Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard tied the WNBA single-game record with nine 3-pointers Friday, becoming the first player in league history to do that more than once.
Howard finished with 37 points, and the host Dream beat the Los Angeles Sparks 104-85, guaranteeing Atlanta home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Howard was 13-of-26, including 9-of-17 from behind the arc. She also made nine 3-pointers June 13 in an 88-70 victory over the Chicago Sky. Both games were in Atlanta.
There have been six games, including the playoffs and Commissioner's Cup finals, in which a WNBA player has made nine 3-pointers.
"I think it forces people to put me in that conversation with the best shooters," said Howard, who is in her fourth season at age 25. "Because you can't leave that off. Nobody's ever done it until I got here."
Howard, the No. 1 pick and Rookie of the Year out of Kentucky in 2022, also credited first-year Dream coach Karl Smesko. His offensive system, which was successful for many years at Florida Gulf Coast, has translated well in his first season in the WNBA.
The Dream had 19 3-pointers Friday, tying the New York Liberty for the regular-season record. The Las Vegas Aces hit 23 3-pointers in a playoff game in 2022.
"As far as the system, I knew it was going to be great for me," Howard said of playing for Smesko. "Everybody was like, 'He likes 3's and layups.' Everybody knows I like 3's. I'm going to get them up, but the fact that I can still continue to hit them consistently, that's the most important part."
Howard has 97 3-pointers despite missing 11 games because of injury this season. She sat out 10 consecutive regular-season games and the WNBA All-Star Game because of a knee injury. She returned Aug. 10.
"It was just a remarkable game by Rhy," Smesko said. "You get a sense she's feeling real comfortable about her release, and she's being aggressive, looking for good shots. When she really gets in a rhythm, she can go on some pretty amazing streaks like she did today."
Dream All-Star guard Allisha Gray, who has 93 3-pointers this season, has missed the past two games because of a knee injury. But that hasn't slowed Atlanta, which has won six of its past seven.
The Dream (28-14) are vying for the No. 2 seed behind Minnesota, which has clinched the top seed. Las Vegas and Phoenix are both 27-14.
The Dream will have their first postseason game at home since Sept. 4, 2018, when they lost Game 5 of the semifinals to Washington. Atlanta did not make the playoffs from 2019 to 2022, then lost 2-0 in a first-round series at Dallas in 2023 and at New York last year. This season, the WNBA is moving to a 1-1-1 format for the first round, so every playoff team will have at least one home game.