How could Dream's front court impact the playoffs?
The WNBA Showtime crew looks at how the Atlanta Dream can be 'consistent' heading into playoff season and what impact their front court has.
Video Transcript
I remember adding in Angel Reese, that's a, a big piece.
We talked about her just setting the, the single season double doubles record for the Dream, and just wondering how that was going to work out for them.
And now we're talking about a team, really they're tied for fifth place, but they lose the tie break with the Mystics, so they're sitting at sixth right now.
But I'm just curious how you see them translating as we get closer to the playoffs and they're continuing to find that chemistry.
Well, as, as much as they rely on Angel's rebounding, when you have a player like Rhyne Howard that is more than capable of also pulling down 10 boards- Sure you know, instead of just relying on Angel to do all the, the heavy load down there.
I would like to see more of a balanced rebounding with this team.
If they can nail that together- Uh-huh and they continue to move into the playoffs with a chip on their shoulder, be consistent cons- for 40 minutes at both ends of, of, of the floor, man, the Dream are gonna be a tough out.
Yeah.
But one thing I, I worry about the Dream a little bit, and you guys can speak to this 'cause we've talked about it in our meetings, is that they beat the teams they're supposed to beat.
They're 12 and 2 against teams, that are below 500.
Mm-hmm.
But 7 and 10 against teams that are 500 or better.
That just haven't been able to maybe pull out some of the games you would want them to pull out against teams that are already in the playoff picture.
Again, I, I, I think it, it falls back onto this team forgetting what was the driving force that got them there, and it starts at the defensive end with them.
And when they don't play that consistently, and I'm talking from one to seven players, when they don't do that consistently for 40 minutes, they struggle.
Especially against teams that are above 500, so.
Yeah, what I see in Atlanta heading into the playoffs, assuming they make it- Yeah looks like they are.
Yeah.
it's gonna be about match-ups.
And the thing I like about Atlanta, and the reason why I might not want to see them in the playoffs, is two things.
One, well, three things really.
One, the defense you speak of.
Mm-hmm.
The fact that they turn that to offense.
Two, they shoot the three really well, and they have great rebounding when they miss.
But the other thing is, is they have a front court that is very deep.
And I think this is a league right now when you have a front court, and this is gonna segue into when we talked about the, talk about the Mystics in a little bit.
Yeah.
When you have a front court in this league, you can go far.
It's not a lot of teams have depth in their front court.
Mm-hmm.
Good point.
Yeah.
And, and their head coach right now, Carl Smesko, in his second season, but it seems like he, he continues to find a way, and I'm curious what you think the, the identity that he's building right now in Atlanta with some of the new pieces that he has too.
I, I think he, he, he wants his team to trust in their offensive philosophy, which is sharing the ball.
Right.
And moving it from side to side, and getting the defense to, to shift.
Also, just not allowing, even though you may be open for the three, make that e- either that extra pass, or take somebody off the dribble.
But break it up and have more variety scoring, and be more balanced.
Mm-hmm.
That, that's what makes Atlanta just so interesting and scary at the same time.
Yeah.
I actually give Coach Smesko a lot of credit for being open-minded because when he came from Florida Gulf Coast University, he was very analytical.
I actually covered him- Mm-hmm in the NCAA tournament when he was in college.
It's threes and layups, that's it.
It, right?
That is it.
There is no mid-range allowed.
I'm not even joking.
So I give him a lot of credit.
He comes into a league, he obviously has a roster, he works with the GM, they build it.
But you have to be open-minded to some of the talent you have.
Mm-hmm.
And so you can, you can see, like, the remnants of what was.
They love to shoot threes.
He's got rebounding around it, like I said.
But he's open-minded to these other aspects that you're talking about, which gives them a little bit more versatility on the offensive end.
The Dream, have a game in Vegas- Mm-hmm which is, is my eyeball test.
Okay.
That's my eyeball test.
I wanna see what they do in Vegas, and if they can pull that off, and not just a squeaker, though a squeaker is a win.
But just go and- You want a blow out I, I, I, not that they have to win by 20, but decidingly.
Okay.
Decidingly.
But that's, that's my eye measure, game for me
