Howard’s 36-Point Masterclass Propels Dream to Dominant 91-75 Victory Over Sun

A historic offensive explosion and a dominant defensive fourth quarter powered the Atlanta Dream (6-2) to a season high 16 point victory over the Connecticut Sun (2-9) on Tuesday night at Gateway Center Arena.

Behind a season-high 36 points from Rhyne Howard and a relentless perimeter assault, Atlanta secured a 91-75 win, marking their first victory in the 2026 Commissioner’s Cup tournament. With the win, the Dream earned $3,000 for their designated charity recipient, The King Center.

The victory also pushes Atlanta’s all-time record against the Sun to 35-34 overall, including a commanding 22-12 advantage on their home floor.

Dynamic Duo Sets the Tone Early

The game opened as a high-octane offensive battle, with Connecticut holding a slim 25-24 lead after the first quarter. However, the Dream's backcourt duo of Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray completely took over the second period.

The tandem combined for an astonishing 40 points in the first half alone, tying their own franchise record for the most points scored by a Dream duo in a single half. Thanks to their scoring clinic, Atlanta entered the locker room with a 50-49 edge at halftime.

Howard was practically unstoppable from beyond the arc, finishing the night with a season-high eight three pointers on her way to 36 points. Gray was equally critical to the offensive engine, relentlessly attacking the defense to finish with 26 points and 7 rebounds. Together, Howard and Gray accounted for 62 of Atlanta's 91 total points.

As a team, the Dream locked in from long range, hitting a season-high 14 three-pointers over the course of the evening.

Milestones and Double-Doubles in the Paint

While the perimeter players lit up the scoreboard, Atlanta’s frontcourt and playmakers achieved significant career milestones while controlling the tempo.

Angel Reese put together a historic performance, anchoring the interior with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds to secure her fifth double-double of the 2026 season. Early in the game, Reese knocked down her first three pointer of the yeara shot that officially marked the 1,000th point of her WNBA career. Later in the contest, she recorded her fourth assist of the night, eclipsing 200 career assists. Reese finished the game with a well rounded stat line of 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Point guard Jordin Canada masterfully piloted the offense, recording her second double-double of the season. Canada paired 12 points with a game high 10 assists while remaining a constant disruptor on defense, collecting 4 steals.

Starting forward Naz Hillmon chipped in a crucial 5 points and 7 rebounds, helping Atlanta control the glass. The settled starting lineup of Canada, Gray, Howard, Hillmon, and Reese improves to an impressive 6-1 when taking the floor together this season.

Fourth-Quarter Lockdown Secures the Win

Atlanta began separating themselves in the third quarter, outscoring the Sun 18-16, but the true decisive blow came in the final frame.

Leading 68-65 entering the fourth quarter, the Dream staging a defensive masterclass. Atlanta completely suffocated the Sun’s offense, holding Connecticut to a meager 10 points in the final 10 minutes. Conversely, the Dream execution remained sharp, putting up 23 points to break the game wide open and cruise to the 91-75 final score.

Connecticut was led by Aneesah Morrow, who finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds, and Marie-Paule Lacan, who dished out 5 assists.

With momentum firmly on their side and a 6-2 record on the season, the Dream will look to build on this record-setting performance as they continue their 2026 campaign.

ATLANTA DREAM (6-2) vs. INDIANA FEVER (4-4) Thursday, June 4, 2026 | 7:00 PM ET (4:00 PM PT) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN Broadcast: Amazon Prime Video