For the third consecutive game this season Atlanta watched a lead slip away this time falling 86-74 to the San Antonio Silver Stars. After starting the season with heightened expectations, Atlanta falls to 0-3 on the season.
Danielle Adams led a second half offensive explosion for the Silver Stars who after scoring just 28 points in the first half, scored 58 after the intermission. Adams led all scorers with 32 points and seven rebounds. Atlanta had no answer once Adams was in a rhythm. Ruth Riley finished with 12 points and Becky Hammon had eight points and eight assists.
Angel McCoughtry played substantial minutes for the first time this season finishing with 19 points and seven rebounds but was just 7-18 from the field. Coco Miller scored 13 points off the bench for the Dream going 5-5 from the field. Sancho Lyttle finished with 12 points and Erika De Souza finished with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Lindsey Harding was a complete non-factor finishing with four points, four assists, and six turnovers.
Through three games this season Atlanta can hardly be called efficient offensively. Tonight's game was not any different as the offense continually breaks down into one on one play which either leads to tough shots or turnovers. The Dream made a concerted effort to get the ball inside and successfully built a lead early doing so. Once San Antonio countered by sending the a double team at the post, Atlanta failed to make them pay. Instead they forced shots or helplessly waited for a teammate to cut that never happened leading to turnovers.
At this point it is hard to speculate the reason for the Dream's struggles in the early going. Many of their players played full Euro league schedules and could be feeling some fatigue. The injury to Angel McCoughtry and other players in training camp no doubt plays a part. Lindsey Harding hasn't had much of an impact as of yet as she has struggled to get on the same page with her teammates.
The 2011 version of the Atlanta Dream is still a work in progress and there is no where to go but up at this point. The going doesn't get any easier with road games next week against New York and Minnesota.
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