Wings tout 'championship mentality' entering series vs. Dream

The Dallas Wings will look to build on a fabulous finish to the regular season when they host the Atlanta Dream in the first game of a best-of-three, first-round playoff series on Friday in Arlington, Texas.

Game 2 also will be in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex on Tuesday, with a third game if necessary scheduled for Sept. 22 in College Park, Ga.

Dallas beat the Dream in each of the teams' three regular-season meetings, all by at least seven points.

The Wings, the fourth seed in the playoffs, ended the regular season with a 94-77 win at Atlanta on Sunday. Arike Ogunbowale led Dallas with 32 points, including a 10-for-10 performance from the free throw line.

Ogunbowale scored 30 or more points for the 16th time since she entered the league in 2019. No player has recorded more 30-plus-point games in that time span than Ogunbowale.

On Saturday, Ogunbowale and teammate Satou Sabally were named to the Associated Press' All-WNBA second team, while Sabally garnered Most Improved Player honors.

Dallas' 22 wins are the most since it moved to the region from Tulsa in 2016.

"I'm just so excited and proud of this team and these players that have bought in and, you know, they're bringing that championship mentality every day," Dallas coach Latricia Trammell said Monday.

The Dream (19-21) head to the postseason for the first time since 2018 and earned the fifth seed thanks to Indiana's win over Minnesota on the final night of the regular season.

Atlanta is led by its trio of All-Stars: Rhyne Howard (17.5 points per game), former Dallas star Allisha Gray (17.1) and Cheyenne Parker (15.0). Howard led the Dream with 18.0 points per game in the three contests this year against Dallas.

"We don't have the size that Dallas has," Atlanta coach Tanisha Wright said. "But we have speed. So if we use our athleticism and we use our speed on the offensive end hopefully, that can wear on them."

Atlanta guard Haley Jones was named to the AP's WNBA All-Rookie First Team.