The Atlanta Dream have come a long way since their inaugural 2007 season. Currently leading the Eastern Conference at 7-2, their 4-30 mark of three years ago seems a distant memory. “It’s a different team,” said Izi Castro Marques, one of two remaining players from three years ago. “We are now used to each other and we know each other and know how everybody plays, especially the five starters.” The Dream experienced most of its growing pains after that first year. There were no Terrible Twos for the ball club that went 18-16 in 2009 and contended in the playoffs, losing in the first round to the defending champion Detroit Shock. “(Last year) we had two important players out for the last game,” Castro Marques said. “So that cut us a little bit short. So we definitely want to make it all the way to the Finals this year. I think it was a great experience, especially for the younger players to get that feeling, and everybody wants to taste that again.” This season the Dream are picking up where they left off, already jockeying for a seat at the table of elite teams. “We raised the bar from last year,” head coach Marynell Meadors said. “We wanted to win more games than we did last year and go deeper into the playoffs. If you get us into the playoffs, and we’re injury-free, we’ve got a chance to win.” Atlanta quietly opened the 2010 season 6-0, turning in road wins against Phoenix and San Antonio to stay the last unbeaten team in the league. Their first loss came from the Seattle Storm, who entered the game with the second-best record. Although the Storm have the league’s best record at 8-1, the Dream lead the East by a full game (7-2). “So far so good,” Meadors said. “We played most of our games on the road, which is really difficult, but we’re coming together. We’ve got great chemistry.” The chemistry starts with second-year guard Angel McCoughtry. The MVP candidate was also named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for two consecutive weeks, and Player of the Month for May. Despite averaging 21.2 points, second-highest in the league, McCoughtry’s coach describes her as an “unselfish” player. “I’ve been that way since I started playing the game,” McCoughtry said. “It’s just instilled in me. I love the game, I enjoy playing, so when you enjoy playing, it shows.”
It Takes Three
Along with McCoughtry, Erika de Souza and Sancho Lyttle have made for a three-woman wrecking ball. Chicago Sky center Sylvia Fowles called them “the heads of the snake.” These three were crucial in last Saturday’s overtime win over the Mystics. McCoughtry notched 23 points while Lyttle and de Souza both posted double-figure points and rebounds, grabbing key offensive boards to keep the ball away from Washington down the stretch. “Mentally we got a little bit better,” Meadors said about the victory. “We were physically tired on Friday, we were still tired on Saturday but we dug deep and got a win.” As for the rest of the season, the Dream players recognize the importance of team camaraderie. McCoughtry, who serves as team captain, pointed specifically to excellent chemistry as both the reason for the Dream’s fast start and the tool that will carry them deep into the postseason. “We love each other and play for each other,” she said. “It’s hard to beat teams when they play together.”
By Lauren Harper
