The Atlanta Dream are off to a strong start in the 2025 WNBA season. While they dropped a tough overtime game to the Minnesota Lynx on Friday in Atlanta, they bounced back with a big, confidence-boosting win on Sunday against the defending champion New York Liberty.
Atlanta’s win pushed its record to 11-6, just a half-game behind the Liberty, which is now 11-5 and still near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
Despite the important victory, the Dream received concerning news during the game. Forward Rhyne Howard, one of their top scorers and emotional leaders, exited after 24 minutes with an apparent injury and did not return.
Meghan L. Hall of USA Today’s "For The Win" reported the development:
“Rhyne Howard is OUT for the rest of the matchup against the Liberty. It’s an upper body injury.”
After several minutes, Hall came back and provided an update:
“Howard’s got a sling on her left shoulder.”
Howard struggled before the injury, scoring just five points with two rebounds and two assists. She played 44 minutes and scored 15 points in the overtime loss to Minnesota just days prior.
The Dream guard was the top pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft, played her college ball at Kentucky. Entering Sunday’s game, she was averaging 17.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game this season.
Naz Hillmon stepped up in Howard’s absence, logging 25 minutes off the bench and scoring 10 points. Brionna Jones led the Dream with 21 points.
Atlanta returns to action Thursday night at home against the Seattle Storm.
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