The Atlanta Dream are one win away.
One win away from eliminating the Washington Mystics.
One win away from advancing past the first round for the first time in years.
One win away from turning this 30-win season into something considerably bigger.
After Atlanta’s 92-77 Game 1 victory, most of the attention understandably went to Rhyne Howard.
Twenty-six points.
Five steals.
Allisha Gray added 22. Angel Reese recorded a double-double in her playoff debut. Jordin Canada handed out 11 assists. DeWanna Bonner completely changed the game in the third quarter.
All of that mattered.
But after going back through Game 1, there’s another player I can’t stop thinking about heading into Wednesday.
Madina Okot.
Seven minutes.
Four points.
Five rebounds.
One steal.
One block.
And a plus-12.
Atlanta has a very obvious problem it needs to solve before Game 2.
I think the 6-foot-6 rookie might be part of the answer. Swish Appeal
Let’s Talk About the One Ugly Number From Game 1
Atlanta won Game 1 by 15.
That’s great.
But this is playoff basketball.
You don’t look at the final score, celebrate for three days and assume Game 2 will look exactly the same.
You look for what almost got you beat.
For Atlanta?
It’s pretty obvious.
Washington outrebounded the Dream 50-31.
Nineteen rebounds.
That’s not a small difference.
That’s a complete demolition on the glass.
Washington’s 50 rebounds were a season high, and the 19-rebound advantage was the largest in Mystics playoff history. Washington Mystics
Even worse?
The Mystics grabbed 15 offensive rebounds to Atlanta’s five and won second-chance points 12-4. KB Sports Media
Atlanta survived it Sunday because its defense was ridiculous.
The Dream forced 22 Washington turnovers and turned them into 27 points while committing only seven turnovers themselves. FOX 5 Atlanta
That’s basically how Atlanta overcame getting destroyed on the glass.
But here’s the question:
Can you count on Washington turning the ball over 22 times again Wednesday?
I wouldn’t.
And that’s why the rebounding has to get fixed.
Shakira Austin and Kiki Iriafen Were a PROBLEM
Washington’s frontcourt showed us exactly why I was so interested in this matchup before the series began.
Shakira Austin:
12 points. 16 rebounds.
Kiki Iriafen:
15 points. 14 rebounds.
That’s 30 rebounds between two players.
Atlanta’s entire team had 31. Washington Mystics
Think about that.
Two Mystics players basically matched the entire Atlanta Dream roster on the glass.
Iriafen was especially damaging because she kept extending possessions. Washington’s size was one of the few areas where the Mystics consistently controlled Game 1.
And with Brionna Jones unavailable for the postseason, Atlanta doesn’t have its veteran center sitting there waiting to absorb those minutes.
So Karl Smesko has to find another solution.
That’s where Okot becomes interesting.
Madina Okot Gave Atlanta Exactly What It Needed
Okot didn’t play much Sunday.
She didn’t need to.
But look at what happened when she did.
Five rebounds in seven minutes.
For comparison, Atlanta as a team collected 31 rebounds in 200 total player-minutes.
Okot grabbed five in seven.
She also had a block.
A steal.
Four points on 2-of-3 shooting.
And Atlanta outscored Washington by 12 points during her seven minutes on the floor. SportPesa Blog
That’s not me saying Okot was Atlanta’s best player.
Obviously not.
It’s me saying she provided something Atlanta desperately needed.
Size.
Physicality.
Rebounding.
Rim protection.
And she didn’t look overwhelmed by her first WNBA playoff game.
That’s significant.
Maybe We’ve Been Talking About Okot as a Future Piece Too Much
I’ve already written about why Madina Okot has given Atlanta a glimpse into what its future frontcourt could look like.
But I keep coming back to the same thought.
What if the future is arriving a little earlier than expected?
Okot played only 9.2 minutes per game during the regular season, averaging 5.4 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 58% from the field. EdgeUp
She’s a rookie.
She’s still learning.
She’s going to make mistakes.
That’s fine.
Atlanta doesn’t need her to become a 30-minute starter Wednesday.
But if Washington is going to throw Austin and Iriafen at Reese all night?
Give Okot another look.
We Already Know Okot Can Play Against Washington
Here’s another reason I’m intrigued.
Go back to Atlanta’s 109-77 win over Washington on June 6.
Okot played 18 minutes.
She finished with:
11 points.
5 rebounds.
1 steal.
5-of-9 shooting.
Atlanta was plus-nine with her on the floor. Hoops Junkie
So Sunday wasn’t the first time she looked comfortable against this matchup.
She’s already had success against Washington.
And that June game was Atlanta’s most dominant performance against the Mystics all season.
Does that mean Okot suddenly needs 20 minutes Wednesday?
No.
But does it make me interested in seeing what happens if Smesko bumps her from seven minutes to 10 or 12?
Absolutely.
Angel Reese Could Use the Help
This is also about making life easier for Angel Reese.
Reese finished Game 1 with 13 points and 12 rebounds in her postseason debut. AP News
She also had to battle Austin and Iriafen all night.
Atlanta cannot ask Reese to solve every frontcourt problem herself.
Especially in a series where Washington’s biggest advantage is its size.
Give Reese stretches next to Okot.
Let Okot take some of the physical punishment.
Let her box out Austin.
Let Reese roam.
Let Atlanta put two legitimate rebounders on the floor together.
There are obvious spacing questions.
I’m not suggesting it becomes Atlanta’s primary lineup.
But in a game where Washington just outrebounded you by 19?
You have to at least consider it.
The Dream Actually Have Multiple Ways to Fix This
Okot isn’t the only answer.
Naz Hillmon can help.
DeWanna Bonner’s length can help.
Sika Koné gives Atlanta another physical frontcourt option.
The guards have to rebound better too.
This can’t simply become, Angel and Madina, go get everything.
Team rebounding matters.
Hit somebody.
Finish the defensive possession.
Atlanta played excellent defense Sunday and repeatedly gave Washington another opportunity because it couldn’t secure the rebound.
That’s frustrating.
Because Atlanta’s initial defense was good enough to win comfortably.
The Dream held Washington to 20% shooting in the third quarter, forced seven turnovers in the period and outscored the Mystics 29-12. The Washington Post
That’s dominant.
Now imagine combining that defense with actually finishing possessions.
That’s where Atlanta can bury Washington.
Washington Is Going to Make an Adjustment
This is the part people sometimes forget after a comfortable playoff win.
Washington gets a turn too.
The Mystics know exactly what happened Sunday.
Sonia Citron even acknowledged afterward that Atlanta’s physical defense sped Washington up. The Washington Post
So what do you think Washington has spent the last two days discussing?
Ball security.
Spacing.
Handling Atlanta’s pressure.
Getting the ball out of dangerous areas.
Washington’s turnover rate was already a problem during the regular season, and Atlanta exploited it perfectly in Game 1. The Washington Post
But if the Mystics cut 22 turnovers down to 14?
Atlanta loses eight extra possessions.
If Washington also grabs 50 rebounds again?
Now Game 2 gets uncomfortable.
That’s why Atlanta can’t simply show up Wednesday and try to recreate Sunday.
The Dream need their own adjustment.
Fix the glass.
DeWanna Bonner Already Showed Why Adjustments Matter
This is what I loved about Game 1.
Atlanta didn’t stubbornly continue doing something that wasn’t working.
The Dream trailed 41-36 at halftime after shooting only 28.6% in the first half. The Washington Post
Then Bonner changed the game.
She scored 11 of her 13 points in the third quarter, helping Atlanta completely flip the momentum. Swish Appeal
That’s playoff basketball.
Something isn’t working?
Find another answer.
Sunday, the answer was Bonner.
Wednesday, it might be Okot.
It might be Hillmon.
It might be Howard hitting six threes.
It might be Reese grabbing 18 rebounds.
The important thing is that Atlanta has options.
That’s what makes this roster so interesting.
Atlanta Is One Win Away — Don’t Give Washington Life
The Dream lead the best-of-three series 1-0.
Game 2 tips Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET in Washington on ESPN. ESPN
Win?
It’s over.
Atlanta advances to the semifinals.
Lose?
Everybody comes back to Atlanta Friday for a winner-take-all Game 3. WNBA
I have absolutely no interest in that.
Atlanta has Washington exactly where it wants it.
The Mystics are young.
They’re facing elimination.
All the pressure is now on them.
Don’t give them confidence.
Don’t give them 15 offensive rebounds.
Don’t allow Austin and Iriafen to control the game physically.
Don’t give Washington a reason to believe it can bring this series back to State Farm Arena.
Finish it.
Madina Okot Might Be More Important Than Her Box Score Suggests
Rhyne Howard is going to get the headlines.
She should.
Allisha Gray is going to score.
Reese is going to rebound.
Canada is going to create.
Bonner is going to provide veteran stability.
Those are Atlanta’s established pieces.
But playoff runs almost always require somebody unexpected to matter.
Maybe Atlanta already found that player.
Five rebounds.
Seven minutes.
Plus-12.
Four points.
A block.
A steal.
That’s a tiny sample.
But in the one area where Atlanta was completely dominated Sunday?
Madina Okot looked like part of the solution.
I’ve spent most of this season thinking about what Reese and Okot could eventually become together.
Wednesday night, I want to see a little more of it now.
Because Atlanta doesn’t need Okot to become a star overnight.
It just needs her to help make sure Washington doesn’t grab 50 rebounds again.
Do that.
Protect the basketball.
Bring the same defensive pressure.
And Atlanta should have enough to end this series Wednesday night.
The Dream are one win away.
Now go finish it.
