Dream Celebrate 300th Franchise Win With Canada’s Buzzer-Beater

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Now that is how you earn a milestone win.

The Atlanta Dream watched a comfortable first-half lead disappear, survived a frantic fourth quarter and still found a way to finish the job, defeating the Chicago Sky 93-91 on a buzzer-beating layup by Jordin Canada.

With the game tied at 91 and five seconds remaining, Head Coach Karl Smesko put the ball in Canada’s hands. Brionna Jones helped create the opening, Canada turned the corner and drove to the basket for the game-winner as time expired.

After a replay review confirmed the basket, the celebration was officially on.

The dramatic finish gave Atlanta its 300th victory in franchise history and improved the Dream’s all-time record against Chicago to 32-37 overall and 17-19 at home.

Atlanta started Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon and Angel Reese, and that group improved to 16-6 together this season.

The Dream came out looking like a team ready to handle business early.

Atlanta scored the first basket of the game and immediately set the tone with pace, defensive pressure and unselfish basketball. The Dream held a 31-15 lead after the first quarter, using contributions from both the starters and the bench to create separation.

Gray and Howard knocked down big shots, while Canada kept the offense moving. Isobel Borlase and Jaylyn Sherrod also provided an early boost off the bench, helping Atlanta maintain its energy when the first substitutions were made.

The Dream continued to control the game in the second quarter and stretched the lead to as many as 22 points. Gray connected from deep, Howard added another three and Madina Okot scored around the basket as Atlanta punished Chicago’s defense.

The Dream led 49-34 at halftime, but a long three-pointer by Sydney Taylor just before the horn gave the Sky a little momentum going into the locker room.

That momentum carried into the second half.

Chicago opened the third quarter with more urgency, forcing turnovers and attacking the paint. The Sky slowly cut into Atlanta’s lead behind Kamilla Cardoso, Azura Stevens, Courtney Vandersloot and Taylor.

The Dream’s offense became less consistent, and Chicago took advantage. A lead that once looked comfortable was down to one by the end of the third quarter, with Atlanta holding a narrow 62-61 advantage.

From there, the game turned into a full fourth-quarter fight.

Chicago briefly moved in front, but Okot came off the bench and delivered exactly what Atlanta needed. The rookie scored 10 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter, repeatedly finding openings around the basket and helping the Dream stay within reach.

Okot’s layups, free throws and activity on the glass gave Atlanta a major spark during the most important stretch of the game.

Gray also continued to attack.

She finished with a season-high 29 points, along with six rebounds and three assists. During the game, Gray moved into fifth place on the Dream’s all-time scoring list, passing Érika de Souza.

Gray now has 2,528 points in a Dream uniform, moving one point ahead of de Souza’s 2,527.

That milestone came during another big-time performance from one of Atlanta’s All-Stars. Gray remained aggressive throughout the night, scoring in transition, from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line.

Atlanta shot 85.2 percent from the line, making 23 of 27 attempts. Those free throws proved especially important as the game tightened in the final minutes.

With less than two minutes remaining, Chicago tied the game at 84. Gray then hit two free throws to put Atlanta back in front before Cardoso tied it again.

Canada answered with a driving floater, but Chicago came right back.

Gray scored another tough basket in the paint to give the Dream an 88-86 lead. Cardoso tied the game at 88, and Canada split two free throws to put Atlanta ahead by one.

Gray then made two more from the line with nine seconds left, giving the Dream a 91-88 advantage.

But Chicago was not done.

Taylor buried a deep pull-up three-pointer with six seconds remaining, tying the game at 91 and setting up one final possession for Atlanta.

That final possession belonged to Canada.

Coming out of the timeout, Canada received the ball, attacked the basket and finished at the rim as the horn sounded. Jones was credited with the assist after helping free Canada for the drive.

Canada finished with 10 points, nine assists, three rebounds and three steals, delivering her biggest basket when Atlanta needed it most.

Howard added 11 points, six rebounds, six assists and three blocks, making her presence felt on both ends of the floor.

Reese finished with eight points, five rebounds and one assist, while Jones provided an important lift off the bench. Jones grabbed seven rebounds in the second quarter, tying her career high for rebounds in a single period.

Atlanta’s bench finished with 30 points, a major factor in the victory. Okot led that group with 14, while Borlase and Sherrod contributed productive minutes earlier in the game.

“We appreciate the energy… their energy really keeps us going and keeps us up,” Gray said about the Dream fans after the game. “We really appreciate them.”

The victory sends Atlanta into the WNBA All-Star break with plenty of momentum.

Gray, Howard and Angel Reese will represent the Dream at the 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game in Chicago on July 25, before Atlanta returns to action on July 29 against the Dallas Wings.

Three hundred wins.

A buzzer-beater.

Another franchise milestone.

The Atlanta Dream couldn’t have scripted it any better.