Dream season ends as Atlanta is bounced from WNBA playoffs

Arike Ogunbowale Teaira McCowan Awak Kuier Dallas Wings' Arike Ogunbowale (24) Teaira McCowan, center, and Awak Kuier, right, celebrate after a basket by Ogunbowale in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round WNBA basketball playoff series against the Atlanta Dream, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) (Tony Gutierrez/AP)

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - Rhyne Howard scored 21 points and Allisha Gray contributed 19 but it wasn’t nearly enough to extend the Atlanta Dream’s season.

The Dream got blown out 101-74 by the Dallas Wings in Game 2. The Wings swept the WNBA best-of-three first round series 2-0.

Howard, who scored 36 points in Game 1, scored 57 points in the two games to set a WNBA record for the most points in a player’s first two playoff games.

The Wings won a playoff series for the first time since relocating to Dallas from Detroit for the 2016 season. Dallas will play top-seeded Las Vegas on Sunday.

Dallas pulled away in the second quarter by outscoring the Dream 29-10 for a 52-34 lead. Natasha Howard made a wide-open 3-pointer to cap Dallas’ 13-1 run for a 48-31 lead. Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally combined for 24 points in the first half.