Angel Reese sets WNBA double-double record, Allisha Gray scores 23 as Dream beat Lynx 89-81
Allisha Gray scored 23 points and Angel Reese set a WNBA single-season record with her 29th double-double as Atlanta beat the league-leading Minnesota Lynx 89-81 at Gateway Center Arena.
"You saw a different pace, a different energy about us right from the beginning," Dream coach Karl Smesko said. "Great team effort, great way to go into the break."
Gray made six 3-pointers and grabbed 11 rebounds. Reese finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and a block, passing Alyssa Thomas' previous single-season record of 28 double-doubles.
Atlanta also received 16 points apiece from Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada. Canada added 10 assists for her own double-double.
The win came two days after Atlanta fell behind early in a 101-83 loss to Portland. Canada said the Dream was determined not to repeat that performance.
"We were very disappointed in ourselves on Friday," Canada said. "We knew coming into today this is not the type of team you want to play around with, so we knew we had to come out with a different mindset, a different intensity and a different energy."
Atlanta led 26-21 after the first quarter and carried a 52-41 advantage into halftime. The Dream moved the ball to open shooters and made 13 3-pointers in the game.
Minnesota trimmed Atlanta's lead to nine by the end of the third quarter and kept pushing in the fourth. Howard answered with a 3-pointer that stretched the lead to 79-66 with 5:55 remaining.
"I thought Rhy hit a couple of big threes when it was getting close to get that lead over double figures again and make things more comfortable down the stretch," Smesko said.
The Dream shot 46% from the field and outrebounded Minnesota 37-32. Atlanta held the Lynx to 43% shooting and 32% from beyond the arc.
Olivia Miles led Minnesota with 21 points. Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride each scored 17.
Two-time WNBA champion DeWanna Bonner made her Dream debut after signing with Atlanta last week. She scored seven points and added four rebounds, two assists and a steal in 17 minutes.
"DB coming in, using her voice as soon as she got here, and that veteran leadership is something we definitely needed," Canada said.
The victory improved Atlanta to 26-14 and gave the Dream a 2-1 win in the season series against Minnesota. The Lynx fall to 31-9.
