The Atlanta Dream fell to the New York Liberty 81-75 on Sunday afternoon at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Allisha Gray led the Dream with 24 points with Tina Charles right behind her with 16. Charles earned a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds while the Liberty’s Breanna Stewart did the same with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
The Atlanta Dream started Jordin Canada, Haley Jones, Allisha Gray, Nia Coffey and Tina Charles for the first time this season. This is Canada’s third straight game since coming off of her hand injury. “I will say that each game has gotten better,” she said after the game. “I feel like I’m getting my rhythm back slowly but surely, but, you know, just trying to take my time.” Canada ended the night with nine points, nine assists, and four turnovers.
Atlanta opened the quarter with dominant offensive momentum, first going on an 8-0 run initiated by Gray’s first points of the game. That run then surged into a 24-9 breakaway that saw Atlanta go 11-for-16 from the field and 2-3 from 3-point range.
In the second half, the Liberty turned up the intensity. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Breanna Stewart combined for 18 points in the third quarter, matching the Dream’s total as a team.
With a quiet night from Sabrina Ionescu (10 points, four assists), Leonie Fiebich stepped up and nabbed 12 points and three steals and shot 33.3% behind the arc.
Cheyenne Parker-Tyus led the Dream bench with five points, two assists and two rebounds. The Dream shot 75% from 3-point range in the fourth quarter, but ultimately, it wasn’t enough to regain the lead in the first half.
Dream head coach Tanisha Wright felt her team was fatigued. “I think tonight, our crew played hard. I think they got fatigued. I really do, and I think when you get fatigued, it’s hard to push through and do the things that you’re supposed to do.”
The New York Liberty will move on to play the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday, July 2. The Atlanta Dream will prepare to host Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky on July 2 at 7:00 PM/ET.
-Jon Jones
Photo: Catalina Fragoso (Getty)
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