Allisha Gray had a career-high tying 27 points, while Nia Coffey contributed a season-high 16 points, leading the Atlanta Dream to an 80-73 victory over the Washington Mystics on Sunday. Gray was efficient, shooting 8-of-11 from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. Rhyne Howard and Cheyenne Parker also scored 11 points each for Atlanta.
The game turned in Atlanta’s favor midway through the third quarter when Parker hit a mid-range jumper followed by a pull-up 3-pointer from Gray, giving the Dream a 53-48 lead. They maintained the lead for the rest of the game. Despite a late push from the Mystics, including a driving layup from Brittney Sykes to pull within three points, the Dream held on for the win.
With this win, Washington has now lost three games in a row and five of their last six. They were missing several key players, including Elena Delle Donne, Ariel Atkins, Shakira Austin, and Kristi Toliver due to various injuries and ailments.
Sykes led the Mystics with 25 points and also recorded a season-high six steals, while Tianna Hawkins added 17 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. However, the rest of the team struggled from the field, shooting only 24% compared to Sykes and Hawkins at 42%.
For Gray, this game marked the eighth time this season that she has scored 20 or more points. This performance adds to her impressive scoring record, as she had accomplished this feat 12 times during her six seasons with the Dallas Wings before joining the Atlanta Dream.
The victory for the Dream is a significant boost for their playoff hopes, as they improve their record to 14-11. They will look to build on this momentum in their upcoming games as they continue to push for a spot in the playoffs.
