Two different streaks were on the line when the Dream faced the Sparks on Thursday night at Philips Arena. While Atlanta looked to extend its win streak to five, Los Angeles sought to halt a three-game skid.
The Dream beat the Sparks 89-80 to earn their eighth win of the season. Angel McCoughtry spearheaded the Dream’s offense, scoring 22 points to pair with 11 rebounds in 31 minutes of play.
Fresh off a 37-point performance against Tulsa on Tuesday night, McCoughtry helped the Dream (8-9) build a 45-41 lead at halftime.
The Sparks lost their fourth consecutive game despite a 16 point-performance by Ebony Hoffman.
In a game that featured 14 lead changes, the Dream and the Sparks (6-10) traded baskets early in the first quarter, but the Sparks held a slight 19-16 lead by quarter’s end. The Sparks’ Kristi Toliver scored seven points early in the quarter.
Armintie Price led the Dream in the first quarter, scoring eight points. She finished with 14.
Iziane Castro Marques gave the Dream a boost early in the second quarter, scoring nine points in four minutes to give her team a 29-28 lead midway through the second quarter. McCoughtry scored all 10 of her first-half points in the second quarter.
Sancho Lyttle saw her first game action in a month and a half. Although Lyttle returned from Eurobasket Women 2011 on July 9, she missed the Dream’s previous six games because of an injured back. She finished with seven points and five rebounds in 14 minutes.
The Dream opened the second half with energy, extending their lead to nine with 6:09 remaining in the third. Despite trailing by as many as 11, Los Angeles proved resilient, cutting the lead to three by the end of the third.
The Dream clung to a 59-56 lead to open the fourth quarter. The teams battled back and forth through the final quarter, with the Dream getting a four-point boost from Sandora Irvin early in the fourth.
The Dream extended its lead to seven with 3:35 remaining in the game, and that would be enough to best the Sparks. McCoughtry and Lindsey Harding chipped in six points a piece in the game’s final minutes to secure the win.
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