The Olympic Break is over, and it’s time for the Atlanta Dream to make their long awaited return to the hardwood. The playoffs are out of the question, but the team says they still have plenty of motivation to finish strong, and despite the 3-24 record, they are sure that the teams they play will take them seriously.
“We aren’t looked at as an expansion team,” said point guard Ivory Latta. “When people look at the Atlanta Dream they say ‘that’s gonna be a tough game.’”
The first game back from the break is on Friday at home against the Connecticut Sun at 7:30 p.m. The Sun will be a tough opponent for Atlanta. They sit at 16-10 and atop the Eastern Conference. The Dream lost an epic battle in Connecticut on June 27, a 109-101 overtime loss that featured 45 points from Betty Lennox. The Sun also benefited from some excellent play just before the break, winning their final three games in late July.
Atlanta will hit the road immediately afterward and head to Indianapolis, where they will face the Indiana Fever at Conseco Fieldhouse on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Fever are hanging onto the final playoff spot in the East, sitting at 12-15 at press time.
Meanwhile, the Dream might be happy to play in Indy, they won there on July 16, 81-77. Neutralizing superstar Katie Douglas will be crucial to success. Douglas can play a multitude of positions and can hurt teams with her scoring or passing ability. Atlanta also could take advantage of tired legs, as key contributors Tamika Catchings and Tully Bevilaqua participated in the Olympics over the last month.
The Dream return home on Tuesday to face Seattle, one of the top teams in an extremely strong Western Conference. The game will take on extra importance for Lennox, who played in Seattle from 2004-07.
Friday’s matchup with Connecticut is “Breast Cancer Health Awareness Night.” The first 3,000 fans in the doors will receive a pink Dream T-shirt from DeKalb Medical Center and Verizon Wireless. The team is also offering discounted tickets for the game.
The Dream will host “Dream Green Night & Green Initiative” for the Seattle game. Tables from environmental groups Beltline and Earth Share will be on hand to raise awareness regarding the issues.
KEEPING TABS IN BEIJING
The Dream were watching their basketball counterparts, both men and women, as they won gold medals in the Olympic Games. Head coach Marynell Meadors was one of many players cheering for the women, especially since she knows most of the coaching staff. Latta had been watching, too.
“I’ve been pulling for them [the men’s team],” Latta said. “Chris Paul and I did a lot of camps together during college.”
Bagriansky can be reached at jbagriansky@scoreatl.com.
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