State Sports Report

Dream’s season ends with playoff loss to Wings

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Credit: AP
Atlanta Dream forward Cheyenne Parker (32) takes a shot as Dallas Wings center Teaira McCowan, left, defends in Game 2 of a first-round WNBA basketball playoff series, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. Dallas won 101-74 and took the series 2-0. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
By News services
Sept 20, 2023

The Dream were swept by the Dallas Wings 2-0 in the first round of the WNBA playoffs Tuesday night in Arlington, Texas.

Rhyne Howard scored 21 points and Allisha Gray added 19 but the Dream’s season ended with a 101-74 loss in the second game of the series.

Howard, who scored 36 points in Game 1, scored 57 points in the two games to set a WNBA record for the most points in a player’s first two playoff games.

Arike Ogunbowale scored 20 points, Teaira McCowan had 12 points and 16 rebounds, and Dallas advanced to the semifinals.

The Wings won a playoff series for the first time since relocating to Dallas for the 2016 season. Dallas will play top-seeded Las Vegas on Sunday.

Dallas became the first team in WNBA history to have seven double-digit scorers in a playoff game. Satou Sabally and Awak Kuier each scored 13 points, Kalani Brown added 12, Crystal Dangerfield had 11 and Natasha Howard 10.

Dallas pulled away in the second quarter by outscoring the Dream 29-10 for a 52-34 lead. Natasha Howard made a wide-open 3-pointer to cap Dallas’ 13-1 run for a 48-31 lead. Ogunbowale and Sabally combined for 24 points in the first half, and the Wings shot 50% from the field.

Dallas beat Atlanta for the fifth straight time this season, including the two-game sweep in the playoffs.

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