Dallas Wings' Late Collapse Leads to Loss Against Atlanta Dream
A heavily anticipated contest that came right after the All-Star break, this matchup between the Dallas Wings and Atlanta Dream delivered as it came down to the final buzzer.
Inside the Wings-Dream Matchup
Fresh out of a break and record-breaking All-Star Weekend, WNBA fans across the globe were in for a treat when the Dallas Wings faced off against the Atlanta Dream earlier this evening (July 29, 2026). Neck and neck with each other, the Wings and Dream were separated by one game in the WNBA standings with Dallas at 18-10 and Atlanta with a 17-10 record. Not only was this matchup crucial to where these teams stand in the W, but it also played a huge factor into the trajectories of their seasons in the final stretch before the playoffs. To start this contest, the Wings and Dream went back-and-forth exchanging buckets in the first quarter with Jessica Shepard leading the way for Dallas with 8 points. Although Atlanta's Allisha Gray would get started early offensively, it was the great defensive efforts from Dallas' Azzi Fudd along with a collective team effort in scoring from Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, and Azzi Fudd that would lead the Dallas Wings to a 6-point lead at the half. Despite the Wings coming into the second half strong lead by some elite passes from Paige Bueckers for back-to-back threes from Azzi Fudd as well as some midrange attacks from Bueckers herself, the Dream's Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray were also one's that started heating up. However, it was thanks to a late third quarter push from Arike Ogunbowale that the Wings' lead would grow to 12 points going into the fourth quarter. Although Dallas started strong and played well in majority of this matchup with Atlanta, it quickly came to a halt as their efficient shooting cooled off in the fourth. Seeing that the Wings were starting to struggle shooting, the Dream capitalized on this opportunity to take control of the game. With just a few minutes remaining in the matchup, the Atlanta Dream would take control through several short scoring runs that would ultimately lead them to an 82-81 victory over the Dallas Wings.
Breaking Down the Top Performances
Dallas' Bright Spots Despite the Loss
On paper, the Dallas Wings' starters had a great outing against the Atlanta Dream, but in reality, the main flaw was their execution in crunch time. Arike Ogunbowale lead the Wings in scoring with 24 points along with 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals: a complete game from her to say the least. Accompanying Ogunbowale's personal success, Azzi Fudd chipped in 20 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals of her own shooting 69% from the field and 100% from three. Rounding out the Dallas Wings' great individual scoring efforts was Paige Bueckers with 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists as well as a 16-point 14-rebound double-double from Jessica Shepard. Although 4/5 of Dallas' starters scored in double figures with at least 16+ points each, this complete effort from the starting five could not cover up the fact that the Wings only had one singular bench point. Despite this success from players like Bueckers, Shepard, Fudd, and Ogunbowale was evident in that it was enough to carry them through 99% of the matchup with a respectable lead, it was a lack of awareness and ability to connect on shot attempts that lead to the team's collapse in the final seconds.
Atlanta's Difference Makers
Although the Atlanta Dream did not have nearly as strong of a team performance in this matchup, it was Allisha Gray and Angel Reese who truly led the way to victory. With no surprise, Angel Reese left it all on the court in this contest as she put up yet another double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds as well as 4 assists. 4 steals, and 1 block. Backing up this incredible performance by Reese was Gray who not only had an impressive 25-point outing herself but also putting the team on her back in the final seconds of the game. Gray's clutchness would show in this matchup as she not only brought the Dallas Wings back into this matchup with her efficiency but also shot-making ability under pressure.
A Costly Finish: How the Dallas Wings Let the Game Slip Away
With less than 90 seconds remaining in this matchup, the Dallas Wings led by as much as 6 points. Fighting up until the final moment, it was a three-pointer from Rhyne Howard that put the Dream within 2 points of the Wings. As just over 20 seconds remained on the game clock, the Dream needed to foul to prevent the Wings from running down the time and securing the victory. Because of this, Atlanta's Jordin Canada intentionally fouled Dallas' Paige Bueckers who would go on to make two free throws. Down four points now, Allisha Gray would work her magic in crunch time when she was fouled by Arike Ogunbowale while attempting a three-pointer. After taking time to review, the officials ruled that Ogunbowale's closeout was reckless, thus giving Gray three free throws and Atlanta the next possession. Of course, Allisha Gray converted all three free throws, putting Atlanta down one point with an opportunity to execute a sideline out-of-bounds play to tie the game with approximately 19 seconds remaining. Coming off a perfect pass from Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray would take Paige Bueckers to the paint and sink a beautiful fadeaway jumper to take the 82-81 lead over the Dallas Wings. In the final 15 seconds of this matchup, the Wings had every opportunity to put up a good look and even had a timeout remaining to reset. That said, they would ultimately fall short and blow what was once a 15-point lead in an 82-81 loss to the Atlanta Dream.
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