Dream loss to Aces hurts, but confidence remains high

Wednesday’s matchup against the Aces did not result in a playoff berth for the Dream. But the team’s confidence that it can compete with the best of the best hasn’t wavered.

“I think we’re already doing it,” Dream guard Rhyne Howard said following their 81-75 loss to the Aces. “We are the best of the best, as well. Like, we’re in the top teams. Like, when you mention the top teams, you have to mention us.

“You have to put us there because of what we’ve done and how hard we work to get there. Yes, we do have to capitalize, like Bri (Brionna Jones) said, but we’re not in a position anymore where we talk about top teams and not mention ourselves.”

The Dream currently ranks third in the WNBA behind the Lynx and the Aces. The Aces won 11 straight games heading into Wednesday’s matchup against the Dream and they clinched a playoff berth, becoming the second WNBA team to do so, when they downed the Sky on Monday night.

But the Dream held their own for much of the first half, leading by as many as eight points.

The Aces though entered the second half with an intensity the Dream could not match, going on a 10-2 run that allowed them to take a 46-44 lead. They eventually outscored the Dream 21-6 in the third quarter.

But the Dream fought back, making it a ball game in the final two minutes of the game with a layup from Allisha Gray, then a 3-pointer from Te-Hina Paopao to cut their deficit to 73-70.

The Aces matched the Dream in their comeback effort that was capped off by a dagger 3 from Chelsea Gray.

While Wednesday’s loss to the Aces stings, the Dream know that the night’s performance isn’t indicative of who they are this season. The Dream still have the WNBA’s second-best defense and the league’s third-best offense.

So, with six games remaining in the regular season, the Dream will regroup and address the small things that matter in late game situations.

“I already felt like we had one of the best teams when we are playing our best, but we’re getting to the point where the playoffs are just around the corner. And there’s another gear that we can get to,” Dream head coach Karl Smesko said.

“I know maybe not all of our players are aware of it right now, but there is another level that we can get to, and we only got a couple weeks to get there,” Smesko added. “This hurts right now, but as you mentioned, it doesn’t compare to the hurt of all of a sudden it’s the playoffs, and you have one of these shooting nights and a game gets away from you. You don’t advance when you have a team that’s capable of winning the whole thing. And I’m in front of all of you, like anything can happen this year in the W because the teams in the playoffs are all capable of beating each other.