After opening the season with a narrow seven-point victory over the Connecticut Sun, 81-74, the Atlanta Dream intend on keeping it that way — by winning, and winning, and winning. Be it at the Dream’s WNBA Draft Party, the first day of training camp, or days away from their home opener, the word “championship” wasn’t far from head coach Michael Cooper’s mouth.
The Dream will hit the floor in McCamish Pavilion for the first time on May 21 versus the Chicago Sky, and the team’s hype and energy are higher than ever.
Now, with their eyes sharpened, Cooper said the team needs fans to show up — old and new — to keep the momentum going.
“Energy and enthusiasm for the game is definitely a plus for us,” said Cooper. “And for our fans,”
But this season, the Dream look a little different than before, mostly because they’re missing star shooting guard Angel McCoughtry. McCoughtry will be sitting out indefinitely for the season.
In McCoughtry’s absence, Cooper said at the start of training camp that you can expect big things from Bria Holmes, Tiffany Hayes, Elizabeth Williams, Sancho Lyttle, Layshia Clarendon — and maybe even rookie Brittney Sykes, who the Dream gained from the Draft. In the Sun match up, that was true. Holmes, Hayes, and Clarendon combined for 48 points, Lyttle had four steals and five rebounds, and Williams had nine rebounds and eight points.
In her WNBA debut, Sykes played for over 12 minutes at guard and tallied seven points.
Next, the Dream travel to Chicago to face a winless Sky for the first of a two-game series.
Catch the Dream when they take on the Sky at home 3 p.m. on May 21 at McCamish Pavilion.