Rhyne Howard

As she analyzed the miscues that led to the series-opening loss to the New York Liberty, the Atlanta Dream’s head coach — on nine different occasions over a seven-minute postgame interview — settled in on one word: “physicality.” Under Game Two’s win-or-go-home microscope, Rhyne Howard’s blend of rare athletic gifts had no problem rising to the challenge of fulfilling that much-iterated request. A defensive menace whenever rotating or hustling towards the rim throughout the series, the two-time All-Star sprints the floor, perhaps unknowing of the signature defensive play soon to arrive. Aggressively entering Breanna Stewart’s space on a potential breakaway layup, Howard ascends through the air with arms skyward, denying the two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player with an awe-inspiring swat. The play proved beneficial in helping the Dream keep grip on a three-point lead, momentum Atlanta used to offer New York a back-and-forth affair, even in September 24, 2024’s loss. Howard, bordering on a defensive dynamo with both five steals and five blocks over the two-game sequence, curtained the season with 19 points (on 8-of-15 shooting), five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two rejections.