Atlanta struggles again in road loss

After 13-point setback to Sun, Dream have lost 4 in row and 8 of 10.

UNCASVILLE, CONN. — DeWanna Bonner scored 23 points, hitting a career-high seven 3-pointers, to help the Connecticut Sun beat the Atlanta Dream 80-67 Sunday for their third win in a row.

Atlanta (7-13), which beat the Sun 78-74 on June 28 to end a three-game skid, has lost four in a row, seven of its past eight and eight of its past 10. The Dream is fifth in the Eastern Conference. Connecticut (17-4) has won four of its past five and is tied atop the Eastern Conference with the New York Liberty; those teams share the best record in the league.

Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Tina Charles added 13 points and Nia Coffey 11. The Dream was missing numerous key players; Rhyne Howard (ankle) — second on the team in scoring (15.4 per game) and the team leader in assists (3.4), steals (2.2) and blocks (0.8) — Cheyenne Parker-Tyus (foot), Aerial Powers (calf ) and Jordin Canada (finger) did not play.

Tiffany Mitchell added 13 points for Connecticut. Mitchell and Bonner, a 15-year pro, each hit 3-pointers in a 9-0 run that made it 17-11 with 2:20 left in the first quarter, and the Sun led the rest of the way.

The Sun led 34-24 at halftime after the Dream scored just eight points in the second quarter. Atlanta was 4-of-11 from the field and committed five turnovers in the period. Connecticut then scored 33 points on 9-of11 shooting in the third quarter to open an 18-point lead going into the fourth.

The Dream play three of their next four on the road; the lone home game in that span is Friday against Las Vegas, which is third in the Western Conference.

JASONšGETZ/AJC Allisha Gray was a lone bright spot for the Dream, scoring 19 points in the loss.