(Photo credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images)

With a week remaining in the regular season, the Atlanta Dream are playing with as much confidence as any team in the WNBA.

Atlanta (27-14) has won three straight and 12 of 15 overall ahead of its second home matchup in three days with the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday at College Park, Ga.

Entering Thursday, the Dream led the Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury by a half-game for the No. 2 seed. Atlanta bolstered its odds of securing the spot on Wednesday, overcoming an early 10-point deficit to beat the Sparks 86-75. Brionna Jones totaled 16 points and 13 rebounds in the win.

For first-year head coach and WNBA Coach of the Year candidate Karl Smesko, the 2025 campaign has gone as well as he could've hoped. The Dream breezed past last year's win total of 15 and will enter the postseason as a legitimate title contender. For now, it's about finishing out the regular season on a strong note.

'It was a good win for us,' Smesko said on Wednesday. 'We had a really good second quarter, and we were better defensively. Obviously, it was a tough start, but we kept our composure; we knew there was a lot of time left. ... Los Angeles is competing really hard right now; they want that last playoff spot. It was really nice for us to be able to get the win.'

Allisha Gray's 18.6 points per game lead the surging Dream, while Rhyne Howard follows with 16.9.

Los Angeles (19-21) has alternated wins and losses across its last 12 games and is in desperate need of a victory. The Sparks will enter Friday trailing the Indiana Fever by 1 1/2 games for the eighth and final postseason spot with four games remaining.

Dearica Hamby went for 21 points and Kelsey Plum added 18 on Wednesday for the Sparks, who are in danger of missing their fifth consecutive postseason.

'When you're playing a team like Atlanta, especially on the road, you can't dig yourself a hole. You have to play pretty perfect,' Plum said. 'It's just one of those things where you watch the film, learn, make adjustments and then get the opportunity to play again Friday. It's rare to be able to play a team back-to-back. It's a great opportunity for us.'

Plum leads Los Angeles in scoring at 19.9, while Hamby chips in 18.3 points and eight rebounds per contest.

--Field Level Media