Mystics beat Dream 83-72 as Atlanta struggles with turnovers, inconsistent shooting in second preseason game
The Atlanta Dream struggled with shooting, turnovers, and consistency Sunday afternoon at the Gateway Center Arena at College Park, falling 83-72 to the Washington Mystics after a game that unraveled in the third quarter.
Atlanta opened its second preseason game, first at home, with energy but couldn't sustain it. The Dream shot just 6-for-19 in the first quarter and missed all five of their early 3-point attempts, setting the tone for a rough offensive night. That trend continued throughout the game, with key players like Rhyne Howard going 0-for-5 from the field and 0-for-5 from beyond the arc.
Atlanta committed multiple turnovers in the second quarter, including offensive fouls and costly out-of-bounds errors, while struggling to capitalize at the free-throw line. Angel Reese missed both free throws early in the quarter, part of a broader issue that limited the Dream's ability to close gaps.
The game turned decisively in the third quarter.
Atlanta was outscored 22-11, managing just four made field goals in the period. Missed shots, turnovers and stalled possessions allowed Washington to build a double-digit lead. At one point, the Mystics went on a run fueled by steals and transition buckets, including consecutive takeaways that led to easy scores.
Turnovers proved costly all night. Madina Okot had five, while multiple players, including Maite Cazorla and Angel Reese, were called for offensive fouls. The Dream also had several shot clock violations, a sign of stagnant offense.
Even when Atlanta created second chances, they couldn't convert consistently. The Dream grabbed multiple offensive rebounds but often followed them with missed layups or turnovers.
Defensively, the Dream had flashes, including steals from Reese and Winterburn, but couldn't contain Washington's interior scoring. The Mystics repeatedly converted in the paint and capitalized on second-chance opportunities.
Atlanta showed some fight in the fourth quarter, outscoring Washington 19-17, but the deficit was too large to overcome.
Holly Winterburn led the Dream with 12 points, while Madina Okot added nine points and six rebounds despite her turnover struggles. Bench production helped keep Atlanta within reach early, but the starters' inefficiency proved too much to overcome.
Rookie Lauren Betts led all scorers with 17 points and finished with 4 rebounds in 26 minutes.
Poor shooting, missed free throws, turnovers, and a quiet third quarter combined to sink the Dream.
The Dream's next preseason game is against the Minnesota Lynx at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, inside the Target Center in Minneapolis.
