ATLANTA – Jordin Canada and DeWanna Bonner have four championships between the both of them, so they know what the moment calls for in these types of games the Atlanta Dream are in. In the first half against the New York Liberty, Bonner was the lone player in double digits and was a big reason why they were only down three points going into halftime.
Coming out to start the second half, there was an obvious change in momentum that favored the Dream, and it resulted in a 92-82 win for the home team. Just like in Game 1 against the Washington Mystics, it was Bonner who set the tone after the first half, but this time, she did it in the locker room.
“DB got into us at halftime,” Jordin Canada said after the game. “We knew we didn't play our best in the first half. We gave up a lot of defensive assignments; we weren’t playing up to our schemes, and we just weren't being aggressive enough on the defensive end and the offensive end.”
The Dream increased their intensity on both sides of the ball in the third quarter, but it was their defense that led the way. More specifically, Jordin Canada found any way to make it uncomfortable for the Liberty, and she had three steals in the third, all of which ended in fast-break points for the Dream.
“I just feel like that's what we need from JC, and she's been doing that night in and night out,” Bonner said. “We just rode her wave. She just brings all the energy. She's the head of the snake on defense and offense.”
“I think it's just seeing where I can affect the ball, whether that's on the ball, to get a deflection for someone else to get a steal, or whether I'm on the back side, trying to find opportunities to strike, just reading the passing lane or how the game is being played and the position that I've been at at the time. It’s just reading the floor well. In the second half I did a better job of keeping my composure and not being too fancy,” Canada said.
In total, the Dream finished the game with 32 points off the Liberty's 21 turnovers. All season, the Dream have taken pride in their defense, and it's why they were able to take the series lead.
Article Continues Below“We talked about a second-half surge, and in the first 3 minutes of the 2nd half, it's going to be really important,” Canada said. “We came out ready to go. It started defensively with our energy; we were able to get stops and then get out and transition, which is what we do best. From there, we kind of were able to separate a little bit and finish it off.”
On a night when Rhyne Howard didn't have it going offensively, and Allisha Gray was ruled out in the first half because of a finger injury, the two veterans stepped up for the Dream and did what they've done for most of their careers.
“She guarded people who were MVPs in this league,” head coach Karl Smesko said about Bonner. “She moved positions in this game where she hasn't even been practicing really at that position and would be able to flow in it just because she has so much basketball experience. She has a sense of what she should do on a play, even if she never ran the play before. Then she just knows where the ball should move and what the next action should be.”
“When I go out there, I know I'm one of the best players on the floor, and that's how I act,” Canada said. “That's how I've been acting consistently throughout this whole season. My teammates have done a really good job. Coaches have done a really good job of just keeping that confidence in me and putting me in positions to do what I do best.”
The Dream are going to need that type of play from their veterans every game if they want to advance in the series, and it looks like they're ready to take on that responsibility if need be.