Latest news with #AllishaGray
USA Today
9 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Lynx vs. Dream odds, tips and betting trends - 6/27/2025
The Atlanta Dream (10-5) will look to Allisha Gray (fifth in WNBA, 19.7 points per game) going up against Napheesa Collier (first in league, 24.4) and the Minnesota Lynx (12-2) on Friday, June 27, 2025 at Gateway Center Arena. The game begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on ION. In its most recent game, Minnesota fell to Washington, 68-64, on the road. Its top scorers were Alanna Smith (26 PTS, 2 STL, 6 BLK, 52.9 FG%, 2-6 from 3PT) and Jessica Shepard (12 PTS, 15 REB, 2 STL, 62.5 FG%). Atlanta lost to Dallas 68-55 on the road in its last game. Its top scorers were Rhyne Howard (23 PTS, 8 REB, 3 STL, 35.3 FG%, 5-14 from 3PT) and Gray (13 PTS, 18.8 FG%, 2-9 from 3PT). Ahead of watching this matchup, here is what you need to know about Friday's action on the court. Watch the WNBA on Fubo! Minnesota Lynx vs. Atlanta Dream odds and betting lines WNBA odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Friday at 6:07 p.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Lynx moneyline insights Dream moneyline insights Lynx vs. Dream: Game time and info Watch the WNBA on Fubo!
New York Times
11 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
How to watch Lynx at Dream: Atlanta looks to play spoiler vs. WNBA's top team
The Atlanta Dream are enjoying quite the turnaround. Having already pulled off convincing wins over the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm, the new-look squad seeks its biggest victory of the young season when it welcomes the Minnesota Lynx to the Georgia heat this Friday night. The defending Western Conference champions have a daunting task at hand. Can they rally from an embarrassing loss to the Washington Mystics — albeit without Napheesa Collier — and take down the Dream? Advertisement Atlanta's hot start can be chalked up to numerous factors, but it certainly helps that three of its top five scorers are new additions to the roster. Brionna Jones (13 points per game), Brittney Griner (9.3) and rookie Te-Hina Paopao (6.4) round out an impressive core that also boasts All-Stars Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray. Gray has had a particularly strong season, averaging career-high marks in points (19.7) and assists (3.9) while shooting a blistering 42.9 percent from 3-point range. The Dream embody her style of play along the perimeter, ranking No. 1 league-wide in 3-point attempts per game (30.7) and limiting opponents to the fewest makes and attempts from beyond the arc. It's a lethal combination, and several players have already caught fire. Despite that, Atlanta has fallen victim to a few underwhelming outings, with none sticking out worse than Tuesday's 68-55 loss to the Dallas Wings. The Dream went 15-of-64 from the field and 7-of-34 from the 3-point line, coming up well short of expectations against one of the worst defenses in the WNBA. Surely, this group would like nothing more than to put that defeat behind them by knocking off the mighty Lynx. Minnesota enters at 12-2, reeling from its worst performance of the season. The Lynx scored just 64 points and committed 19 turnovers in Tuesday's loss to the upset-minded Mystics. It was Collier's second straight absence, and it's quickly been made clear that her contributions are difficult to replicate. The 2024 MVP runner-up is averaging 24.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks while knocking down over 42 percent of her looks from deep. Collier is considered probable ahead of Friday's tilt as she manages a lower back injury. If she's unable to go, expect Jessica Shepard to take on an increased role. She started against the Mystics and logged 12 points and 15 rebounds over roughly 37 minutes of action. Advertisement The Lynx and Dream will meet two more times during the regular season, including a visit to Minneapolis on July 27. Streaming and ticketing links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of Rhyne Howard: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Dream vs. Lynx odds, tips and betting trends - 6/27/2025
Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx (12-2) face Allisha Gray and the Atlanta Dream (10-5) on Friday, June 27, 2025 at Gateway Center Arena, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on ION. Atlanta fell to Dallas 68-55 on the road last time out, and were led by Rhyne Howard (23 PTS, 8 REB, 3 STL, 35.3 FG%, 5-14 from 3PT) and Gray (13 PTS, 18.8 FG%, 2-9 from 3PT). Minnesota fell on the road to Washington 68-64 last time out, and were led by Alanna Smith (26 PTS, 2 STL, 6 BLK, 52.9 FG%, 2-6 from 3PT) and Jessica Shepard (12 PTS, 15 REB, 2 STL, 62.5 FG%). Ahead of watching this matchup, here's everything you need to know about Friday's action on the court. Watch the WNBA on Fubo! Atlanta Dream vs. Minnesota Lynx odds and betting lines WNBA odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Thursday at 10:11 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Dream moneyline insights Lynx moneyline insights Dream vs. Lynx: Game time and info Watch the WNBA on Fubo!
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Allisha Gray has the 'ultimate green light' in Atlanta, and she's making the Dream go
ATLANTA — There are no platitudes. Allisha Gray is to the point, skirting the fluff for wholesomely direct and concise answers. When a reporter asks about the postgame face care routine: 'I just take a good shower.' Advertisement About climbing interest in women's basketball and the crowd behind her at the 2024 All-Star skills competitions: 'It's very cool. That made me very happy.' And on the 2023 trade that sent her to Atlanta, where she has developed into a top-15 player the front office saw in the data projections two years ago, she succinctly lists why it's 'one of the best places I could ever land in my career.' 'I've been a two-time All-Star, looking to make it three-time,' Gray told Yahoo Sports before a 19-point drubbing of the Indiana Fever at home earlier this month. '[I'm] getting a lot more accolades since I've been to Atlanta [and] a lot of people [are] starting to know who I am.' Despite a national championship with South Carolina in 2017, the WNBA Rookie of the Year award months later, and an Olympic gold medal, Gray bubbled under the radar in Dallas, which drafted her fourth overall. Advertisement There is no more coherent proof of her emergence than the early 2025 All-Star fan voting results released last week, listing her 14th between fan-favorite Angel Reese and 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones. Fan returns, which make up 50% of the All-Star voting block, are indicators of both production as well as awareness. Those factors converged in Atlanta. Allisha Gray is well on her way to her third All-Star nod this season. (Photo by Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos via Getty Images) (Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos via Getty Images) Gray is averaging career-highs in almost all traditional categories, fueled by 20.1 points per game, good for sixth in the league. A few more made free throws and she'd have a 50/40/90 shooting season through the schedule's first quarter. She's shooting 45.1% from the perimeter (ninth) on an 11th-best 5.9 attempts per game. And on June 3, she earned the first Player of the Week honor of her nine-year career, plus Player of the Month for May. A second Player of the Week honor landed on June 17 after leading the Dream to a 3-0 record with wins over Indiana, Chicago and Washington. Advertisement 'She's one of my favorite players in this league,' Fever head coach Stephanie White said after Gray's balanced 23-point night in early June. The coach and TV analysts' reasons for this are lengthy: aggressive to the rim, strong 3-point shooting, reaching the free throw line, using her size, playing off her teammates. 'I just think that she's incredibly talented, she's gotten better every year [and] she continues to just allow the game to come to her,' White said. 'She's just a tough matchup.' Gray's 32 points against Washington were a career-best and the first 30-point game of her career. The next game, she moved into fourth on the franchise's all-time 3-pointers list by overtaking co-owner Renee Montgomery. Advertisement The background of her success is simple. 'In my three years here, I feel I've had the ultimate green light,' Gray said. When given it, she goes. It is all the more true in Smesko-ball, the term coined for first-year head coach Karl Smesko's five-out, all shooters offense he brought from Florida Gulf Coast. Players, including Gray, have praised the free-flowing nature of the offense that allows them to play rather than think too much. The results are clear. Atlanta is fourth in the WNBA standings at 10-4, forcing its way into title talk while Gray quietly enters the league MVP conversation. She leads the league in win shares at 3.2 as of Tuesday morning, according to Her Hoop Stats Advertisement 'She likes being in a place where she has a lot of freedom and can just look for her opportunities to attack and create shots, rather than just necessarily have to run a play every time down,' Smesko said. 'She's been one of the best players in the league so far this year. She's just been outstanding.' Six years into a Wings tenure bookended by Rookie of the Year and a Defensive Player of the Year vote, but lacking much else, Gray went in search of a fresh start. 'Being in one place so long, you begin to get comfortable,' Gray told Yahoo Sports. The chatter that she wanted a new home reached Dan Padover, entering his second season as Dream general manager. The Wings were willing to work with Gray on a trade since she had one year left on her extension, and they wanted two first-round picks in return. Advertisement 'At the time it was a pretty big risk in the sense that we were rebuilding and we wanted to be patient, but we also wanted to take advantage of opportunities as they arose,' Dream general manager Dan Padover told Yahoo Sports Padover joined the Dream front office in October 2021, months after the franchise changed ownership from former Senator Kelly Loeffler. Atlanta lost more than two-thirds of its games in each of the preceding three seasons, the worst stretch in the franchise's history. It was the only time the Dream had not won double-digit games since its inaugural 4-20 season in 2008. 'No doubt when we came in, we were flatlined at the bottom and had to figure out a way to inject some life into this franchise,' Padover said. Advertisement The first came ahead of the 2022 draft when they traded for the Mystics' No. 1 overall pick and selected guard Rhyne Howard. Padover was looking for someone to pair with her in the short and long term. He had heard good things about Gray from former South Carolina teammate A'ja Wilson while in Las Vegas, where he won back-to-back Executive of the Year awards with the Aces. That the guard grew up two hours southeast in Sandersville, Georgia, didn't hurt, either. The most crucial piece was not her past, but rather where the Dream saw her going as she reached the peak of her career. 'The biggest thing from us was, just from a value perspective, all the data told us and all our models told us that she was an extremely undervalued player and could be a top-15, top-20 player in this league and wasn't being utilized like that,' Padover said. Gray averaged 13.5 points per game in Dallas with only two individual top-10 marks: a fourth-best 52 steals in 2017 (2.8 steal percentage ranked eighth) and an eight-best 44 the following year. The franchise cycled through four different coaches combining for a 81-111 record (.422) from 2017-22, earned a No. 1 pick that didn't pan out in a ho-hum 2021 WNBA Draft, lived their lives in the lottery mix, and endured messy exits with their veteran standouts. It was a franchise continuously building out instead of up. Advertisement The Dream sent the 2023 No. 3 pick, which Dallas used on Villanova all-time scorer Maddy Siegrist, and a 2025 first-round pick. Dallas dealt that 2025 first-rounder to Washington the night of the 2023 draft to acquire the rights to Stephanie Soares, a 6-foot-6 Iowa State prospect high on upside. After missing the 2023 season with an ACL injury, Soares played three games for Dallas in 2024 before the team waived her. The Mystics drafted point guard Georgia Amoore, who sustained an ACL injury in training camp, at No. 6 as part of their loaded 2025 rookie class playing quality early minutes. 'I think it was a great move for Lish (Allisha), and I think it was a phenomenal move for us,' Padover said. '[I'm] really, really happy we did it and really, really happy with how much Lish has just embraced Atlanta and come into her own here.' In Gray's consideration, the flourishing of her game in Atlanta demonstrates the grass can be greener on the other side. Advertisement 'Ever since I've been here I've been an All-Star, I've had fun, I've improved every year as a player,' Gray said. 'That just shows sometimes you've got to take that leap of faith to get what you want in life.' Gray stacked career-bests and individual accolades in her first two Atlanta seasons. Her 17.1 points per game scoring average in 2023 stood as her best until this year, and she's averaged more assists than any season in Dallas. She won the 2024 Athletes Unlimited individual title with a record-shattering performance in leaderboard points and scoring average, as well as leading the league in total points, free throws and 3-pointers. Advertisement In Phoenix a year ago at the most-watched All-Star Game in league history, she headlined the first night with wins in both the skills competition and the 3-point contest. The next night, she poured in 16 points off the bench as Team WNBA's second-highest scorer in an upset of the Olympic national team. But the Dream still barely made the playoffs, winning their final three games to sneak into the No. 8 seed for a second consecutive year. They finished 15-25, prompting the firing of third-year head coach Tanisha Wright. A month later — and days into the collegiate season — the Dream hired Smesko, the longtime Florida Gulf Coast head coach who dubbed all his players 'shooters.' 'Ultimately, we looked at the talent we had and the talent we wanted to get,' Padover said. 'And we wanted to put our players in the best possible position to succeed and I think Karl has had a long track record of getting the most out of players.' Advertisement Gray's first impression of her new head coach was purely her style: 'A cool person off the court and then on the court it was cool, too.' The two had dinner in Miami, where Gray averaged 19.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game for Unrivaled's Lunar Owls club. 'He loves the 3 ball and that's right down my alley,' Gray said. 'So, I loved it. He, yeah, he gave me the green light on day one.' For the first time in Atlanta's rebuild, Padover didn't have to work trades to draw talent. Free agents were interested in the Dream, and Gray's years in the ear of Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner paid off. 'BG, if you ever get tired of Phoenix, you can come to Atlanta,' Gray recalled telling her. 'We'd love to have you.' Brittney Griner (center) joined Allisha Gray (right) and Rhyne Howard in Atlanta this season. (Photo by) (Dustin Satloff via Getty Images) Brionna Jones, another top center on the free agency board out of Connecticut, also signed. The splashy free agency additions frequently seen around the league since 2021 finally hit the ATL. Advertisement 'I've always said, players want to play with other players,' Padover said. 'We can do whatever we want to do, but ultimately players look around at who's on the team and they want to go with players they want to play with.' The roster's versatility and presence of two of the game's best bigs on the floor at the same time creates increased opportunities for the guards. And their ability to work off the other developed quickly, Smesko said. A quarter of the way into the season, the team is beginning to understand itself better. At 85.5 points per game, the Dream are sandwiched between the 2024 Finals opponents believed to be on a collision course for a rematch. The reigning champion Liberty average 88.3 points, and the Minnesota Lynx average 84.8. Atlanta limits turnovers better than anyone. It also has yet to test itself against those two powerhouses, with the exception of a five-point loss to New York that dropped the Dream out of clinching the Commissioner's Cup berth. They'll face the Lynx, Liberty and Storm over the next week, with the surprising expansion Golden State Valkyries and a fourth match with the Fever to follow. Advertisement 'I think we have a group right now that can compete,' Padover said. 'What that means? Too soon to say. Our goal is to get better every month and hopefully by the end of this year, we can do our best in the postseason. But overall we feel like this is the most competitive group we have.' Much of that falls on the annual leveling up of Gray. Beginning with a third consecutive All-Star nod she is in position to receive, her goals are sharp. 'All-Star. All-WNBA,' Gray said. 'Hopefully competing for a championship.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gray is enjoying career-best numbers for Dream in smooth transition to Smesko's winning formula
FILE - Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko gestures in the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Indiana Fever in Indianapolis, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, file) FILE - Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives around Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) in the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Indianapolis, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, file) FILE - Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) attempts a shot in the second half of an WNBA basketball game against the Indiana Fever, May, 22, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard, file) FILE - Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) attempts a shot in the second half of an WNBA basketball game against the Indiana Fever, May, 22, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard, file) FILE - Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko gestures in the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Indiana Fever in Indianapolis, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, file) FILE - Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives around Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) in the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Indianapolis, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, file) FILE - Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) attempts a shot in the second half of an WNBA basketball game against the Indiana Fever, May, 22, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard, file) ATLANTA (AP) — Allisha Gray and the Atlanta Dream are thriving under first-year coach Karl Smesko, enjoying personal and team success in a lineup bolstered by the additions of established frontcourt stars Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones. Gray, already a two-time All-Star in her first two seasons in Atlanta, has enjoyed the best start of her eight-year career. The shooting guard has looked comfortable from the start in Smesko's offense which leads the WNBA in 3-pointers. Advertisement Gray's consistent production has led to wins for the Dream, who rank among the league's top four teams one year after finishing 15-25. Atlanta (10-5) had won nine of 11 before Tuesday night's 68-55 loss at Dallas. 'I mean, it's a testament to Karl,' Gray said last week. 'He's really dialed in on the details. It shows when you pay attention to small things, it really works. So he just brought a system in, and I feel like we're dialed in and locked in into the system. When we execute it right, we're successful.' Smesko, who won more than 600 games in 23 years at Florida Gulf Coast, was hired to replace Tanisha Wright in a bold move before the season. Atlanta hasn't had a winning season since 2018, but Smesko's winning formula in college is proving to be a good fit for an Atlanta roster that suddenly looks deep and balanced. Gray, Rhyne Howard, Jordin Canada and rookie Te-Hina Paopao have provided the backcourt foundation for the quick turnaround. Gray was selected as the Eastern Conference player of the month for May after averaging 21.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists in the month. She scored a career-high 32 points in a 89-56 win at Washington on June 15 and has reached double figures in every game. Advertisement Smesko says he's not surprised Gray has fit in so well with his offense. 'You know, I just thought that she would really thrive in this style,' Smesko said. 'I mean, she makes such good reads. She likes being in a place where she has a lot of freedom and can just look for her opportunities to attack and create shots, rather than just necessarily have to run a play every time down. She's been one of the best players in the league so far this year." When Gray is scoring in big numbers, the Dream usually win. Atlanta is 10-1 when Gray scores at least 15 points. She made only 3 of 16 shots for 13 points in a rare cold-shooting night in the loss at Dallas. Gray, the 2017 WNBA Rookie of the Year for Dallas, was acquired by Atlanta in a 2023 trade that sent two first-round draft picks, including a 2025 selection, to the Wings. Gray was an All-Star each of her first two seasons in Atlanta and last year became the first player to win the skills and 3-point competition at All-Star Weekend in Phoenix. Advertisement Gray is having her best season in Smesko's system. She ranks sixth in the league with her career-best average of 19.7 points. She also has career-best shooting rates overall (46.7 percent) and on 3-pointers (42.9%). The fans have noticed. Gray was Atlanta's leader in the first fan voting for next month's WNBA All-Star Game, ranking 14th overall. Smesko said before Tuesday night's game he believes more consistent defense could produce even better results for the Dream. 'We have good size that can protect the rim,' Smesko said. "So I thought we had the capability of being a good defensive team. Now I will say in my opinion our defense has been inconsistent. There are times when we look like we have maybe the best defense in the league. That's how good we're playing when we're all locked into it. And then there's other times where it looks to me like we're OK with trading baskets for a while. Advertisement 'I think if we're looking, you know, to take the next step as a team, our offense and our transition game can get better. But I think just being consistent on the defensive end would have the biggest impact.' ___ AP WNBA:
