The Atlanta Dream look to extend their current winning streak to five games when they take on the Los Angeles Sparks tonight at Philips Arena. While Atlanta is still currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, they have closed the gap considerably and are now just percentage points behind the Chicago Sky for the final playoff spot in the East. Better yet coming into tonight's game they are just 3.5 games behind Connecticut for the top spot in the East.
Perhaps the most impressive part of the Dream's win streak has been their ability to win with different players filling different roles. Atlanta is still without the services of Sancho Lyttle who is out with a back injury. Coco Miller missed three games recently before returning against Tulsa with an ankle injury. Armintie Price was inserted into the starting lineup five games ago in place of Iziane Castro Marques which seemed to give the team a defensive spark that has carried them throughout this winning streak.
Of course the biggest difference during the stream has been the play of Angel McCoughtry who's play has returned to an All-Star level. After averaging just 15.5 points over the Dream's first 11 games of the season, McCoughtry is averaging 27.3 during the four game winning streak. She has topped 30 points in her last two outings including a career high 37 points against Tulsa on Tuesday.
Today's opponent surely understands what Atlanta has went through in terms of injury. The Los Angeles Sparks are currently on a three game losing streak and have dropped eight of their last ten games. They are without All-Star Candice Parker who suffered a knee injury earlier in the season.
The Sparks struggled their last time out turning the ball over 25 times against Minnesota in an 85-72 loss. Kristi Tolliver scored 28 points in that one while Ebony Hoffman added 24.
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