Seattle Storm fall to Atlanta Dream in 1st round of WNBA playoffs

ATLANTA (AP) — Angel McCoughtry scored 37 points and the Atlanta Dream beat the Seattle Storm 94-85 on Wednesday night in a single-elimination WNBA playoff game.


McCoughtry scored seven straight points — on a 3-pointer, bank shot and pull-up jumper — to cap Atlanta's 19-5 run to start the fourth for an 85-71 lead. She collided with Breanna Stewart on Seattle's next possession and stayed on the ground before being helped to the bench by the Atlanta staff. She later returned.

Bria Holmes added 21 points for Atlanta, which will face the Chicago Sky on Sunday. Atlanta was without its second leading scorer Tiffany Hayes, who was serving a one-game suspension after picking up her seventh technical foul. The Dream's second leading rebounder, Sancho Lyttle, did not play due to a foot injury.

McCoughtry, who picked up her fourth foul early in the third, made two free throws with 1:11 left in the quarter to give Atlanta a 66-64 lead — its first since 21-20.

Jewell Loyd scored 24 points and Stewart added 19 points in their first career playoff games for Seattle. Stewart had 15 points in the first half and Loyd scored 12 as Seattle held a 45-37 halftime lead.

Prior to the game, Atlanta forward Elizabeth Williams was named the WNBA's Most Improved Player.

The game was played at Georgia Tech, where the Dream will play for the next two seasons.