Dream Can’t Complete Comeback in 96-81 Loss to Lynx

The Atlanta Dream couldn’t pull off another comeback against the Minnesota Lynx this time around.

After falling behind by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, Atlanta fought to cut the deficit to 10 multiple times in the fourth but ultimately fell 96-81 Wednesday night at Target Center. The loss drops the Dream to 4-2 on the season and marks Atlanta’s largest loss so far in 2026.

The Dream once again started Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon and Angel Reese. Atlanta entered the matchup 4-0 with that starting five but now sits at 4-1 with the lineup following the loss.

Minnesota came out aggressive offensively and exposed Atlanta early with efficient ball movement and strong execution in the pick-and-roll game. The Lynx shot 59 percent from the floor and consistently attacked the paint throughout the night.

Atlanta’s slow starts continue to be an issue.

The Dream quickly fell behind by 14 points in the opening quarter before finally responding with a strong push to begin the second. Atlanta opened the period on a 12-3 run and eventually tied the game at 26 after Sika Kone knocked down her first three-pointer of the 2026 season.

Kone provided valuable energy off the bench in the first half, making her presence felt inside while also stretching the floor offensively.

Still, every time Atlanta appeared ready to fully swing momentum, Minnesota answered.

The Lynx rebuilt their lead before halftime and never truly allowed the Dream to get over the hump in the second half.

Minnesota’s execution offensively gave Atlanta problems throughout the night, particularly in ball-screen situations where the Lynx repeatedly found success attacking the free-throw line area.

“Their execution was outstanding but even when the other team has good execution we have to get some stops,” Dream head coach Karl Smesko said. “We had been doing a good job defensively all season until this game is the one that’s really given us the most trouble.”

Minnesota finished with 50 points generated through ball-screen action and also capitalized on Atlanta’s turnovers. The Dream committed 18 turnovers which the Lynx converted into 33 points.

“We’ve been losing too many possessions,” Smesko said. “We’ll address it. Hopefully, we’ll see some improvement going forward with that.”

Atlanta continued battling throughout the second half behind the play of Allisha Gray and Naz Hillmon.

Gray once again led the Dream offensively, finishing with 21 points on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting performance. It marked her fourth 20-plus point game of the season as she continued her strong start offensively.

Hillmon delivered arguably her best performance of the 2026 season, finishing with 15 points and eight rebounds while bringing consistent energy on both ends of the floor. Hillmon repeatedly attacked the basket aggressively and gave Atlanta quality minutes throughout the night.

Rhyne Howard added 10 points and four assists while also reaching another career milestone. After recording her second assist of the game, Howard surpassed 500 career assists.

Angel Reese continued impacting multiple areas of the game with 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists while helping facilitate offense at times for Atlanta.

Jordin Canada added nine points and five assists while continuing to push pace offensively despite Minnesota’s defensive pressure.

Atlanta briefly gave itself hope late in the fourth quarter.

A basket from Howard with 3:19 remaining trimmed the deficit back to 10 and momentarily gave the Dream another opportunity to mount a comeback similar to their dramatic win over Phoenix earlier in the week.

Instead, Minnesota responded immediately with a 7-0 run to put the game away.

“Every time we would try to make a comeback, all of a sudden we would have another defensive breakdown based on great execution on their part,” Smesko said.

The Dream finished 11-of-31 from three-point range but struggled to consistently string together stops defensively against one of the league’s top offensive teams.

Atlanta’s inability to close early deficits remains an area of concern moving forward.

“We’ve talked about how we need to be better early,” Hillmon said. “It does take a lot out of you, because you’re having to claw back, and you feel like you have to make sure that every possession is perfect. We’re definitely trying to get to that point where we’re the team that is putting teams away early and not having to fight back for the win, so today that hurt us.”

Despite the loss, Atlanta continued showing flashes offensively and received strong performances from multiple players. However, turnovers, defensive breakdowns and another slow start ultimately proved too much to overcome against Minnesota.

The Dream will now look to regroup quickly as the road trip continues with another tough matchup ahead.

Atlanta returns to action Friday, May 29 against the Portland Fire with tipoff scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET. The Dream then return home Tuesday, June 2 to host the Connecticut Sun at 7:30 p.m. ET before welcoming the Washington Mystics to Gateway Center Arena on Friday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Despite Wednesday’s loss, Atlanta remains one of the stronger early-season teams in the WNBA and will look to clean up its turnovers and defensive breakdowns moving forward.