Jordin

Canada

Canada has put a lot of pressure on the rim and was incredibly efficient scoring the basketball. She couldn’t be stopped by the Fever’s perimeter defense as she scored often on Lexie Hull, Aeriel Powers and Kelsey Mitchell. Canada also made some incredibly difficult and shifty shots on her drives into the paint. But in addition to Canada’s scoring, she registered 10 assists and she distributed the ball to five different players in Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Brionna Jones, Brittney Griner and Naz Hillmon. Between her scoring and assists, Canada was responsible for 41 of the Dream’s total 85 points, which over 48%.

While her teammates had a rough night from beyond the arc, Paopao found her stroke in Tuesday’s Game 2 defeat. The rookie guard shot 3-of-5, with the other Dream players combining to make two of their 14 attempts. After scoring two points in six minutes on Sunday, Paopao’s playing time increased on Tuesday, but that was due to the score getting out of hand. Jordin Canada (four points, six assists and two steals) will continue to play the lion’s share of the minutes at point guard when the game is competitive. However, Paopao’s finish to Game 2 may get her an early look in Thursday’s Game 3, especially if the Dream needs a spark from deep.

Canada is replacing Te-Hina Paopao in the starting lineup for the Dream ahead of their Game 1 matchup with the Fever. Canada started 26 of 28 regular-season games for Atlanta this season, posting averages of 11.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game. The veteran will join Rhyne Howard to make a strong starting backcourt for the Dream. Atlanta and Indiana split the regular-season series with two wins apiece.

Without Allisha Gray playing for a second straight game, the scoring came from Howard who tied two season highs in points scored and three-pointers made on Friday night. She hit four of her nine total three-pointers in the first quarter alone. All but one of Howard’s nine threes were assisted with passes coming from bigs Naz Hillmon and Brionna Jones and guards Jordin Canada and Te-Hina Paopao. Howard also had six assists herself to five different players including Jones, Brittney Griner, Maya Caldwell, Hillmon and Paopao. She kicked the ball to Hillmon and Caldwell for threes while finding Paopao cutting and Jones and Griner in their sweet spots less than ten feet from the basket.

With Gray out for the second straight game and another one against the Sparks, rookie Te-Hina Paopao will play her natural position starting at the shooting guard spot alongside Jordin Canada back at point guard. Without the Dream’s MVP candidate in Gray available, the Dream will look for impactful minutes from Maya Caldwell, who in the Dream’s previous game on Wednesday night contributed 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting, along with eight rebounds and four assists in 27 minutes off the bench.

Despite not shooting well, Canada made an impact in several areas in her return to Atlanta’s starting lineup. The veteran guard collected half of her team’s eight steals, reached double figures in assists, and volumed her way to double-digits in points. As a result, Canada notched her first double-double of the season, which was helpful for the Dream’s offense as it played Wednesday’s game without its leading scorer, Allisha Gray (knee). Regardless of whether Gray is back in the lineup on Friday, Atlanta will likely rely on Canada to have another productive game.

A knee injury to Allisha Gray has forced her out of Wednesday’s matchup, and allowed Canada to re-enter the starting unit against the Sparks. The veteran point guard had come off the bench in Atlanta’s most recent game against the Sun in her first game back from a hamstring injury. Now, Canada will make her 24th start of the season and, without Gray, the Dream’s leading scorer, Atlanta could be in for a tough matchup against a Sparks squad fighting for a playoff spot.

Gray was added late to the Dream injury report, and her absence leaves a massive hole in the team’s starting lineup. Wednesday’s game will be the first she has missed this season. Jordin Canada recently returned from a hamstring injury, and she’ll help Atlanta account for Gray’s absence. Maya Caldwell could pick up additional rotation minutes after playing sparingly in Monday’s win over Connecticut.

Injured during an August 10 game against the Mercury, Canada returned to action Monday afternoon. However, she was used in a reserve role as rookie Te-Hina Paopao remained in the starting lineup. Canada was on the floor when the Dream needed her most, with the veteran guard’s speed helping spark a 17-0 fourth-quarter run that put the game out of reach. Canada’s minutes restriction ensured Paopao of solid playing time, but she struggled against the Sun. In 19 minutes, the rookie shot 1-of-6 from the field and finished with three points, two rebounds, two assists and one three-pointer. Atlanta hosts Los Angeles on Wednesday, which may be the time for Canada to return to the starting five.

Howard led three Dream players in double figures on Tuesday and continues to log heavy minutes after playing 16 in her first game back from a knee injury on August 10. She’s played at least 35 minutes in the four games since. While that’s a positive sign regarding Howard’s current health, her workload is worth tracking as the Dream look to finish the regular season with the highest playoff seed possible. Against Las Vegas, Te-Hina Paopao (7/1/5 with one three-pointer) logged 32 minutes off the bench, and the additional playing time may become the norm with Jordin Canada (hamstring) sidelined.