Atlanta Dream Defeat Toronto Tempo 107-95 as Rhyne Howard and Angel Reese Make WNBA History
The Atlanta Dream didn't simply pick up their 20th victory of the season Monday night. Two of their biggest stars made history along the way.
Rhyne Howard scored 22 points and knocked down six three-pointers, while Angel Reese finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds as Atlanta defeated the Toronto Tempo 107-95. Howard became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 100 made three-pointers in a season, while Reese established a new Dream single-season record with her 22nd double-double.
Atlanta improved to 20-12 with the victory and continued building momentum for the postseason. The Dream have now won seven of their last nine games and moved into a tie with Indiana at 20-12 in the standings.
Rhyne Howard Makes WNBA History From Three
Howard's outside shooting has been one of Atlanta's most dangerous weapons throughout the season.
Against Toronto, she added another historic achievement.
Howard connected on six three-pointers as Atlanta made 14 as a team. Her performance allowed her to reach 100 made threes in just 31 games, making her the fastest player in league history to reach the mark during a single season.
The previous benchmark was 33 games, a mark Howard had shared with WNBA legend Diana Taurasi.
Howard finished with 22 points and seven assists, demonstrating that her influence extended beyond perimeter scoring. Her ability to stretch the floor while also creating opportunities for teammates presented Toronto with problems throughout the night.
Angel Reese Sets a Dream Franchise Record
Howard wasn't Atlanta's only record-setter.
Reese recorded 20 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 7-for-14 from the field while adding a steal and a block. More importantly, the performance gave her a franchise-record 22 double-doubles this season.
Reese now has an opportunity to chase an even bigger record.
The source material places the WNBA single-season double-double record at 28, established by Alyssa Thomas in 2023. With 12 games remaining after Monday's victory, Reese was six away from matching that total.
Her consistency on the glass has given Atlanta a dependable interior presence to complement its perimeter scoring.
When Reese and Howard are both producing, the Dream can attack opponents in dramatically different ways.
Atlanta Takes Control Before Halftime
Toronto remained competitive early, but Atlanta created meaningful separation during the second quarter.
The Dream outscored the Tempo 30-17 in the period, transforming the game and building a 54-39 halftime advantage.
That 15-point cushion allowed Atlanta to dictate the second half instead of chasing the game.
The halftime advantage also continued an encouraging trend. According to the supplied source, Atlanta improved to 14-2 when leading at halftime.
The Dream have increasingly shown they can turn early control into victories.
Jordin Canada Gives Atlanta Another Major Weapon
Focusing exclusively on Howard and Reese would overlook one of the biggest reasons Atlanta reached 107 points.
Jordin Canada scored 20 points and recorded nine assists, narrowly missing a double-double while also contributing six rebounds according to the supplied postgame coverage.
Her playmaking helped Atlanta distribute the scoring burden throughout the lineup.
Allisha Gray and Brionna Jones each added 15 points, meaning five Dream players finished with at least 15.
That type of balance makes Atlanta considerably harder to defend.
An opponent may successfully limit one scorer and still have several others capable of taking control.
Marina Mabrey Explodes for 36 Points
Toronto did not lose because of a lack of production from Marina Mabrey.
Mabrey delivered a game-high 36 points and connected on seven three-pointers, producing one of her strongest offensive performances of the season. It was already the third time this season that she had made at least seven threes in a game.
Her performance was particularly notable because the supplied pregame material indicated she had recently been dealing with a neck injury and had struggled offensively in her previous two appearances.
Against Atlanta, those struggles disappeared.
The problem for Toronto was finding enough additional scoring to match the Dream's depth.
Toronto Could Not Match Atlanta's Balance
Kiki Rice scored 18 points off the bench, while Nyara Sabally recorded 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Tempo.
Still, Atlanta had too many offensive options.
Howard threatened from outside. Reese controlled possessions around the basket and on the glass. Canada created for herself and others. Gray and Jones supplied additional scoring.
Toronto had Mabrey's 36-point explosion.
Atlanta had an entire lineup producing.
That difference became increasingly important after the Dream established their halftime advantage.
Dream Continue Their Push Up the Standings
Atlanta's victory carried significance beyond individual records.
The Dream improved to 20-12, and the supplied postgame coverage had them in fifth place while tied with the fourth-place Indiana Fever at the same record.
Atlanta has also won seven of its last nine games, giving the team important momentum as the postseason approaches.
The Dream's recent success has been built around more than one star.
That may ultimately be what makes them dangerous.
Howard can change games from beyond the arc. Reese can dominate the glass. Canada can organize the offense while producing points herself. Gray and Jones provide additional established scoring threats.
Against Toronto, all of those pieces worked together.
Two Records, One Important Victory
The final score will show that Atlanta defeated Toronto 107-95.
The larger story is what happened within those 40 minutes.
Howard reached 100 three-pointers faster than any player in WNBA history.
Reese established Atlanta's single-season double-double record.
Canada nearly produced a 20-point double-double of her own.
And the Dream received at least 15 points from five different players.
Those achievements arrived in a game Atlanta needed as it continues positioning itself for the postseason.
The Dream next travel to face Connecticut on Thursday, while Toronto visits Dallas on Wednesday.
For Atlanta, the 107-95 victory was another sign of a team gaining momentum at the right time.
And with Howard rewriting the three-point record book while Reese continues piling up double-doubles, the Dream may be becoming increasingly difficult to overlook.
