The Atlanta Dream are more than ready to prove they could tangle with the WNBA chart toppers. They were riding high after back-to-back wins over the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx. But a 77-75 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on July 29, 2025, brought them crashing back to earth.
Despite the close score, the game exposed Atlanta’s major concerns that could hinge their playoff dream if left untreated. While the other half of the table is already outfaced with the season leaders, the Dream need an instant fix as well as long-term sustainability.
Atlanta Dream Could Ruin Playoff Chances With Inconsistent Trend
Coming into the season, the Dream started off their season route with contender teams. However, over time, they continuously kept on losing the momentum after winning streaks. Not once but on multiple occasions. And that, by far, might cost them the season.
The Dream (15-11, fifth in the standings) let the Valkyries, missing their All-Star Kayla Thornton, build a 69-56 lead after a scorching 30-point third quarter. Atlanta fought back, but it wasn’t enough. However, Naz Hillmon didn’t sugarcoat it in the postgame presser and gave away their obvious miss outs.
“We can’t expect to win a game that we don’t…come to play [in] for three quarters. There were spurts, but, you know, if we talk about being a top team in this league, you can’t take three quarters off and expect to win in the fourth,” Hillmon said.
This isn’t a one-off. Atlanta’s season performance has been on two different ends of a rope. At one point, they had thrilling highs followed by head-scratching lows. They stunned the Indiana Fever 91-90 early in the season, only to lose the rematch. A 94-97 win over the Seattle Storm initiated a four-game streak, but then came an 84-76 loss to the league’s worst Connecticut Sun.
Scroll to continue reading
Trending WNBA News
After handing the New York Liberty a rare defeat in June, they stumbled against Seattle. Now, fresh off beating Phoenix and Minnesota without Rhyne Howard, they couldn’t handle Golden State’s hot shooting (47.6% from the field, 42.3% from three).
Valkyries Exposed Atlanta Dream’s Defensive Lapses
The Valkyries capitalized on Atlanta’s sluggish start, with Cecilia Zandalasini dropping 18 points, including the game-winner, and grabbing eight rebounds. Meanwhile, the Dream shot a dismal 37.5% from the field and 33.3% from three, with Allisha Gray managing just 2-of-11 shots.
Only Jordin Canada and Hillmon kept the offense afloat, but Atlanta’s size advantage with Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones didn’t translate to paint dominance.
With a 15-11 record, the Dream are playoff-bound but can’t afford these letdowns. To make a deep postseason run, they must find consistency, starting with bringing full effort from tip-off. If they can’t shake this pattern of following big wins with flat performances, their playoff dreams might slip away as fast as their lead did against the Valkyries.
Also Read: DeWanna Bonner Makes WNBA History In Phoenix Mercury’s Loss To Atlanta Dream