ATLANTA — The Atlanta Dream is in it to win it as the team clinched the final spot in the 2024 WNBA Playoffs on Thursday.
The eight-seed Dream got the spot with a 78-67 win over the New York Liberty on Thursday, according to a release. The team will stay in New York to play the top-seeded Liberty in a best-of-three series, with the first two games in New York and, if required, game three in Atlanta.
This is the team's second-straight playoff appearance, as they last qualified for back-to-back postseasons in 2013 and 2014. Head Coach Tanisha Wright led the team to a first-round battle in last year's playoffs against the Dallas Wings. The Atlanta Dream has made three WNBA Finals appearances and seven Conference Finals appearances since 2010, a release wrote.
The team opened the second half of the season on a three-game winning streak led by two-time WNBA All-Star and Olympian Rhyne Howard, 2024 WNBA All-Star Allisha Gray and WNBA record-holder Tina Charles. This streak enabled them to become one of the league's most competitive teams after the Olympic break.
Tina Charles, in particular, has been making a name for herself as she powered the squad through this streak with her experience — breaking records and making history in nearly every game since the season resumed last month.
Not only has Charles claimed the league's rebound and double-double records, but the center recorded her and the franchise's first-ever triple-double three weeks ago. And two weeks prior to that, she claimed the No. 2 spot on the WNBA's All-Time Scoring List. She's also claimed both the franchise single-season records for rebounding and double-doubles, a release said.
The 2024 WNBA Playoffs are set to begin Sept. 22, with the top eight teams competing in a best-of-three series. Then, the winners of each first-round series will advance to a best-of-five semifinal round. Finally, the winners of each semifinal round series will then advance to the WNBA Finals with another best-of-five series.
For any Dream fans wanting to stay informed about the latest playoff information -- including single-game playoff tickets -- click here.
Congrats to the Dream for clinching that final spot! Atlanta will be cheering you on all the way.
