WNBA Recaps: : Dream and Mercury Pull Off Thrilling Comebacks in Wednesday WNBA Action

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Wednesday night’s WNBA action was a preview of what we will see as the playoff push intensifies and teams fight for positioning. Two comebacks last night showed that no lead is safe, especially at this time of year.

Here is the breakdown of last night’s action.

Atlanta Dream 82, Dallas Wings 81

If you turned off the TV at the end of the third quarter in Arlington, you missed one of the wilder fourth-quarter turnarounds of the season.

The Dallas Wings seemed completely in control at College Park Center, riding an energetic home crowd and building a 15-point lead behind Arike Ogunbowale (24 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) and Azzi Fudd (20 points on efficient 9-of-13 shooting). Jessica Shepard even made franchise history, posting her eighth consecutive double-double (16 points, 14 rebounds).

Entering the fourth down 64–52, the Atlanta Dream completely flipped the switch, exploding for 30 fourth-quarter points. The game came down to a chaotic final 20 seconds:

Trailing 81–77, Allisha Gray was fouled on a three-point attempt with 18.7 seconds left.
Gray calmly stepped up and sank all three free throws to pull Atlanta within one.
Seconds later, Gray drove the lane and scored the go-ahead, game-winning layup with 15 seconds on the clock.

Dallas missed its final attempt at the buzzer, sealing an incredible 82–81 comeback for Atlanta. Gray finished with a game-high 25 points (9-for-9 from the line), and Angel Reece added 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Atlanta’s bench outscored Dallas’s second unit 21–1 to complete the season sweep over the Wings.

Phoenix Mercury 91, Golden State Valkyries 89

Over in Phoenix, the Mercury proved once again that they are a dangerous matchup post-All-Star break, battling back from a 13-point deficit to edge out the second-place Golden State Valkyries 91–89 for their third consecutive victory.

The star power for Phoenix came through when it mattered most:

Kahleah Copper poured in 27 points before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.
Alyssa Thomas flirted with a triple-double, putting up an electric 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists.
DeWanna Bonner added a double-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

After Copper fouled out with under two minutes left, Golden State’s Kayla Thornton drilled a clutch corner three to tie the game at 82–82 with 1:36 remaining. But Bonner immediately answered on the next possession, drawing a foul and sinking two clutch free throws to regain a lead Phoenix would not relinquish.

Despite 16 points from Cecilia Zandalasini and a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double from Kaila Charles, the expansion Valkyries dropped their second straight game, leaving Footprint Center with a narrow two-point loss.