Dream dominates Sparks without All-Star Gray

Allisha Gray sat on the sidelines Wednesday night, dressed in street clothes instead of her usual white Dream uniform. The three-time All-Star hadn’t missed a game all season.

But as the Los Angeles Sparks battled early, the Dream’s players answered the challenge, proving that they would not miss a beat without the three-time Eastern Conference Player of the Month on the court.

With Gray resting, Rhyne Howard led the charge with 19 points and five assists, threading passes and knocking down shots at key moments, while Brionna Jones dominated the paint, posting her 12th double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Four of Atlanta’s five starters finished in double figures, marking the third consecutive game of balanced scoring that carried the Dream to an 86-75 victory against the Los Angeles Sparks at Gateway Center Arena.

The win improved Atlanta to 27-14 and gave them a 2-0 edge in the season series against the Sparks, who fell to 19-21 despite entering on a two-game winning streak. It also moved the Dream into sole possession of second place in the WNBA standings.

Dream coach Karl Smesko and players alike lauded Jones’ effort, with guard Jordin Canada insisting the forward deserves All-WNBA recognition for her impact this season.

“I think she’s (Jones) one of the 10 best players in the league,” Smesko said postgame. “If they have first and second team (WNBA teams), she should be on it. She competes. …She’s physical, how hard she works every single game. … Her defense is really improved throughout the season.”

Naz Hillmon powered the paint and the perimeter, scoring 15 points on 3-of-7 shooting from deep while hauling in a team-high seven offensive rebounds. Maya Caldwell provided a spark off the bench, finishing with 14 points, eight boards, four assists and a steal.

Meanwhile, Canada returned to action in only her second game back from an eight-game hiatus with a right hamstring injury, recording her first double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 assists, adding three rebounds, four steals and two blocks in the process.

The veteran floor general said she is still trying to “get her wind back” but plans to take things game by game.

“I was just reading the floor … not trying to do too much and over-dribble, just taking what the defense gives me,” Canada said postgame.

Trailing by 14 early in the fourth, Kelsey Plum kept the Sparks within reach, driving to the basket on a contested layup and drawing a foul on Te-Hina Paopao. Dearica Hamby added a free throw on the next possession, cutting the Dream’s lead to 76-66 with three minutes elapsed.

That would be as close as Los Angeles would get. Howard and Caldwell drilled clutch 3-pointers a few possessions later, pushing the Dream’s advantage to 16, their largest of the game.

In the third quarter, Jones powered inside for back-to-back finishes, securing her double-double and stretching the Dream’s lead to 60-47. Moments later, Canada threaded a pass to Caldwell, who cut to the rim for an easy layup. The Sparks answered late in the third, closing the period on a 9-4 run, trimming the deficit to 70-61 and setting up a fourth-quarter push.

The Dream started taking command of the game in the second quarter, opening with an 11-1 run capped by Hillmon’s finish at the rim. After Hamby scored an easy layup for Los Angeles, Hillmon answered again, taking a feed from Canada and converting to push the Dream’s lead to 14, their largest of the night.

The Dream kept control the rest of the quarter, holding a double-digit cushion behind relentless defense. The Dream forced seven Sparks turnovers, turning them into 10 points while Canada pushed, aiding in the Dream notching 16 points in the paint. By halftime, Atlanta led 53-41, shooting 51% from the field, 50% from beyond the arc and dishing 16 assists on 21 baskets.

The Sparks surged to a fast start in the first quarter, rattling off 10 straight points while the Dream missed their first seven shots in the opening four minutes. Hillmon finally broke through, giving the team its first basket.