Atlanta Dream season ends in heartbreak

By E. Marcel Pourtout, Editor

Heading into the fourth quarter with a 16-point lead on its home court, Atlanta looked poised to win its decisive Game Three contest against Chicago and advance to the WNBA Eastern Conference Finals to meet Indiana. However, the Dream’s hopes for postseason glory were deferred as the Sky escaped with an 81-80 victory, ending Atlanta’s season.

“We had them on the ropes for three quarters of the game,” Atlanta coach Michael Cooper said. “We went away from what we did well and our execution went out the window by taking quick and bad shots. Our defense got away from us as well.”

Atlanta was outscored 30-13 in the fourth quarter with Chicago’s Elena Delle Donne scoring 17 of her game-high 34 points during the frame.

“We weren’t ready to go home,” Delle Donne said. “I knew that we were playing good defense but not doing the little things. The team trusted me and put the ball in my hands in the fourth quarter.”

The Dream took a 67-51 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Chicago began its comeback, going on a 7-0 run, cutting the deficit to 72-62 with 6:56 left in the game. After an Erika DeSouza layup for Atlanta, the Sky went on another 7-0 run, culminating with a Epiphanny Prince layup with 4:28 to go, making the score 74-69.

“Atlanta owned us for much of the game,” Chicago coach Pokey Chatman said. “We stayed the course and when it was time our big time players stepped up. We trusted the process.”

Atlanta called a timeout but the momentum shift was in full tilt and a three-pointer by Delle Donne from the right side tied the score at 74-74 with 3:26 left in the game.

The Dream looked ready to secure the game when consecutive baskets by DeSouza and Angel McCoughtry gave Atlanta the lead again, 78-74 with 2:14 left. DeSouza finished the game with a team-high 18 points while McCoughtry had 17.

Trailing 80-77, Delle Donne hit a bank shot on the left side, cutting the lead back to one point with 29.5 seconds left.

Atlanta’s Jasmine Thomas went to the line with 17.3 seconds left but missed both free throw attempts, opening the opportunity for Chicago to take the lead which it did. Delle Donne hit another running bank shot on the left side with 16.2 second to go, giving the Sky its final lead of the contest.

Atlanta had one final opportunity to win the game but a shot by McCoughtry rimmed out at the buzzer to end the season.

The Dream started the game strong in the first quarter, shooting 56.3 percent from the floor and taking a 30-17 lead.

Both teams scored 24 points in the second quarter, allowing the Dream to take a 54-41 lead into halftime. Atlanta had three players score in double-figures in the first half, led by Sancho Lyttle’s 14 points. She finished the game with a team-high 13 rebounds as well. McCoughtry had 12 first-half points while Thomas scored 11. Overall, the Dream shot 54.5 percent from the floor in the half.

Chicago was led by Delle Donne’s 15 first-half points. The Sky struggled from the floor, hitting only 41.7 percent of its shots through the first two quarters.

Atlanta also converted 15 of 17 free throw attempts in the first half while the Sky only attempted 11 in total, making nine.

“We’ll come back bigger and stronger next year,” Cooper said. “Our goal is still to win a championship. We will go a lot further because we understand what it takes to get past the first hurdle. We limped into the playoffs.”