Dream Rally From 11 Down to Beat Mystics in Game 1
Updated October 9, 2026: The Game 2 schedule is labeled as the outlook at publication.
Dream 92, Mystics 77. A 29-12 third quarter and 16 steals flip the game.
Atlanta turned a five-point halftime deficit into a 92-77 win over Washington by outscoring the Mystics 29-12 in the third quarter. Rhyne Howard finished with 26 points and five steals as the Dream took a 1-0 first-round lead.
Angel Reese added 13 points and 12 rebounds in her first career playoff game. Allisha Gray scored 22, and Jordin Canada ran the show with 10 points and 10 assists.
The turning point
Washington led 26-21 after the first quarter. Howard hit a three 22 seconds in, but the Mystics answered with an 8-0 run and built a lead as big as 11. Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin owned the boards, and Washington led 41-36 at halftime.
The third quarter changed everything. Atlanta opened the half on a 7-0 run, capped by a Gray three that gave the Dream their first lead since the opening minute. Then DeWanna Bonner took over, scoring 11 of her 13 points during an 18-5 run that made it 61-48 with 2:29 left in the quarter. Atlanta won the third quarter 29-12, and the Mystics trailed by at least seven the rest of the way.
The key was defense. Atlanta finished with 16 steals, a franchise playoff record according to the AP. Washington turned it over 22 times, and the Dream scored 27 points off those mistakes. Atlanta also lived at the free throw line, making 25 of 26. Howard went 10-for-10.
Top performers
- Rhyne Howard, Dream: 26 points, 5 steals, 7-18 FG, 10-10 FT.
- Allisha Gray, Dream: 22 points, 8-16 FG, 5-5 FT.
- Angel Reese, Dream: 13 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals in her playoff debut, though she shot 4-15.
- DeWanna Bonner, Dream: 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals.
- Jordin Canada, Dream: 10 points, 10 assists, 2 steals.
- Sonia Citron, Mystics: 25 points, 8-15 FG, 7-9 FT.
- Kiki Iriafen, Mystics: 15 points, 14 rebounds (9 offensive).
- Shakira Austin, Mystics: 12 points, 16 rebounds.
Washington outrebounded Atlanta 50-31, led by Shakira Austin's 16 and Kiki Iriafen's 14. The Dream countered with 27 points off turnovers and 25-of-26 free-throw shooting. The Mystics' extra rebounds were valuable, but those mistakes and the scoring gap at the line cost them.
What they said
"This is just round one," Dream coach Karl Smesko said, per the AP. Citron pointed to the third quarter: "We just let some of our discipline slip." Iriafen said the young Mystics now know what playoff basketball feels like: "We'll be better prepared for our game on Wednesday."
What's next
Outlook at publication. Atlanta leads the series 1-0. Game 2 is Wednesday, September 30 at 7 p.m. ET at CareFirst Arena in Washington on ESPN. A Dream win closes it out. A Mystics win sends the series back to Atlanta for Game 3.
Washington is in the playoffs for the first time since 2023 and is still chasing its first postseason win since the 2019 title run. If the Mystics can cut down the turnovers, all those offensive rebounds could make Game 2 a very different story.
Washington's rebounding gives it something to build on. Protecting the ball would give those extra possessions a better chance to become points.
Box score: ESPN.
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