Lynx top Dream 76-64 after another second-half surge

Once again, the Minnesota Lynx won a game by turning on the second-half jets.

In a 76-64 victory over host Atlanta on Tuesday night in College Park, Ga., the Lynx outscored the Dream 24-10 from late in the third quarter until Bridget Carleton hit a three-pointer with 3:27 left in the fourth, turning a tie score into a 14-point Lynx lead.

Four of five Lynx starters finished in double figure scorings. Kayla McBride scored 15, Napheesa Collier had 14 points and eight rebounds, Carleton scored 14, and Courtney Williams finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Allisha Gray led the Dream (12-24) with 17 points. Rhyne Howard, who entered the game having scored 30 or more in three consecutive games, was held to 14 points on 5-for-19 shooting.

The Lynx (27-9) won their fourth straight game and for the 11th time in 12 games, remaining their hold on second place in the WNBA standings.

The Lynx are within a victory of the franchise record for wins in a season — albeit in a longer schedule. But, with four games left to go, they remained in prime playoff position while finishing their three-game road trip 3-0.

The Lynx held the Dream to 8-for-35 shooting and 26 points in the second half. Atlanta shot 30% for the game, the Lynx 50%.

The Lynx made 50% of their shots in the first quarter, while keeping Atlanta to 5-for-17 shooting at the other end, and it ended with the Lynx up 20-14. While Collier had four points, she missed four of six shots; the rest of the Lynx starters were 7 for 12. Bridge Carleton and Alanna Smith each had six points for the Lynx, with Carleton hitting both of her three-pointers.

By halftime the Lynx were still shooting 50%. And they were holding the Dream to 37. But that six-point lead after the first quarter was down to three, 41-38, by halftime. The Dream had a 7-3 edge in second-chance points, a three-point edge on three-pointers and an 8-2 lead from the free-throw line.

The Dream were balanced, with six players between five and seven points. Carleton (11) and Williams (10) were in double figures for the Lynx, but the bench was 3 for 11 and Collier was 3 for 10.

When Howard hit a three-pointer with over 4 minutes left in the third quarter the game was tied, 50-50.

But, over the final 3 1/2 minutes of the third quarter the Lynx went on a 13-4 run to build a nine-point lead entering the fourth.

Myisha Hines-Allen had four points, two assists and a steal and McBride scored seven points in the run. McBride scored 12 points in the quarter.

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