The Atlanta Dream are oozing with talent, featuring their All-Star trio of Angel Reese, Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard.
However, in Atlanta, there is no Big 3; it’s just Howard attempting to raise the ceiling high enough for the Dream to raise a banner.
In the Dream’s 96-82 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday, she dominated.
After trading for Kelsey Plum, the Mercury are clearly in win-now mode and fighting to make the postseason. But Howard was too good and overwhelmed them into submission. She
ended with a game-high 23 points along with six rebounds and eight assists, putting the Dream back in the win column.
Here’s what head coach Karl Smesko said about Howard’s night:
Seeing Rhy play with some joy again that felt really good. I thought she was back to herself, where she was aggressive, she was looking for opportunities. She’s playing how she was earlier in the season, and that was just great to see.
During July, Howard struggled. She averaged 13.6 points, four assists and four rebounds per game. She also shot a woeful 35.7 percent from the field.
Having this type of performance could go a long way in Howard re-establishing her dominance. After the game, she discussed her slump and how she strives to contribute to wins, even when her shot doesn’t fall:
Of course I felt like I’ve been in a slump because I was. I’m very aware of what was going on so we don’t have to pretend like that wasn’t a thing. But, you know, I brought in these pieces so that I could afford to have a slump and we could still win a lot of games.
Even if I’m not scoring, I do other things. I assist, I defend, I get steals, just having a continuous impact on the game.”
Throughout this dip in production, Howard’s attacking didn’t waver. On Wednesday night, it was present from the jump.
In the opening quarter she wasn’t just good, Howard was perfect. She saw the à la carte options for buckets and put them all on her plate.
From deep, she took three shots from above the break and drilled them all. Add in a restricted area layup and two free throws and that’s how Howard started the game 4-for-4 from the field 3-for-3 from 3-point range and 2-for-2 from the charity stripe.
When it was all said and done, no one took more 3-pointers than Howard, who attempted nine, but she also made the most in this contest, with five. From the free throw line, she was a perfect 6-for-6, and Howard’s 46 percent shooting from the field proved to be too much for the Mercury to handle.
While every All-Star player is exciting on offense, few provide the defensive skill set Howard possesses. That was also on full display against the Mercury.
In the second quarter, Phoenix had a great fastbreak opportunity. Kahleah Copper received the hit-ahead pass at halfcourt with no defenders in front of her. She was on the right side, and Howard was the closest defender, but on the left. It was a footrace to the basket with Copper trying to finish strong and Howard attempting to get the block.
Howard won, swallowing up Copper’s perceived open space like a black hole. She reached over from across the other side of the floor and smacked the ball into the backboard as the crowd erupted in approval.
Howard also had a pair of steals in this contest. The first came off a bad pass from Noemie Brochant, but the second was far more impressive.
At the top of the key, Howard took on All-Star guard Copper once again. When Copper picked up her dribble attempting to pass to Brochant, Howard kept her base wide so a clear pass wasn’t possible.
Copper then went to her next best option, a pass at the high post to Natasha Mack, but the ball never reached its desired destination. Howard tipped the ball and chased it down, denying Mack’s attempt at recovering it, forcing another turnover.
It’s Howard’s two-way play that makes her a marvel. She is a problem in every way, and when she is playing her game, she’s truly competing against herself, trying to reach her prime while the other team gets overwhelmed by her level.
In this win, Howard was great, and her teammates made history.
Jordin Canada became the franchise single-season assists leader with 227 and counting. Reese had 14 points and 10 rebounds, giving her 21 double-doubles this year, tying the Dream’s record for a single season.
While these three, along with Gray, are elite, it’s Howard that’s the certified leader.
She’s the one who’s been in Atlanta during her entire career. And during Howard’s tenure, their success and failures have landed on her shoulders.
The Dream will only go as far as Howard takes them.
And if this early August performance is any indication of how she’ll play the rest of the way, then Atlanta is going to be a problem come late September.
