Coming off of All-Star break, the Atlanta Dream faced the Dallas Wings July 29 at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. With both teams having All-Stars and the Wings having yet to take a victory from the Dream this season, the matchup was highly anticipated.

For the majority of the game, the Wings led in points and looked like they would run away with the win. 

“Dallas outplayed us for most of [the game],” Dream Head Coach Karl Smesko said post-game.

But ultimately, through a final push led by forward Angel Reese and guard Allisha Gray, the Dream overcame a 15-point deficit to take down the Wings, 82-81.

Bringing energy

Reese led the Dream on the defensive side, helping chip away at Dallas’ lead. Even though she contributed individual stats, Reese made an even greater impact by helping her teammates find the confidence to close the game.

“I was just trying to keep the energy as high as I could, keep everybody composed… but it was a little rusty after All-Star as we expected,” Reese said post-game.

By motivating her teammates, she helped them remember their skill and to trust it in high-pressure times. That night, she really helped Gray.

“[Reese] helps remind me of who I am, and that helps a lot. She is always there to instill confidence and let me know ‘the next play, you'll make a big play.'”

Allisha Gray

Teamwork makes the Dream work

A veteran on the Dream, Gray is a quiet leader and player who leads by example on the court. 

“I’m kind of shy, so she always instills that confidence no matter how I’m playing,” Gray said postgame. Gray expressed how the positive energy from her teammates helped her in the last moments in the fourth quarter.

“[Reese] helps remind me of who I am, and that helps a lot,” Gray said postgame. “She is always there to instill confidence and let me know ‘the next play, you'll make a big play.’”

On the coaching side, Smesko explained how having players that help get their teammates refocused makes his job easier. 

“It makes it easier when teammates encourage each other and pick each other up,” Smesko said postgame.

It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish

The Dream’s win over the Wings is a perfect example of grit, effective teamwork, and resilience. ​Even though Gray performed well, the team needed more from everyone to win. She pushed herself further by finding ways to get around the Wings defense and focus at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.

Reese recognized that Gray needed an extra boost of confidence to close out the game. That is what teammates are for. Reese could have focused on scoring more points and trying to win the game herself, but she put her teammates first. In the final 30 seconds, that belief showed. Gray delivered when her team needed her most, and the Dream walked away with a one-point win.

“It gives you a lot of confidence when you know who’s on your team because every single day they put in the work,” Reese said postgame. 

The Dream's team culture showed that when players invest in one another, those small moments of encouragement can become the difference in a one-point game.