Dream Fall Short Against Aces Despite Strong Start, Milestones from Griner and Jones

The Atlanta Dream came out strong Thursday night, but couldn’t hold off the defending champs, falling to the Las Vegas Aces. With the loss, Atlanta moved to 1–2 with their current starting lineup of Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Maya Caldwell, Brionna Jones, and Brittney Griner. The all-time series now stands at 6–15 in favor of the Aces, including 3–8 on the road for Atlanta.

Still, the night wasn’t without bright spots.

Brionna Jones reached a major career milestone, surpassing 2,500 career points after scoring her fifth point of the game. Brittney Griner also made history, passing Jewell Loyd for 19th on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list, finishing the night with 5,784 points.

Leading the charge offensively was Allisha Gray, who poured in 24 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, marking her ninth 20+ point performance of the season. Jordin Canada added 12 points and a team-high six assists, continuing to anchor the Dream’s backcourt with control and composure.

Despite Atlanta’s energy and effort on both ends of the floor, Las Vegas’ depth and late-game execution proved too much to overcome. Solid contributions from role players like Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Naz Hillmon, and rookie Te-Hina Paopao showed promising depth for the Dream as they continue to build momentum in the second half of the season.

What’s Next

The Dream are back in action today against the Phoenix Mercury with a 10:00 a.m. ET tipoff, followed by a Sunday matchup against the Minnesota Lynx. With key veterans stepping up and young players making their presence felt, Atlanta looks to bounce back and add to the win column.