed. Why? To avoid exactly what transpired on Sunday afternoon, a single tough loss, meaning the end of the road. Instead, the Dream get at least one more chance to #DefendTheATL before their home crowd at McCamish Pavilion tonight (8 PM Eastern, ESPN2).

Elena Delle Donne (32 points, 10-for-10 FTs; 13 rebounds, 7 offensive) did Elena Delle Donne Things in Game 1. And she kinda has to, especially if fellow star Kristi Toliver (3-for-13 FGs, 2 assists in a team-high 37 minutes) is going to have off outings for the Mystics.

Even without much help from Toliver, Washington found open shooters and tore up the nets from the outside (11-for-26 3FGs), especially during their spurts to start each quarter. But WNBA Coach of the Year Nicki Collen has insisted on a Noah’s Ark approach – two by two – to force the Mystics to settle for interior shots. It nearly worked on Sunday, as Atlanta persistently scrambled back from one deficit after another, granting themselves a shot to force overtime in the closing minute of play.

Elizabeth Williams (15 points, team-high 14 rebounds) was stellar in the series opener. But she must continue to stay home and avoid the trap of “helping” Jessica Breland (team-high 4 blocks) contain Delle Donne on the All-Star’s impressive forays to the hoop. Defensive breakdowns lead to fouls (Mystics 20-for-20 FTs) in Game 1 and open shooters around the perimeter.

Williams and Breland also need Brittney Sykes (2 defensive rebounds, no steals or blocks in 25 minutes of starting action) to be more committed on the defensive end, helping with securing rebounds and picking off passes.

Sykes (and rookie forward Monique Billings) helping the bigs does require more out of guards Tiffany Hayes, Renee Montgomery and Alex Bentley (team-high 19 points from the latter, 10 crucial points in the opening quarter) to seal off the open three-point shots for their assignments, especially from the corners. But when the Mystics weren’t jacking threes or earning trips to the line, they were shooting 30.4 2FG% on 56 interior attempts, a sign that Collen was indeed on the right track.

It’s here, defensive rebounding from the small forward position, where the absence of Angel McCoughtry was most easily exposed in coach Mike Thibault’s game planning for Washington. While the Mystics (four player TOs) were able to spread the floor and drive-and-kick with ease in the 87-84 win on Sunday, Atlanta had zero steals in the opening match as a team, a rarity and a departure from the Dream’s hallmark of defensive disruption.

Angel’s precision passing on drives and in the post was similarly missed, as the Dream’s eight turnovers in Game 1 included six Mystics steals. Montgomery (2-for-8 3FGs, 2 assists, tied for a team-high with four other Dream players) may have the Law of Averages work in her favor as a shooter in Game 2. But more critically as the starting point guard, she’ll need to get the ball early in possessions and find teammates ready to finish in the paint, not just Williams (6-for-7 2FGs).

Forcing Washington to play faster and get stops inside will improve the likelihood of foul trouble for Delle Donne and LaToya Sanders. The Mystics generally ran into trouble when they relied on Tianna Hawkins and Aerial Powers to hold the fort as reserves, and the DNP’d Krystal Thomas and Monique Currie don’t offer much more.

A bunch of WNBA teams, including these two, performed well this season on the road, so asking the Dream to win a game in D.C. won’t be a tough ask. What would be tough is Atlanta having to win twice up north just to force a Game 5 back here. If they play truer to their zippy, scrappy selves for 40 minutes at both ends of the court today, Defending The ATL will prove to be much simpler going forward.

 

Let’s Go Dream!

~lw3

[Dnice]

Congratulations, they broke in for a presentation on NBA TV.

[lethalweapon3]

Why is Chris Sienko the Executive of the Year, you may ask?

Here are TWO pretty good reasons!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

In case you missed the Draft Lottery (as I did) during halftime, a little good news, insofar as none of the 3 East clubs in it got the #1 overall pick.

I'm not sure Laimbeer is the ideal coach going forward, and that will bear out, but my goodness, Vegas is gonna be a problem!

~lw3

[Gray Mule]

Too much Elena Delle Donne in game #2.  Then, with only minutes left, she is injured and that was just enough for the Dream to win.  Sorry that their all star player was injured but I'm really glad it wasn't something one of our Dream players was responsible for.

GO ATL DREAM !!

[macdaddy]

21 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Dream owners went to the line on new hires... and went 2 for 2! Congrats to Coach Nicki and The Great Sienko!

 

~lw3

I'll comment on the man's appearance for a change of pace.  Hey Chris, did they pull you out of bed for this photo shoot?  www.dollarshaveclub.com.  

I'm just jealous i can't pull off the stubble look.   I get mistaken for Sadaam Housein when i try that. 

Congrats to the Dream.   Best team in Atlanta right now.   

 

 

[lethalweapon3]

"The Atlanta Hawks win and are on the way to the Eastern Conference Finals!"

Sounds good, doesn't it? While it's not exactly the same Memory Lane, the Atlanta Dream has a shot at earning a trip to the WNBA Finals with victory in D.C., too. To get that done. though, they have to win each of these next two road games, including tonight's Game 3 against the Washington Mystics (8 PM Eastern, NBATV and ESPNNEWS simulcast) before a sold-out gym at George Washington U.

The door for the Dream to The Finals was about to be closed by Elena Delle Donne (26.0 PPG, league-best 13.0 RPG in the playoffs), until she twisted up her knee badly late in Game 2 at Atlanta. The Dream rallied without EDD on the floor, pulling out the victory behind Alex "Big Play" Bentley in the closing minutes to tie the series. Now, the door that seemed close to locking shut is now more than merely creaked open.

Delle Donne is listed as questionable to play tonight, putting the onus on Kristi Toliver (35.5 FG% this series) to get unglued offensively, and on a bunch of supporting cast starters and reserves to step up, in a similar vein as Atlanta already did once Angel McCoughtry bowed out for the season.

The frontcourt players (starters and backups) and Tiffany Hayes have now all had their key moments in this series for Atlanta. Now, the Dream need more out of Renee Montgomery (27.8 FG% through 2 games) and Brittney Sykes to seal the deal. Sykes somehow garnered a singular vote for Defensive Player of the Year, and her work on rookie Ariel Atkins (54.5 3FG% this series) tonight could make that vote worthwhile.

Get the job done tonight in Game 3, and at worst, the Dream can ensure that the path to the Finals has to go through Atlanta once more.

 

Let's Go Dream!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

"Thank you madams. May I have another?"

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

No scheduled start time yet for Sunday's potentially Finals-clinching Game 4 at GW, for whatever reason. But there will be a sort of ATL invasion that afternoon. Just a couple miles to the south, the Five Stripes visit DC United in their new Audi Field (7:30 PM Eastern).

Go ATL!
~lw3

[Gray Mule]

EDD out.  Angel out.  Dream comes true for Atlanta !!

[lethalweapon3]

Clinch City! We've got not one, but two, Atlanta teams that could notch some Monumental wins in Washington, D.C. today. Before Atlanta United seeks to go 2-for-2 in its brief, playoff-clinching franchise history with a draw or win versus D.C. United, a more momentous opportunity is on the table for the Atlanta Dream. They can punch their ticket to the WNBA Finals with victory in Game 4 of the semifinals over the Washington Mystics (3 PM Eastern, ESPN2).

If the Dream prove to be not good but even more lucky this afternoon, they can arrive home knowing they can rest a couple extra days. Phoenix was impressive at home versus a Storm team that seemed to have the upper hand before Game 3. With another win today, the Mercury can force a Game 5 back in Seattle on Tuesday. The Dream wouldn't mind waiting a couple days before knowing if they have to fly to the Emerald City for Game 1 of the Finals or, instead, host Diana Taurasi and company back here at Georgia Tech.

But before looking too far ahead, they have to put away the Mystics, and to do that, they'll need a complete effort from Renee Montgomery (24.0 FG%, 2.7 APG). The point guard has been struggling with the added responsibility brought about by Angel McCoughtry's injury absence, although her defensive improvement versus the Mystics' Natasha Cloud (1-for-7 FGs, 1 assist in Game 3) has been noteworthy. Having Angel available as a player in her DMV home metro would have been ideal. But the Dream star's presence and contribution from the bench during arduous junctures of this series has been invaluable.

Renee (plus-8 in Game 3, but just 2 points, 1-for-7 FGs) must continue to push the tempo on a Mystics team that's unaccustomed to playing fast without Elena Delle Donne (bone bruise, still listed as questionable for Game 4). Alex Bentley has been thriving with the added possessions (WNBA-high 32.5 usage%). But her teammates have to find better opportunities to get Montgomery quality catch-and-shoot and spot-up opportunities along the 3-point line.

The increasingly assertive Elizabeth Williams and Jessica Breland (9 combined O-Rebs in Game 3) can produce second-chance opportunities for Montgomery and the Dream's perimeter shooters when they snare offensive boards and draw double -teams in the paint versus Washington's low-energy front line.

Aerial Powers (season-high 18 points) stepped up her play at critical junctures for Washington in Game 3. But everyone is waiting to see whether Kristi Toliver (1-for-9 3FGs in Game 3) gets herself unmoored versus the Dream's tight halfcourt defense. Coach Mike Thibault unveiled a transition offense on Friday that caught Atlanta repeatedly off-guard, and helped the Mystics gain extra trips to the free throw line.

But Thibault's charges (36.0 FG% in Game 3, 21.7 3FG%) struggled to keep up the strategy for four quarters, as coach Nicki Collen's similarly underwomanned crew elevated their tempo and defensive pressure (9 steals in Game 3) in the final frame. Matching Powers' play in the rubber match was Atlanta starter Brittney Sykes (17 points, 3-for-6 3FGs, 2 steals).

Providing the firepower and critical stops to help take pressure off of Tiffany Hayes (23 points, 3-for-4 3FGs, 11 rebounds in Game 3), Bentley has been MVP-quality in this series. But it's the player she often relieves, Montgomery, that can help seal the deal for the Dream today. An effective last hurrah from Delle Donne would change the equation for all involved. But either way, Atlanta might as well leave D.C. as a winner!

 

Let's Go Dream!

~lw3

[Gray Mule]

THRILL, THRILL!  HOW EXCITING!

Tuned in to ESPN2 for the Dream's playoff game.  We will join the game as soon as this football game is over.  40-24 now and no end in sight.

If they weren't going to broadcast the game, why did the schedule it?  Someone else might have done it if they hadn't hogged it.

33-21 as we join the game.  What has happened so far?  Who knows? 

5 minutes left in 1st half.  Rats.

[Dnice]

Please get it together, next game, dream.

[lethalweapon3]

We got Delle Donne-in, that's what happened!

We got homecourt for a reason, though! Let's pull it together for Game 5!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Game 5! It’s what the Atlanta Dream worked for! As was the case after Game 1, the Dream earned a chance to put Game 4, and the Washington Mystics, in the rearview mirror tonight (8:00 PM Eastern, ESPN2) before their own fans, as two solid clubs make their final dash toward the WNBA Finals.

Despite her knee injury scare, Delle Donne (3-for-10 2FGs but 3-for-5 3FGs, 10 rebounds) put the Mystics on her back in an elimination game, and it made all the difference in a 97-76 blowout. Atlanta has plenty of room to adjust, however, after allowing the Game 4 hosts to shoot 50 percent from the field and dominate the defensive glass.

Renee Montgomery (3-for-5 3FGs) rediscovered her jumper, to a degree, and also collected ten assists. But the Dream, allowing the likes of Natasha Cloud, Ariel Atkins, and Tierra Ruffin-Pratt (13 combined rebounds from the backcourt trio) to sneak in and snare defensive boards, helped Washington control both possessions and playing tempo.

Atlanta cannot afford to play stilted halfcourt ball against, perhaps, the best halfcourt team in the Association. Tiffany Hayes (4-for-12 FGs, 4 assists, 4 TOs), must, and will, be a more active participant in the decisive contest of this series, particularly as a perimeter defender matched up with Kristi Toliver (4-for-9 3FGs, 7 assists, 3 steals, 1 TO), who is finally showing signs of playing to her potential. Hayes cannot be a “JAG” (Just a Gal) under the spotlight tonight.

Against a Mystics team that needed only to muster a pair of blocks (one by the point guard, Cloud) in Game 4, Elizabeth Williams must outrun LaToya Sanders to the rims and to the ball, while her teammates must find her early and often in the offensive post. Backups like Mo Billings and Imani McGee-Stafford must know that outworking their peers for stops on the defensive ends will also prove crucial to the outcome.

As a fan with an East Coast bias, I am downright giddy about the prospects of 2019 for each of these well-coached clubs. If Emma Meesseman and a close-to-100-percent Angel McCoughtry can suit up from the outset, we may very well be looking at Game 5 today as a 2019 WNBA Finals precursor (with all due respect to Connecticut, who could be awfully good as well). But this pivotal Tuesday night is no time for me, or anyone in Atlanta blue, to be caught looking ahead. Through all the ups and downs, prove yourselves at least one point better than the opponent today, and the 2018 Finals await!

 

Let’s Go Dream!

~lw3

[JayBirdHawk]

Let's go Dream!!!

[Gray Mule]

MAKE OUR DREAM COME TRUE!  Atlanta needs a championship!

GO ATL DREAM !!

[lethalweapon3]

Oh, so CLOSE!

Just a few too many fundamental lapses (and WHISTLES) to overcome tonight, and no Angel to bail them out, of course. But they almost won an uphill battle. So much to look forward to next spring! Now, I'm gonna definitely sit back and enjoy the Mystics and whoever shakes out of Phoenix and Seattle, another good Game 5 going on right now (ESPNNEWS)!

I'll work on another postmortem on what turned into a great, entertaining season, It'll be out in a day or three.

Until then...

 

Refs, U Suck! Oh, wait, I meant,

 

Let's Go Dream!

~lw3

[NBASupes]

Angel injures killed our title hopes 

[Gray Mule]

6 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

Angel injures killed our title hopes 

Crippled EDD came on and led her team to victory.  Angel, unable to play,killed our chances.  Dream kept it close.  Our leader fouled out.

Dream came so far.  Playing at the newly redone stadium next season should put the Dream back next year.  Our newly crowned "Coach of the year" is great and she reminds me of the late, great Tennessee coach, Pat Summit.  Nicki ain't there yet but she's gaining on it!

GO ATL DREAM!

Hope to watch next summer!