Atlanta Dream Ends Losing Streak with Narrow Victory Over Seattle Storm

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Dream secured a thrilling 83-81 victory against the Seattle Storm on Friday night, snapping an eight-game losing streak. Rhyne Howard led the Dream with a season-high 30 points, while Allisha Gray contributed 19 points. Tina Charles played a crucial role, scoring the game-winning basket with just 1.1 seconds remaining. Jordin Canada also made a significant impact, scoring all 10 of her points in the fourth quarter, along with eight assists and three steals. The game marked the return of both teams after a month-long hiatus due to the Paris Olympics. Seattle entered the final quarter with a 60-55 lead, but Atlanta quickly turned the tide with a 12-5 run, taking a 67-65 advantage with 5:37 left on the clock. The Dream maintained their lead until Jewell Loyd of the Storm hit a contested three-pointer to tie the game at 81 with only 4.6 seconds remaining. Following a timeout, Atlanta executed a well-planned play, allowing Charles to receive the inbounds pass and score the decisive jumper. For Seattle, Skylar Diggins-Smith led the scoring with a season-high 29 points, while Loyd added 21 and Nneka Ogwumike contributed 16 points. Despite leading by as many as 14 points in the second half, the Storm could not hold off Atlanta's comeback. Seattle's performance included a notable streak of committing 15 or fewer turnovers for 19 consecutive games, marking the fourth-longest such streak in WNBA history.