LOS ANGELES -- This one felt over before it started.
The Sparks scored the first basket before the Dream scored nine in a row and never looked back. The lead grew to double figures in the first and it was all dust for the Sparks after that.
The Dream blitzed the Sparks all game to the point they nearly broke the record for most points for a team in a WNBA game. The final score was 124-88.
Rhyne Howard beat the first quarter buzzer with a three to put the Dream up, 34-12. The Sparks were never able to cut it to single digits.
"I do want to give Atlanta credit," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. "Man, they were good tonight and their shooting, to maintain that three-point shooting throughout 40 minutes is impressive. And their bench, starters, everybody, you know, (Angel) Reese going two for two (from three), nine for nine from the field, like, they were really good. And so, sometimes, you just have to take it on the chin and turn the page.
"I like that, you know, we got to play our bench a lot, we got to play our young guys a lot," Roberts continued. "I thought they did a good job. Tony was good getting downhill. That's that pressure on the rim we were talking about. She's continuing to learn and absorb, super coachable. Cam (Brink) was super active tonight. Like, there's some positives but we've got to be better, you know, starting the games. But again, I don't know if anybody could have beaten Atlanta the way they played tonight."
The Dream were 16 for 26 (a ridiculous .615) from three while the Sparks were decent at 10 for 27 (.370). Atlanta was just overwhelming the whole game.
As for Reese, she didn't miss a field goal attempt and nearly got a triple-double.
"I don't know if it's a learning thing," Roberts said about learning anything from playing Reese. "I think it's a respect thing. There's always a lot of narrative about Angel, but man, she competes. And she plays so hard and I respect the hell out of that. And even when she wasn't in the game, she's the loudest on the bench. She's a competitor. And I just have a lot of respect for that."
Any learning experience going against Angel Reese? Q by Jordan from @latimessportspic.twitter.com/RPy3PDgKzU
— Rey-Rey (@TheNoLookPass) August 21, 2026It did give younger players Chance Gray and Tonie Morgan a chance, pun intended, to play more.
"Honestly, I look at it as a positive," Gray said, who scored eight points. "Being able to be utilized in different ways, I think that can be something that can help the team. So I'm ready to do whatever the team needs me to do in that moment whether it's be on the ball, just be a defender, be a spot-off shooter. I just try to play for my teammates and my coaches as hard as I can, and that's what I like to do."
How has Tonie Morgan taken all the information in the last week and a half or so?
What positives can be taken away from this game?
Both Qs from @FlyByKnitepic.twitter.com/I4y5lq11Aq
"Yeah, I think it is a lot of information at once," Morgan said, who also scored eight points in this game. "But I think I'm doing my best and my teammates are doing a great job and the coaches have been doing a great job at helping me execute to the best of my ability to help the team."
The Dream were led by Rhyne Howard were 26 points, five assists, and three steals. Angel Reese was two rebounds short of a trip-dub with 20-10-8 and did not miss any of her nine field goal attempts.
The Sparks were led by Cameron Brink with 14 points. Her 27 minutes in this game was the most minutes she's played in two years. Rae Burrell had 12 points and they were all in the second half.
It's official now but that the Sparks are eliminated from playoff contention. This is the sixth straight season they are not in the playoffs.
There are eight games left in the season for the Sparks. And they could not go any faster for the team and their fans.
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