Will the Atlanta Dream make the 2023 WNBA playoffs?
The offseason acquisition of Allisha Gray announced Atlanta’s intention to build on last season’s good vibes and promising growth with a playoff push. While the super teams in Las Vegas and New York, as well as a super strong squad in DC, loom over the league as surefire playoff participants, the remaining five postseason berths are up for grabs.
Can the Dream claim a spot? Here are three key things, among others, that will go a long way to determining if Atlanta achieves, or even exceeds, their playoff ambitions:
#1. An attack-minded Rhyne Howard
In large part, Rhyne Howard’s prolific 3-point shooting propelled her successful rookie season. Howard converted 42.6 percent of her 6.8 trey attempts during the first month of her career. From there, her efficiency faded, yet she still finished with a threatening season-long average of 34.3 percent on a volume of 7.3 attempts per game.
More critically, Howard’s 3-ball also swung the Dream’s success. In wins, she shot 43.2 percent and averaged 19.5 points; in losses, it was 28.8 percent and 14.2 points. These numbers not only capture how dependent the Dream were on Howard’s scoring, but also how dependent Howard’s scoring was on the 3-pointer. Check out how many…
