Rhyne Howard scored 26 points and Angel Reese posted a double-double as the Atlanta Dream defeated the Washington Mystics 92-77 in Game 1 of their WNBA first-round playoff series.
Atlanta made the most of Washington’s mistakes at State Farm Arena on Sunday, converting 22 turnovers into 27 points to take an early advantage in the best-of-three series.
Howard added five steals and made all 10 of her free-throw attempts, while Allisha Gray contributed 22 points. Jordin Canada finished with 10 points and 11 assists for the fourth-seeded Dream.
Reese, playing in the post-season for the first time in her career, had 13 points and 12 rebounds as Atlanta established control with its defensive pressure.
The Dream recorded 16 steals, a franchise playoff record and just two short of the WNBA record. Washington struggled to protect the ball throughout the contest as Atlanta repeatedly turned defensive stops into scoring opportunities.
Sonia Citron led the Mystics with 25 points, while Kiki Iriafen added 15 points and 14 rebounds. Shakira Austin finished with 12 points and 16 rebounds.
Washington had entered the play-offs as the fifth seed after making its first post-season appearance since winning the WNBA title in 2019. The Mystics must now win in Game 2 to keep the series alive.
The second meeting will take place in Washington on Wednesday, September 30. A decisive third game, if required, is scheduled to return to Atlanta on Friday, October 2.
