Atlanta’s WNBA franchise is turning “The Highlight Factory” into “The Dream Theater.”
The Atlanta Dream improved to a league-best 10-1 home record this year with a 76-58 victory over the Washington Mystics at Philips Arena on Sunday. Tiffany Hayes tied a career high with 23 points and Angel McCoughtry added 22 more to help Atlanta improve to 3-0 against Washington this year. The average margin of Atlanta’s victories at home this year is 14.9 points with six regular-season home games remaining.
“Playing at home is something special,” McCoughtry said. “It’s just a comfort zone.”
It was Hayes’ fourth game since returning from July 9 surgery to repair a torn meniscus in her left knee. Running the floor with no noticeable effects of the surgery, she added six rebounds and three assists. She said it’s not the best she’s felt, but “it’s getting better.”
“She was pretty much in rhythm all the way around,” Dream (13-9) coach Fred Williams said. “I’ve really had to watch her minutes the past few games, but tonight she got 24 minutes (the most since she returned). I didn’t want to take her out.”
Sparked by Hayes’ energy and McCoughtry’s three steals, the Dream limited Washington to just 30 points in the final three periods after it scored 28 in the first quarter.
“We got our butt kicked,” Washington (12-14) coach Mike Thibault said. “When they get on a roll in this building it’s hard to stop.”
The game seemed to turn on two technical fouls, one on Atlanta’s Erika de Souza and the other on Washington’s Michelle Show, after the two players began jawing at each other following Snow fouling de Souza with 1:18 left in the first half.
“I told ‘E’ she did a great job stepping up,” McCoughtry said. “People try to bully us at times. We have to start bullying back. We can’t let people push us around.”
After falling behind by 10 points, nine points and nine points earlier in the half, Atlanta took a 38-37 lead on a 3-pointer by Hayes just before the end of the half. She scored 10 of Atlanta’s last 12 points in the half.
The Dream broke open the game by outscoring Washington 22-9 in the third quarter. McCoughtry scored nine points and Hayes added five.
After Le’Coe Willingham grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a layup, McCoughtry added a layup to give the Dream a three-point lead. She stole the inbounds pass and hit another layup to push the lead to five.
McCoughtry stole another pass on Washington’s next possession and was fouled, giving Atlanta possession. Ivory Latta eventually fouled McCoughtry after the inbounds, where she hit one of two free throws to give the Dream a 45-39 lead.
After Willingham hit two free throws, McCoughtry converted a three-point play to push the Dream’s lead to nine with 6:08 remaining.
After another McCoughtry steal, Washington was called for a “clear-path foul” – the same type of foul that was reviewed but not called on McCoughtry’s previous steal — sending McCoughtry to the line. She hit one of two free throws to give the Dream a 51-41 lead with 5:52 left in the third.
Hayes converted her own three-point play to push the lead to 54-41 and McCoughtry blocked a Washington shot on the Mystic’s next possession. Atlanta held a 60-46 lead at the end of the third.
The Dream’s home dominance will get a few tests starting on Tuesday with Minnesota, the Western Conference co-leader before Sunday’s games. Atlanta will also host Chicago, which leads the East, Washington, Los Angeles, tied atop the West, Indiana and Phoenix.
“This is our home court,” Williams said. “A lot of it is the energy we have from our fans. We know our floor better. We feel more comfortable. I always tell my team to play hard to defend the home court and that’s what they are doing.”
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