Dream falls to Lynx at Philips Arena

The Minnesota Lynx found a home away from home at Philips Arena — and it was behind the 3-point line.

The Lynx broke open a close game with a 16-4 run, which included four 3-pointers, to start the second half en route to a 91-85 WNBA victory over the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday in a game televised by ESPN2.

Candace Wiggins, who finished with a team-high 20 points for the Lynx, made two in the decisive run and Roneeka Hodges hit two more.

Nicky Anosike finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Charde Houston added 18 points. Hodges finished with 15 points for the Lynx (7-3), who played without All-Star Seimone Augustus. She tore her ACL on June 17.

In all, the Lynx made 13 3-pointers (13-for-26).

“We’ve got to do a better job defending the three,” Dream coach Marynell Meadors said.

It wasn’t just the long-range shooting of the Lynx. The Dream hurt themselves with poor shooting (.472 percent) and turnovers (18).

Iziane Castro-Marques led the Dream with a game-high 31 points. Castro-Marques scored 16 in the first half, including 15 of the Dream’s first 19 points. The Dream (4-6) failed to surpass last season’s win total after starting their inaugural season 0-17 and finishing 4-30.

“I was told to be the fastest player on the court, so I did it,” said Castro-Marques, who had eight layups.

Chamique Holdsclaw added 14 points for the Dream.

University of Georgia women’s basketball coach Andy Landers was in attendance and greeted three former players — twins Coco and Kelly Miller and Christi Thomas. Coco Miller plays for the Dream, and Kelly Miller and Thomas play for the Lynx.

Hawks star Josh Smith and Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard, who attended Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, sat courtside.

Holdsclaw, whose grandmother died of a heart attack, donated $1,000 to the American Heart Association as part of the Dream’s “Go Red Night.”

The Dream next host the Washington Mystics at 7:30 p.m. Friday.