Dream get reality check as Fire torch and snap win streak

The Dream had the chance to build off their strong trip out west. But in their return to the court after four days off on Friday night, the Dream struggled against the Fire.

In their 101-83 loss at Gateway Center Arena, the Dream didn’t look like the team that went undefeated for four consecutive games.

“That just tells me that I have to do a better job getting them ready from the start to understand we should be playing playoff basketball now,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said. “And, particularly that first quarter was not very good.”

Despite an opening 3-pointer from Dream guard Allisha Gray, the Dream ceded a 13-0 run to the Fire. They never quite recovered, even though they pulled within 18-17 with 2:34 to play in the first quarter, then again within 82-76 with 5:52 to play.

Here are some observations:

Dared to shoot: The Dream have had some good shooting nights from deep, but they have floundered near the bottom for much of the season.

So, the Fire packed the paint and forced them to take shots from the perimeter.

Outside of Dream wing Rhyne Howard, who shot 6-of-13 from 3, the rest of the team combined for 30% from outside.

“They really packed it in,” Dream forward Naz Hillmon said following the game. “I think at any given time, you knew that there were going to be two bodies in there. As soon as we started to drive, they brought everybody and dared us to shoot the 3.”

It took the momentum out of some of their possessions, leaving them with too many one-and-done opportunities.

Not enough stops: The Dream ranks among the top five in the WNBA in defense, but they couldn’t contain the Fire.

They allowed the Fire to shoot nearly 60% from the floor and got beaten on some cuts to the basket. Sometimes, though, the Fire just sprayed the ball around, sending the Dream scrambling to contest.

“They just wanted it more, and apparently we weren’t prepared to play for the duration of the game; we didn’t really do much of anything to make any of their shots hard,” Howard said. “And once you get confidence, it’s hard to slow a team down.”

Tempers flare: Things got heated in Gateway Center Arena with referees doling out technical fouls to Fire forward Emily Engstler and Dream forward Angel Reese.

For the Dream, though, Reese’s tech could have some bigger implications. Reese picked up her eighth tech of the season, which means the league could suspend her for Sunday’s game against the Lynx.

But the WNBA could rescind the tech.

“From my vantage point, it didn’t look like something that was tech-worthy, so hopefully it’ll be rescinded,” Smesko said. “But I haven’t had the benefit of watching it on film yet or anything like that. But I think that’s probably something that we’re gonna try to get rescinded.”