Atlanta in playoffs again

[Gray Mule]

After a terrible start, the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA made the playoffs again.

Their 18-14 record leaves them only 2 games out of first place and their 73-52

win today gives all Atlanta fans cause to celebrate!

I know. It's not the Hawks. Who knows, there man not even be an NBA season

this year. But then again, they may get their differences settled and play.

Meanwhile, we have, live and in glorious color, the Atlanta Dream. If you don't like

watching the girls play, I'm sorry. Wait for the Hawks.

GO DREAM!!

[BrazilianHawk]

Hopefully they'll win it all this season. GO DREAM!

[ATLNY7]

I'm rooting for either the Dream to win or the NY Liberty.

[bonethugz]

angel mccoughtry is my favorite basketball player in town

[bonethugz]

“I was getting mad because I was getting pushed around,” McCoughtry said. “And when I get mad, I get in attack mode.”

http://www.ajc.com/sports/dream-clinches-playoff-berth-1158230.html?cxtype=rss_hawks_4105

[Gray Mule]

Any one who could watch our Angel tonight and not be a fan - Well, something is wrong.

She had 35 points in a win against the #2 team in the east!

GO DREAM!!

[ATLNY7]

Damn, she is nasty.

[lethalweapon3]

<p> </p>

<p>They took a far different path than last season, but the Dream is perched in the same situation, just playing with house money. And just like this time last year, the odds are looking pretty good, maybe even better.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The two things that could doom Atlanta’s championship aspirations are the same things from last season: nobody can hit a three to save their lives (25.5% 3FG%, dead last by far – the team ranked next-to-last in 3FGAs ahead of the Dream still makes more than twice as many 3FGs) and they’re the only WNBA team not converting 70% of their free throws. The latter doesn’t help since they rely so heavily on their inside game and opponents put them on the line more than any other team. They also get blocked a ton by keeping their offense predictably close to the basket.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>On the plus side, though, they play a high-pace style that has them leading the league in scoring as well as steals; tops in the East in FG%, assists, and rebounds; and second in the East in blocks. Opponents turn the ball over far more than any other team.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Dictating that frenetic tempo will go a long way to ensuring they get to the Finals again. They’ll also need Erika DeSouza’s ankle as healthy as possible. Given the team has confidence against either Connecticut or Indiana (having gone 2-1 against the Sun and sweeping the first-place Fever on home-and-home in the last 4 weeks) I’m guessing they limit her playing time on Sunday. Finally, they will need not just late-game heroics but composure throughout the game from Angel McCoughtry, something that was very telling during the team’s second-half turnaround.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Last year they came out of the blocks blazing, then limped their way to what turned out to be a favorable #4 playoff spot in the East. This year, they started off slow, with Angel playing through an injury for the first time in her career while Sancho Lyttle was returning in late June from Eurobasket and the Spanish national team. Once both were back in gear alongside DeSouza, they have been downright dominant on the boards in big games. Keeping opponents one-and-done and churning out the turnovers to their advantage will give the Dream the edge they need. Midseason pickup Courtney Paris and Allison Bales have been a godsend in terms of depth upfront, a luxury many playoff teams do not have. Superb guard play from Armintie Price and Coco Miller has allowed them to take one of last year’s All-Stars, the defensively-challenged Izi Castro-Marques, and bring her in for spot duty whenever the team needs an quick offensive boost.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Angel has been in a complete stratospheric zone since her All-Star showcase. Just watch her offensive moves sometimes, and you'll momentarily forget there's a W in front of that NBA. As of late, I think she's been watching a LOT of tape of her B-More colleagues, Mr. Melo and Mr. Gay.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The Hawks may not be in town, but in August, the Highlight Factory was totally open for business. Last-minute heroics from Sancho and Angel have had Philips Arena rocking, building team and fan momentum toward the playoff run. An early August loss against New York was the only home loss the Dream suffered since the end of June. They also proved themselves as a dangerous foe on the road with victories against last year’s champ Seattle (albeit without Lauren Jackson), Indiana, and Los Angeles during Candace Parker’s return from injury.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The Dream have proven themselves more than capable of winning 2 out of 3 from anyone in the East, as a road underdog or not. Out West, last year’s buzzsaw, Seattle, has struggled to readjust with Jackson rounding back into form. First place Minnesota, with local sensation Maya Moore, is loaded but unproven in postseason play. If they trip up against any of the other teams (Phoenix, Seattle, San Antonio) and Atlanta comes out of the East, as our friend KG would say, anything’s possible!</p>

<p> </p>

<p>~lw3</p>

[Randy]

Very good analysis lw3. A few things to add. Final playoff matchip is decided sunday. If we lose to Indy - we play Indy no matter waht NY and Conn do. If NY beats Conn and we want to play Conn then we have to beat Indy. But does Indy want to play us???? I don't know who I'd want see us play. But Indy has been looking beat able lately. And we just beat Conn. Cappie is supposed to have a bum ankle so who knows.

[Randy]

Correction - NY beats Conn then we play Indy no matter what. Conn beats NY - we play Conn if we beat Indy.

[Gray Mule]

Good to know I'm not the only Dream fan on Hawksquawk.

The Hawks are in Hibernation - so, what's to talk about? Not the Hawks.

The Dream are out team, regardless of whether you are a WNBA fan or not, they are Atlanta's team.

The Dream plays as a team. Some of the sleeping Hawks could take a lesson about playing inside.

Inside intensity, both on offense and defense is right there for anyone to see/

If MJ ever watches our Angel play, he will probably say, "Dang, was I ever THIS good?" Yep. She's

as good as it gets. Our own female version of MJ.

GO DREAM!!

Win it all!!

[Randy]

A few Dream stats of interest.

Defense No. 1 in steals, No. 2 in rebounds and blocks.

Offense No. in points and assistas. No. 3 in FG%

No. 2 in points and assists.

[lethalweapon3]

One down, one to go!

http://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/recap?gid=20110916012

ATL took the team with the best home record in the East (15-2) and put them on their playoff heels. Deja vu, anyone?

The Dream have been finding a new calling card of late: offensive balance. It's becoming commonplace for Atlanta to finish the night with 4, 5 (like last night), even 6 players in double-figures. Even on a not-so-good night, Angel can score 20+ points, but she doesn't have to drop 30 when Erika, Sancho, Lindsay, Izi, and either one of Arminite or Coco are routinely finding the basket.

They have the league's 1st (Lyttle), 3rd (McCoughtry), and 8th-ranked (Price) theft-meisters, and league-leader Sancho's steal in the closing minutes helped seal the deal.

Izi's two threes (of course, the ONLY shots beyond the stripe any Dream player made) were huge, but she also made some shockingly good passes that made the difference in the game while Angel was plagued with foul trouble late.

With almost three double-doubles, the Dream frontline starters were just overwhelming on the glass (30-16).

Their big offseason pickup, Harding, also being aggressive game-long and making a ton of free throws was a big deal (as was the case last night, though, she's infamous for getting a little shaky at the line in crunch time). She can rely on the speedster Price to share the passing duties, creating a pick-your-poison backcourt dilemma for opponents.

The Sun hasn't completely set for Connecticut. Probable WNBA MVP Tina Charles is NOT going 4-for-16 again on Sunday, at least not if she stops settling for jumpshots and starts wreaking havoc inside. But she'll need more help with Erika and Sancho than she's getting.

The Dream will have to tighten up on the Sun's outside shooters (Lawson, Greene, McCray) if they are going to close this out without taking a gamble and heading back to the blackjack tables in Uncasville. Hopefully the Dream fans won't be freaked out by the Vickageddon tailgaters on Sunday afternoon, and instead show up in droves to support what has, as of late, become the truly best sports ticket in town (9 of the last 10 Dream crowds went home happy)! Would be nice to see some more Falcons fans double up at The Highlight Factory before heading to the Dome!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Round 2 kicks off on the Deuce (ESPN2) tonight. Dream head to Naptown to face the first-place Fever. For those watching from their 'puter, it'll also be on ESPN3 or WatchESPN or whatever they're calling it this week.

Hopefully, Tamika Catchings gets the dreaded "MVP Award Ceremony" curse tonight.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Answering my own question regarding Mme. DeSouza:

http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-opinion/7001243/wnba-playoffs-five-things-watch-conference-finals

No de Souza for the Dream?

Reports indicate that Atlanta Dream center Erika de Souza may be leaving before the end of the postseason to join the Brazilian national team in an Olympic qualifying tournament in Columbia. The qualifying tournament opens Sept. 24, the day before the second game of the Eastern Conference finals. It ends Oct. 1, which means that de Souza could return to Atlanta should it reach the WNBA Finals. But can the Dream get there without her? She is the team's second-leading scorer in the playoffs at 14.0 points a game.

~lw3