Dream didn’t quit, just didn’t have enough against Sun

“They really outplayed us for a lot of this game,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said after the loss. “ … I thought we were kind of playing like ourselves for a little stretch at the end of the third (quarter). That’s when I thought we were going to be able to come back, because we were playing with a little fire at that point. … We started off the fourth quarter, had a couple decent looks and didn’t make them. I thought we were … forcing some things. … They deserve to win.”

The Dream (5-3) entered Friday’s game riding a four-game win streak with a chance to notch their best start through eight games since the 2016 season. Instead, the team starts June with a loss — its first Commissioner’s Cup defeat — and room to improve in its ball movement with the return of Jordin Canada to the lineup and strengthening its defense, particularly in pick-and-roll scenarios.

“We had been moving the ball and having great pace (in previous games),” Smesko said. “ … I didn’t think that was as sharp today. … We weren’t getting the quality of shots that we’ve been getting the last four games. … Connecticut played great defense. They made it tough on us.”

Here are three things we learned from the Dream’s loss to the Sun:

Dream struggle to contain Charles, Mabrey

The Dream’s failure to stop Tina Charles and Marina Mabrey continued in the second half. Mabrey continued to find ways to use pick-and-roll situations to attack the rim. Even more, there were multiple instances in the second half where the smaller Canada was matched up with Mabrey deep in the paint, resulting in easy buckets for the Sun’s guard. In fact, 24 of the Sun’s 84 points came in pick-and-roll ball-handler possessions — the main source for their scoring in the game — according to Synergy Sports.

“We got caught in switches (with Canada and Mabrey), and then Marina was smart,” Smesko said. “She thought she had a size advantage in the post, so she went down there. At that point, we got to help our teammate out … come over and help and make it difficult to get the ball inside to Marina.”

Dream center Brittney Griner agreed: “(Have to be) better in pick-and-rolls, not letting the guard split us, being up (closer) a touch,” she said.

Mabrey finished with 34 points, two shy of her career high. Then, Charles dropped 19 points, using her fadeaway jumper and finishes around the rim to aid Connecticut’s advantage in paint points (44-32).

Stalled ball movement limits Gray’s impact

Allisha Gray entered Friday’s clash as the WNBA’s player of the week and the Eastern Conference’s player of the month, averaging 21.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 49.5% from the field and 43.5% on 3-pointers in May. The two-time All-Star has registered 25 or more points in four of the Dream’s seven games — that included a career-high in the team’s most recent victory against the Storm.

However, Gray was held to 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, along with three of the Dream’s 12 turnovers in the loss. While Sun rookie guard Saniya Rivers held the assignment of limiting Gray’s production in the contest, Smesko said the Dream’s lack of consistent ball movement and spacing prevented the 30-year-old from continuing her early season success.

“They (The Sun) were trying to keep the ball out of her hands,” Smesko said. “She isn’t playing point guard for us, so we need to keep the ball moving and then get into action. That’s kind of why she has been so good at the beginning of the season. We’ve been moving the ball, everybody’s been touching it, and then we create opportunities. … If the ball doesn’t move as well, she’s not going to get as many opportunities.”

Gray had a career average of 13.8 points per game before Friday.

Hillmon provides spark off the bench

Prior to Friday’s loss, the Dream were 3-0 — with all three wins coming on the road — when their bench outscored an opposing team’s reserves. A big part of the production off the bench comes from Naz Hillmon, who generated another strong performance. She finished with a season-high 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor, to go along with three rebounds and two assists.

Naz does it for us every night,” Griner said. “Honestly, I feel like she comes in with energy. She’s going to make it tough for the post to catch the ball. She’s going to do all the little things we need her to do. What y’all don’t get to see is her talking to us on the bench in timeouts, always saying the right thing, being positive and making sure we see the reads that we need to see.”

As players like Canada continue to reintegrate to game speed while others grow in understanding the team’s concepts for success, Smesko believes multiple players — beyond Hillmon — will play a significant part in reserve production.

“It’s a long season,” Smesko said. “Everybody’s going to get their opportunity at some extended minutes, and they just need to be ready when called upon.”