The Atlanta Dream snapped their five-game losing streak this week and will attempt to maintain their momentum when they host the Portland Fire on Saturday afternoon. The game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on CBS and available to stream on Paramount+.
Atlanta is fresh off an 89-78 victory over the Seattle Storm, a team they had previously lost to two weeks ago. This bounce-back game helped the Dream improve their overall record to 13-9, which places them sixth in the standings and just three games behind first place. However, the biggest question mark for the Dream will be the availability of Angel Reese, their star player who is listed as questionable with a left leg injury after getting hurt at the end of Thursday’s win.
Meanwhile, the Fire showed a lot of grit in the fourth quarter against A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday night. However, their comeback effort came too late, and they ultimately fell 88-80, which dropped their overall record to 9-13.
The Dream’s Angel Reese has been on a roll, registering her 15th consecutive double-double with 18 points and 22 rebounds against the Storm on Thursday night. This impressive performance helped her pass Tina Charles for the most double-doubles in a player’s first three seasons in WNBA history. Reese is averaging a career-best 15 points per game and leading the WNBA in rebounds with 11.7 boards per contest.
However, Reese’s injury is a cause for concern, as she appeared to roll her right ankle with just 1:19 remaining in the game. Despite being able to walk off the court unassisted, she was officially listed as questionable for the game with a leg injury. Additionally, Reese received her seventh technical foul, which is a concern because, per WNBA rules, an eighth technical foul will automatically lead to a one-game suspension.
The fourth quarter will be crucial for both teams, as the Dream’s struggles in this quarter have been visible in their recent games. Portland coach Alex Sarama limits even star players to 30 minutes in order to keep them as fresh as possible, which could give the Fire an opportunity to keep the Dream on their toes until the final minutes.
In their previous meeting, the Dream picked up a dominant 86-66 victory in Portland on May 29. The Fire ended the third quarter on a 14-5 run and cut Atlanta’s lead to just 59-53. However, the Dream responded by starting the fourth quarter 9-0 and eventually won those 10 minutes 27-13. Defense was a bright spot for the Dream as they forced a season-high 28 turnovers and converted them into 33 points.
Reese led the Dream with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists in that game. Meanwhile, Sarah Ashlee Barker gave Portland a team-high 14 points while coming off the bench. Portland’s leading scorer Carla Leite had 11 points in that game while only attempting four field goals.
Carla Leite has been on a hot streak, scoring a combined 70 points in her previous three games, including a career-high 32 points in the quadruple-overtime loss against the Mystics on June 28. She is leading the team’s offense with 15.2 points and 5.6 assists per contest. Leite recently set the single-season franchise record for assists and will enter Saturday’s matchup with 112 dimes. The previous record was 104 assists set by Ukari Figgs in the 2002 season.
Portland’s coach Alex Sarama emphasizes the importance of taking care of the ball, as the Fire’s season-high 28 turnovers came at the hands of the Dream. The Fire will need to be careful with the ball, especially in the fourth quarter, to have any chance of beating the Dream.
Atlanta’s fourth-quarter results in their last five games have been inconsistent, with losses in four of the five games. The Dream will need to step up their game in the final quarter to maintain their momentum and secure a win against the Fire.
In the end, the game will come down to which team can execute their game plan and make the necessary adjustments to outmaneuver their opponents. The Dream will need to find a way to overcome their injury concerns and maintain their momentum, while the Fire will need to capitalize on their opportunities and make the most of their chances.
The game will be a closely contested and exciting matchup between two teams with a lot to prove. The outcome will depend on which team can rise to the challenge and emerge victorious.
