Dream back in WNBA playoffs with higher hopes
The last time playoff basketball came to Atlanta, it was a different world.
The year was 2018. Dream coach Karl Smesko was still roaming the sidelines at Florida Gulf Coast, preparing for his 17th season at the helm of a program that had become a March staple.
Rhyne Howard, now the face of the Dream, hadn’t even suited up for Kentucky yet.
Allisha Gray was making her mark in Dallas, while Jordin Canada was a rookie in Seattle, sprinting toward her first WNBA title.
Seven years later, the wait is finally over.
Friday night, in front of a packed Gateway Center Arena, the Dream unleashed one of their most dominant performances in franchise history — a 104-85 dismantling of the Los Angeles Sparks.
The victory sealed home-court advantage for the Dream to open the WNBA playoffs, which begins Sept. 14. It will also mark the Dream’s third consecutive postseason appearance and the first time for playoff basketball at GCA. The Dream’s last home postseason series took place at Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion.
The Dream still have two regular-season games to play. But in many ways, Friday felt like a breakthrough moment, proof that the long rebuild and the growing pains had finally paid off.
For Smesko, in his first season leading the franchise, he was thrilled about the opportunity sitting ahead for this team.
“Home-court advantage is important,” Smesko said after the Dream’s win against the Sparks on Friday. “I’m just hoping that our fans are great, they’re loud, they’re engaged. … I’m hoping this playoffs, (fans’ energy will be) taken to another level. … I want it to be an intimidating environment for our opponents coming in here.”
If the regular season ended Saturday, the Minnesota Lynx, the Dream, the Las Vegas Aces, the Phoenix Mercury, the New York Liberty, the Golden State Valkyries, the Indiana Fever and the Seattle Storm would claim the eight playoff spots.
WNBA playoff chase
The Sparks (19-22) trail the Storm by two games as they chase the final postseason spot.
- No. 1 Minnesota Lynx (32-9) vs. No. 8 Seattle Storm (22-21)
- No. 2 Atlanta Dream (28-14) vs. No. 7 Indiana Fever (22-20)
- No. 3 Las Vegas Aces (27-14) vs. No. 6 Golden State Valkyries (23-18)
- No. 4 Phoenix Mercury (27-14) vs. No. 5 New York Liberty (25-17)
If the postseason started Saturday, the Dream would open a best-of-three, first-round series at Gateway Center Arena against the Fever, a team that they’ve split the regular-season series with. As the higher seed, the Dream would host Games 1 and 3 in the projected series while the Fever would host Game 2.
A win against the Fever would line up the Dream for a best-of-five semifinals matchup against either the Aces or the Valkyries. The Aces swept the Dream in the regular season series while the Dream defeated the Valkyries in two of the three games in the regular season series.
This year’s WNBA Finals marks the first time in league history that it will be a best-of-seven series.
What’s ahead for the Dream in the remainder of September
The Dream will play the first of their final two games of the regular season and their final two contests in the season series against the Sun on Monday night at Gateway Center Arena.
After Monday’s game, the Dream will go on the road to close out the season against Connecticut on Wednesday at Mohegan Sun Arena.
- Sept. 8: vs. Connecticut
- Sept. 10: at Connecticut
The Dream have punched their ticket to the postseason sweepstakes. But, they aren’t easing up.
With a playoff series already secured at home and a top-four seed in hand, they still have their eyes on something bigger.
“We clinched (a playoff berth), but still that doesn’t mean our spot can’t change,” Howard previously said. “We have to take care of business, finish it out, and make sure that we’re trying to have the best outcome possible (for seeding).”
The No. 2 seed — the highest spot left on the board after Minnesota locked up the top seed — is still within reach as the regular season winds down. And with only a week to go before the postseason tips off, the Dream are determined to chase it.
