It was nearly déjà vu.
The Dream failed to protect double-digit leads in the first and second half of a loss in Sunday’s home opener. With about two minutes left in Thursday’s game against San Antonio, the Dream were in danger of again giving away a game after having a lead of at least 10 points late.
This time the Dream hung on for their first win of the season, 72-69, over San Antonio at Philips Arena. Angel McCoughtry had a team-high 21 points on 8-for-20 shooting while forward Tiffany Hayes took a crucial charge with 8.4 seconds remaining.
“We’re not on our rhythm as far as our play right now,” coach Michael Cooper said. “It’s a slow process.”
In the fourth quarter, the Dream used a 10-3 run to jump out to an 11-point lead. But a 13-2 Stars run tied the game with 2:39 left. Stars forward Kayla McBride led the charge with 11 points, part of a game-high 29.
“They had their run, and that’s what the WNBA is about,” Cooper said. “It’s about a league of runs.”
After McBride hit two free throws to knot the game at 66, the Dream rattled off five consecutive points to take a 71-66 lead with 1:29 left.
But McCoughtry was called for a clear-path foul while racing back on defense after missing a 3-pointer, which gave the Stars two free throws and the ball. The Stars cut the lead to 71-69 with three consecutive free throws following a tripping foul against Hayes on the ensuing out-of-bounds play. But Stars guard Jia Perkins missed a go-ahead 3-pointer.
“It was a horrible call,” McCoughtry said. “Call a foul, but don’t call a clear-path foul.”
After a missed jumper from Dream forward Sancho Lyttle, Perkins had another chance on a fast-break, but Hayes drew the charge.
McCoughtry then made one of two free throws to give the Dream a 72-69 lead with 7.4 seconds left. The Stars missed a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.
After two season-opening losses, Cooper made a change in the starting lineup to try to improve the team’s defense, replacing Shoni Schimmel, an All-Star last season, with Matee Ajavon. He said it won’t be a permanent change.
“Shoni’s still a young player,” Cooper said. “Sometimes the best view to understand it is from the bench.”
The move seemed to work. Atlanta held San Antonio to 37.1-percent shooting and reduced its turnovers from 25 in Sunday’s loss to 15 on Thursday.
Schimmel responded with six points, three assists and just one turnover after giving away the ball five times on Sunday.
Ajavon, who is a shooting guard and not a point guard, scored eight points with just one turnover in more than 26 minutes.
“I was just ready to play,” Ajavon said. “We have great players. Whatever adjustments the coach makes we have to be ready.”
About the Author
