The Dream are looking different this time around for playoff season
The Dream entered the 2026 season with a bad taste in their mouth after exiting in the first round last year to the Fever.
This year, they brought back their core, drafted dynamic rookies and added a few notable pieces to increase their roster depth and chances of a deeper playoff run after matching their franchise-best 30 wins to end the regular season.
The playoffs tip off Sunday, when the Dream are set to face the Mystics rather than a repeat of last year’s first-round matchup with the Fever, as many anticipated.
Still, the Dream’s identity has shifted, and they have reason to believe this year’s outlook is completely different from how they entered the playoffs last year.
“We had some film sessions earlier in the year, about last season’s postseason, and we just talked about how you can’t get beat by the things that you were supposed to be working on all year long,” Dream forward Naz Hillmon said. “You have to get better at those things because in the end, it’s going to be something that beats you, and you want to walk away saying that I put everything out there, I changed what I needed to change, I fixed what I needed to fix, and the result is what it is.
“And we didn’t feel like that last year. We felt like there were some things that we were supposed to clean up earlier in the season, and we didn’t, and it hurts in the postseason. So I think that’s something that we learned from last year.”
To Hillmon’s point, the team has been on a tear since coming off the FIBA break. The Dream went on a 4-0 run against their opponents after the break and also had a statement win right before it, shutting down the No. 1-seeded Lynx.
The Reese effect
Angel Reese has been key in the frontcourt throughout her time with Atlanta. Returning from FIBA with teammate Rhyne Howard after helping Team USA win gold seemed to turn on a switch for her, immediately taking her play up a notch.
In the team’s 103-59 victory over the Connecticut Sun in its first game back, Reese dropped 30 points on 11-of-14 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds to record her WNBA-leading 30th double-double of the season.
This was one of four performances that led to her being named the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the final week of the 2026 regular season, averaging 19.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.
This was also the first time a Dream player had won the award for three straight weeks.
Reese mentioned on multiple occasions coming off the break that she was having that “LSU feeling,” from when she won the NCAA national championship with her team in 2023. She also said her playing style made all the difference when she saw what this team was capable of on and off the court.
“Even when we had that five-game stretch, I just remember the uncomfortable conversations that we had in the locker room, and just being able to lean on each other and stay in each other’s ear, it just was good conversation, and that’s something that you really need, especially going into the playoffs.” Reese said. “So, I believe we’re going to go all the way, and obviously, it’s going to be a lot of chatter on the outside, but as long as we continue to focus on what’s in our locker room, that’s all that matters.”
Reese also brought up another key piece who will give the team a boost.
“I mean, DB (DeWanna Bonner), she came in and was telling us about how important it is right now to be together, and she’s obviously played in a lot of playoffs. She’s won a championship or two, and she knows what it takes to win. So, when you have people in the locker room that just know, it gives you that leverage, and I’m excited,” Reese said.
Championship pedigree on the bench
Since Brionna Jones’ recent injury sidelined her for the remainder of the season after briefly making an impact in her return, Bonner’s veteran presence has been a major asset since she stepped on the floor with the Dream in late August.
Bonner chose to come to Atlanta before what might be her last season after 17 years in the league, potentially giving her a chance to add a third WNBA championship title to her record.
So far, in five games, she’s averaging 8.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists. The bench — which has also seen contributions from Te-Hina Paopao since her return to the floor, along with rookies Madina Okot and Isobel Borlase — is providing not only the depth and experience the Dream needs, but another voice in the locker room to guide them through the playoff atmosphere.
“You know, overall, she (Bonner) just played really well for us, and she’s worked really hard to kind of catch up on all the terminology and learning all the plays and how we like to guard things,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said. “Like she’s come in with a very serious attitude about contributing to helping us win. And this is more than just somebody who’s providing leadership — which she’s doing a great job of. She’s impacting winning on the floor, so she’s been tremendous so far, and we’re hoping that her playoff experience helps her have a great playoff run and helps us advance and make a deep run or win the championship.”
Consistency has been key
The key word the team focused on this season was consistency.
They’ve struggled with it throughout multiple stretches, either having a bad start and coming back strong in the end or experiencing the reverse — leading the game but having trouble finishing the job, which would cost them in the end.
As of late, they’ve shown what the “best version of Atlanta Dream” basketball has looked like, with consistent strong performances from Howard’s two-way skills and high-level 3-point game and Allisha Gray, who has usually produced high-efficiency numbers on offense while adding an immense defensive piece to the mix.
Jordin Canada has sharpened her high-level IQ as the facilitator on the floor, getting her teammates into the best possible positions to succeed. Hillmon has also shifted into the starting rotation and provided vocal leadership to get everyone on the same page.
Most importantly, the team has developed a “next man up” mentality where anyone or multiple people are prepared to step up on any given night and produce what the team needs for a win, and that includes the bench.
Another differentiating factor is that the team will be playing at State Farm Arena, with a bigger space to hold a bigger crowd for support. It’s something the Dream have looked forward to after gaining home-court advantage.
The stage is set for the team to meet a familiar defensive foe at 7 p.m. Sunday, and they believe that this year, they have everything they need to make that next step.
“The whole season we’ve been talking about everybody being on the same path,” Gray said. “The goal is the championship at the end of the day, and I feel as if we just continue being on that same path, executing the game plan and continuing our high-level play; that’s something that’s in the tunnel, seeing the light.”