The Dream’s matchup against the Wings at McCamish Pavilion on Friday is their last game for 35 days as the WNBA takes a break for the 2016 Summer Olympics. While the team members look forward to regrouping with more than a month off, they also stressed the importance of ending the first half on the right note.
Dream coach Michael Cooper has his plans laid out for the upcoming break. He said his first objective is to take a few days off to visit family and catch his breath from a long first half to the season.
His players, meanwhile, will be separated into two groups. The first group will do workouts every other day for the first week and have the second week off; the second group will have the first week off then work out every other day the second week. The team will come back to practice together in the final three weeks before they face the Chicago Sky on Aug. 26.
Cooper said the team’s strength and conditioning coach and several assistants will around during those first two weeks. He said he wants to see his players really key in on areas of their game, specifically rookie forward Bria Holmes with her mid-range game and center Rachel Hollivay in the post.
Layshia Clarendon, who is in the midst of her first season as a starter in the WNBA, said she will use the break as a time to look back on what she did well and what needs work.
“I think it’s exciting because you can take time to reflect on the minutes you played and our weaknesses and our strengths,” Clarendon said. “I can rest my body and my feet and really focus on what I want to get better at in the second half.”
While the break is closing in, Cooper and the players realize there’s one opponent left to take care of.
Atlanta started its last week of the first half with an upset victory over the then-20-1 Los Angeles Sparks but followed it up with a 18-point loss to the Lynx on Tuesday.
Angel McCoughtry said that the Sparks’ win could jumpstart the team as it gears up for the second half; Although the loss to Minnesota put a pause on the momentum, there’s a chance to redeem it on Friday.
Dallas and Atlanta have already tangled twice in 2016, with the Dream coming out on top both times. The last game, however, was far from a decisive victory from Atlanta, as the Dream outlasted the Wings 95-90 in overtime.
Cooper was quick to point out this team will not let Atlanta coast to victory this time around.
“You always want to close out on a good note,” Cooper said. “We know they were right there in this last game. That team is an enigma: they’re so good but their (9-15) record doesn’t show it.”
For Clarendon, this matchup gives her and her teammates one last chance to look around and evaluate their progress through 25 games.
From there, it’s about coming back strong and ready to roll with nine games to go.
“You want to have good energy and good vibes going into the break,” Clarendon said. “We want everybody to be feeling good about their role, their team and our togetherness.”
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