By: Jennifer Portee
5/23/2026
Rhyne Howard looked right at home in her return, and Atlanta needed every bit of it.
Howard finished with 25 points and eight assists as the Dream started fast, held off a Dallas run, and closed the night strong in an 86-69 win on Friday. Atlanta led early, lost control for a while, then took over late with a 23-5 run that put the game out of reach.
Howard missed the previous game while in concussion protocol, but she wasted no time settling back in. She helped Atlanta jump out to a 16-3 start.
Allisha Gray added 16 points, while Angel Reese had an all-around game with 15 points and nine rebounds. Atlanta also got a lift from its efficiency, shooting 55 percent from the field and 12 of 13 at the free throw line.
Dallas made things interesting in the second half. After trailing for most of the night, the Wings finally grabbed a 64-63 lead with 7:35 left, their only advantage of the game. But that was the high point for Dallas, which went cold late in the game while Atlanta stayed calm and finished on a mission.
Awak Kuler led the Wings with 16 points off the bench, while Odyssey Sims added 14 and Jessica Shepard scored 10. But the bigger story was what Dallas could not get from its top scorers. Paige Bueckers was held to seven points, and Arike Ogunbowale finished with just two as the pair combined to shoot 4-for-24.
The Wings also dug themselves a deep early hole, starting 1-for-17 from the field before rookie Azzi Fudd knocked down Dallas’ first basket, a 3-pointer more than six minutes into the game. By then, Atlanta was already took control, leading 19-5 after the opening quarter.
Dallas showed some fight in the second, opening the quarter with eight straight points, but the Dream answered and took a 44-31 lead into halftime. From there, Atlanta leaned on shot-making to stay ahead.
Atlanta visits New York on Sunday, while Dallas heads to New York as well, looking for a reset after a rough shooting night.