Karl Smesko secured his first win as head coach of the Atlanta Dream with a victory over the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night. More significantly, center Brittney Griner surpassed Tangela Smith to enter the Top 20 on the WNBA’s all-time rebounds list.
Brittney Griner: Top 20 WNBA All-Time Rebounder
Griner played a significant role in the Dream’s impressive 91-90 road victory against the Indiana Fever on Tuesday, scoring 21 points and grabbing eight rebounds while shooting 61.5 percent from the field.
Griner now has 2,338 career rebounds. Smith finished her career with 2,335. The W’s rebounding queen is Tina Charles of the Connecticut Sun, who currently has 4,029 career rebounds and counting. The only other WNBA player above 4,000 is Hall of Famer Sylvia Fowles (4,007).
Coach Smesko believes Griner still has more years of productivity ahead of her, considering her achievements during her time with the Phoenix Mercury before signing with Atlanta in the offseason.
“She’s somebody who is more about winning than personal accolades,” Smesko said. “And she stands by that she wants more than anything is one another championship. And she goes about her business every day to help everybody get better. So there’s definitely some pride in what she’s been able to accomplish in this game over her career, and she has a lot of years ahead of her.”
Over her 11 years with the Phoenix Mercury, Griner significantly impacted the franchise, known for her scoring ability and shot-blocking skills while teaming up with now retired guard Diana Taurasi. Now, she is heading to Atlanta, a team that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2018, to help transform the Dream’s culture.
How the Jones-Griner Experiment is Working Out for the Dream So Far
A standout moment during Tuesday’s game for the Dream was forward Brionna Jones’ double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds. She signed with Atlanta during the offseason after eight years with the Connecticut Sun. Jones is recognized for her versatility and strong skills as a well-rounded power forward.
Pairing Griner with Jones creates a formidable front court duo; and their additions are proving beneficial for the Dream thus far through two games.
“(Brionna Jones) is a force on both sides,” Griner said. “We’re both good, she is on our team, and we don’t have to defend her, but she has established herself very well down low. And she was getting her hands on balls and stuff, and just havoc on defense as well. She brings a lot to the table.”
Dream guard Rhyne Howard, who scored 20 points and had three steals in the victory, is thrilled to have Griner on her team, alongside fellow guards Allisha Gray and Jordin Canada.
Howard emphasized Griner’s experience, play style, and the valuable lessons learned during late-game situations. Both she and Griner are optimistic about continuing to develop the team chemistry between them throughout the season.
“Being aggressive,” Howard said. “Obviously, having her on the court with me, I get to take a deep breath, because she is a force on offense and defense. But she’s going through a lot down there, and trying to make her job easier, just as she’s trying to make my job easier. It’s just great to have her. We’re going to do a lot of great things this year. So, stay tuned, it’s going to get better from here.”
Griner Helps Dream Stay Calm Crucial Moments
Whenever the Dream made a run, the Fever responded with a run of their own, especially during a close fourth quarter. More importantly, Atlanta credited Griner’s leadership for helping them stay calm when it was needed at a crucial time.
“She was somebody on the bench when [the Fever] were making a little bit of a run — she was the one calming everybody down,” Smesko said.
In the final moments of the Fever vs. Dream game, Griner fouled out, allowing Howard to make two crucial free throws, securing Atlanta’s first victory of the season.
More importantly, forward Nia Coffey delivered a game-winning block on Natasha Howard‘s shot attempt, and the bench erupted in celebration once the game concluded in front of a sold-out crowd in Indianapolis.
“It was just a great game,” Smesko said. “It’s nice to see everybody contribute to a winning effort. Exciting finish could have gone either way. Last game we’re on the other side of it. This time, we were able to just hold on, and that’s basically what we did, hold on. Indiana made it very difficult down the stretch, so I’m just proud of all of our players and all the contributions they made. And I thought our players off the bench all made huge plays that really helped make the difference.”
The Atlanta Dream’s home opener at State Farm Arena, home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, is Thursday against the Indiana Fever.
