DREAM 85, LYNX 82 Defense shuts off Moore

Star’s return to Atlanta spoiled in rematch of WNBA title contenders.

In a rarity for a Maya Moore return to Atlanta, the Collins Hill High great was not the story Friday night.

Moore, the Olympic gold medalist, two-time All-WNBA selection and perhaps the most recognized player in the game, and the Minnesota Lynx, the league’s defending champion, fell to the Dream in the season’s first meeting of last year’s WNBA finalists.

The Dream won their third game in a row and gave the Lynx just their second loss of the season in an 85-82 Atlanta win at Philips Arena.

“I thought it was just a game that we needed to just continue building on what we’ve been doing, and that’s winning and doing the right things on the floor,” Dream first-year coach Michael Cooper said.

Moore was held to a sea-

son-low 10 points and didn’t score a basket in the first half as the Dream (6-3) took a 20point lead in the second quarter to take a considerable step in securing the game.

Nearly every point produced in the Dream’s sizzling first half proved critical, as the Lynx chipped away at the lead throughout the second half and closed to within two points twice in the final two minutes.

Minnesota (8-2) had three field-goal attempts to tie or take the lead, but could not convert.

The Dream survived despite shooting 31.4 percent in the second half after making 52.8 percent in the first half.

Better spacing and more transition opportunities created scoring opportunities in the first 20 minutes that weren’t as available after halftime.

“What I liked about the second half, that shows that championship teams, when you have to execute, you’ve got to execute, and I thought we executed well going down the stretch,” Cooper said.

Dream forward Angel McCoughtry led all scorers with 23 points on 7for-20 shooting, coming through with three critical baskets in particular.

After an 8-0 Lynx run early in the third quarter cut the Dream’s 50-33 lead at halftime to 55-46, the two-time All-WNBA selection answered with consecutive pull-up 3pointers to push the advantage back to 15.

“When she hit those shots, that shows you what type of player Angel McCoughtry is, just in freelance basketball,” Cooper said. “She’s a big-time player, and I’m very, very happy to be coaching her.”

She also hit a jumper off a screen with 42.8 seconds to go to give the Dream an 84-80 lead.

It was the only basket the Dream scored in the final 4:50 of the game.

Dream center Erika de Souza, named the Eastern Conference player of the week on Monday, continued her run of strong play with a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds to go with three blocked shots.

Moore came into the game as the league’s leading scorer at 24.1 points per game, but was defended well by Tiffany Hayes and was not looked to as the game wound down.

Moore took just two shots in the fourth quarter and 11 overall.

“We expected what we got from her,” Cooper said.

“But I thought our defense, Tiffany did a great job on her.”

JONATHAN PHILLIPS / SPECIAL Minnesota Lynx star Maya Moore of Collins Hill High, guarding the Dream’s Celine Dumerc in Friday’s game at Philips Arena, was held to 10 points, a season low for the WNBA all-star.

At MyAJC.com: Catch up with former Collins Hill High School star Maya Moore, who returned to Atlanta with the Minnesota Lynx to play against the Dream, plus photos of Moore during Friday night’s game.