Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard tied the WNBA single-game document with 9 3-pointers Friday, turning into the primary participant in league historical past to try this greater than as soon as.
Howard completed with 37 factors, and the host Dream beat the Los Angeles Sparks 104-85, guaranteeing Atlanta home-court benefit within the first spherical of the playoffs. Howard was 13-of-26, together with 9-of-17 from behind the arc. She additionally made 9 3-pointers June 13 in an 88-70 victory over the Chicago Sky. Each video games have been in Atlanta.
There have been six video games, together with the playoffs and Commissioner’s Cup finals, during which a WNBA participant has made 9 3-pointers.
“I feel it forces individuals to place me in that dialog with the perfect shooters,” mentioned Howard, who’s in her fourth season at age 25. “As a result of you may’t go away that off. No person’s ever performed it till I acquired right here.”
Howard, the No. 1 choose and Rookie of the Yr out of Kentucky in 2022, additionally credited first-year Dream coach Karl Smesko. His offensive system, which was profitable for a few years at Florida Gulf Coast, has translated properly in his first season within the WNBA.
The Dream had 19 3-pointers Friday, tying the New York Liberty for the regular-season document. The Las Vegas Aces hit 23 3-pointers in a playoff recreation in 2022.
“So far as the system, I knew it was going to be nice for me,” Howard mentioned of enjoying for Smesko. “Everyone was like, ‘He likes 3’s and layups.’ Everyone is aware of I like 3’s. I’m going to get them up, however the truth that I can nonetheless proceed to hit them constantly, that’s crucial half.”
Howard has 97 3-pointers regardless of lacking 11 video games due to damage this season. She sat out 10 consecutive regular-season video games and the WNBA All-Star Recreation due to a knee damage. She returned Aug. 10.
“It was only a exceptional recreation by Rhy,” Smesko mentioned. “You get a way she’s feeling actual comfy about her launch, and he or she’s being aggressive, in search of good pictures. When she actually will get in a rhythm, she will go on some fairly superb streaks like she did immediately.”
Dream All-Star guard Allisha Grey, who has 93 3-pointers this season, has missed the previous two video games due to a knee damage. However that hasn’t slowed Atlanta, which has received six of its previous seven.
The Dream (28-14) are vying for the No. 2 seed behind Minnesota, which has clinched the highest seed. Las Vegas and Phoenix are each 27-14.
The Dream could have their first postseason recreation at house since Sept. 4, 2018, once they misplaced Recreation 5 of the semifinals to Washington. Atlanta didn’t make the playoffs from 2019 to 2022, then misplaced 2-0 in a first-round sequence at Dallas in 2023 and at New York final yr. This season, the WNBA is transferring to a 1-1-1 format for the primary spherical, so each playoff group could have at the least one house recreation.
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