Dream Hold Off Late Sparks Rally to Claim 78-71 Road Win in Los Angeles
The Atlanta Dream picked up a hard-fought 78-71 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on August 25, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena, riding a dominant third-quarter stretch and timely outside shooting to snap a two-game road losing streak. The result gave the Dream a much-needed season-series boost while the Sparks dropped another home decision in the thick of the WNBA playoff race.
Atlanta controlled the tempo for most of the evening, but the Sparks showed their trademark fighting spirit down the stretch, cutting an 11-point lead to just three with under two minutes to play. A clutch corner triple from Rhyne Howard and a defensive stop in the final minute, however, sealed the win for the visitors.
Key Moments That Decided the Game
- Third-quarter surge: The Dream outscored Los Angeles 26-18 in the third period, turning a narrow halftime edge into a comfortable cushion.
- Defensive stand: Atlanta limited Sparks star Dearica Hamby to just two field goals in the fourth quarter after she had controlled the boards in the first half.
- Rhyne Howard's dagger: With the shot clock winding down and the lead at 72-69, Howard buried a step-back three to push the margin back to six.
- Free-throw execution: The Dream converted 16 of 19 attempts from the stripe, keeping the Sparks at bay in the closing moments.
Tactical Story: Ball Movement vs. Physical Paint Play
Atlanta's offensive rhythm came from patient ball movement and a deep rotation that kept legs fresh. Brittney Griner's presence in the paint opened up cleaner looks from mid-range, while Howard and Allisha Gray attacked closeouts and found cutters along the baseline. The Sparks, meanwhile, leaned on isolation sets and second-chance opportunities, but too often settled for contested jumpers early in the shot clock.
Turnovers proved decisive. Los Angeles committed 16 giveaways, leading to 21 Atlanta points. The Dream turned the ball over just nine times, a season-best in that category, and used that efficiency to control the game's flow even when the score remained close.
Players of the Game
- Rhyne Howard (Atlanta): A game-high 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including four three-pointers, plus six rebounds and four assists.
- Brittney Griner (Atlanta): Posted a double-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocked shots, anchoring the defensive interior.
- Dearica Hamby (Los Angeles): Finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds for a double-double, but was limited to 2-of-7 in the fourth quarter.
- Kelsey Plum (Los Angeles): Led the Sparks with 20 points and dished out five assists in a losing effort.
What the Result Means for the Standings
With the victory, Atlanta improved to 18-15 on the season, strengthening its hold on a top-six playoff spot in the WNBA standings. The road win also gave the Dream a 2-1 head-to-head edge over the Sparks this year, a potential tiebreaker that could prove valuable in the final weeks of the regular season. For Los Angeles, the loss dropped them to 17-16, putting them in a tie with the Phoenix Mercury for the eighth and final postseason seed. The Sparks will look to bounce back quickly, but the margin for error is steadily shrinking in a crowded Western Conference race.