In College Park, Georgia, Rhyne Howard delivered an outstanding performance by sinking a career-high nine 3-pointers and reaching a season-high of 36 points, as the Atlanta Dream triumphed over the Chicago Sky with an 88-70 win on Friday night. Brittney Griner also made headlines by advancing to second place on the WNBA career blocks leaderboard.
Howard’s remarkable display from beyond the arc enabled her to break the franchise record for 3-pointers in a single game, surpassing the prior record held by Renee Montgomery with eight back in 2018. Meanwhile, Griner marked her moment in history by blocking a shot from Elizabeth Williams late in the third quarter, tying her with Lisa Leslie at 822 blocks on the all-time list. She managed to secure second place solely after adding another block in the fourth quarter, positioning her behind Margo Dydek’s record-holding 877 blocks.
Despite not scoring in the first quarter, Howard found her rhythm in the third quarter, tallying 11 points to propel Atlanta to a 58-54 lead. She capped off the third with a precise jumper from the free-throw line and inaugurated the fourth with a clutch 3-pointer, extending the lead to seven points. Adding another 3-pointer with over eight minutes left, she pushed the margin to a double-digit lead at 66-56.
Howard’s exceptional shooting faltered Chicago’s hopes as she contributed 11 vital points during Atlanta’s decisive 18-3 run in the fourth quarter, extending the lead to 79-59. Accompanied by Allisha Gray, who posted 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, and Brionna Jones who chipped in with 13 points and 11 rebounds, Atlanta showcased a robust team performance. Jordin Canada further supported the effort by adding 12 points and eight assists.
On the other hand, Kamilla Cardoso spearheaded Chicago’s efforts with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Angel Reese also contributed 12 points and nine boards. Ariel Atkins matched Reese’s 12 points, but the cohesive effort fell short against Atlanta’s dominance.