Atlanta, GA
NY Liberty vs. Atlanta Dream preview: Liberty look to make it three in a row
Put on a show for the home folks. It was hot as hell in New York City this weekend, and the New York Liberty heated up the Barclays Center just fine. They faced the Los Angeles Sparks on the back half of a two-game mini-series, and had Brooklyn jumping. The Libs used an overwhelming third quarter to put on a dazzling display to give the fans plenty to remember as they cruised to another win. The Liberty are now 14-3 on the WNBA season.
The opponent tonight has fallen on some hard times. The Atlanta Dream had a goal of being a top four team in the WNBA this season. However, it has not gone to plan. They hosted the Indiana Fever on Friday night at a sold out State Farm arena. They outshot the Fever 35-11 from the free throw line. However, it wasn’t nearly enough as ATL lost 91-79.
Where to follow the game
MY9 on TV. YES App, Liberty Live, League Pass, and Fox Local on streaming. Brunch and basketball so the party’s getting started after 3:00 p.m. ET.
Injuries
No Nyara Sabally. Courtney Vandersloot and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton were questionable yesterday, but didn’t suit up. We’ll see if they play today.
On Wednesday night, Rhyne Howard left the game against the Minnesota Lynx with a left ankle injury. On Friday, the team announced that she will be out indefinitely. Jordin Canada had missed the entire season with a hand injury. She is back and will be making her season and Atlanta Dream debut today.
The game
The Liberty won the first meeting.
With the Cup Final at UBS Arena in Long Island on Tuesday night, the Liberty are offering bus transportation for fans to travel to the game. The buses depart for UBS at 4 PM, and fans interested can sign up here.
Losing always up the pressure. When the losses pile up and the style of play leaves something to be desired, everyone is stuck trying to figure out how to get things back on track. During that process, you search for answers and hope you can find the right potion to reverse your ills. That’s where Dream coach Tanisha Wright is as she tries to figure out what’s gone wrong with her ballclub. After Friday’s loss, she got asked about the team’s outlook and said:
“I promise you if I had answers, I’d tell you. I don’t have the answers. I know it’s my job to figure out how to get this team to play together.”
Pressure can define you. Now that the Dream are under pressure, we’ll see how they respond.
The center matchup should be a fun. We’ve gotten to see more on Jonquel Jones’s all around talents this season, and this stat from Her Hoop Stats piqued my interest
Jonquel Jones 3PM in 2023: 32
Jonquel Jones 3PM in 2024 thus far: 32— Her Hoop Stats (@herhoopstats) June 22, 2024
When your center can stretch the floor, lock down the paint on both sides, and create open looks for shooters all over the court, you’ve got yourself something special brewing. TIna Charles will be tasked with battling Jones. Charles only played 19 minutes in the first matchup as Wright felt as if her bench bigs gave more energy and effort. Even at this stage in her career, Charles still commnads so much attention when she’s on the court. For the Liberty, they’ll see if they can draw her away from the rim and make her defend in space.
Without Howard, more has fallen on Allisha Gray’s shoulders. So far, it’s been tough sledding for the former All Star. Over the past two games, Gray is shooting just 5-of-33 from the field over the past two games as she’s struggled to find her shot. Gray is at the top of the scouting report, and she’ll have her hands full dealing with the rangy perimeter defenders on the Liberty. Kayla Thornton figures to get the first crack at her, and KT is coming off of one of the best games of her career. Thornton knocked down 6-of-7 from 3=point range, and what really stands out is the confidence she has in every shot. There’s no hesitation, and as soon as she sees an opening, she’s attacking immediately. It’s something the coaching staff sees in her and they encourage her to be as aggressive as she needs to be. When you have amazing players up and down the starting five, having a player like Thornton can amplify everyone’s strengths.
Player to watch: Jordin Canada
Returning from injury is tough. Returning from injury and making your debut with a new team is tougher. Returning from injury, making your debut with a new team, AND coming back when the team is in freefall is the toughest challenge imaginable. That’s where Canada finds herself as she suits up for the Dream for the first time. There’s no word on what her workload will be. Over at The Next, Hunter Cruse wrote about what Canada brings to the team and a potential pitfall awaiting her:
“Canada, whom Atlanta acquired from Los Angeles in a sign-and-trade in February, will have an immediate impact. The 5’6 guard is one of the quickest players in the WNBA and was the league’s highest-volume PnR operator (14 possessions per game) in 2023.”
Will Atlanta use more ball screens when Canada returns? That should be a priority. Beyond that, Atlanta’s two-big lineups could pose difficulties for Canada as a finisher if she’s consistently trying to score at the rim through crowds.”
For Atlanta, they have to get things back in order right now. Having Canada back is a first step in that direction.
Sabrina Ionescu will look to put another All Star performance. Sab had her customary excellent game yesterday as her 24/6/9 kept things moving in the backcourt. The great thing about Sabrina’s game is she’s very in control and doesn’t feel sped up. She’s able to handle traps, is a wonderful decision maker, and is a locomotive heading downhill. The Dream allow teams to shoot 24 3-pointers a game this season, third most in the league. That’s trouble for them and a big ole green light for Ionescu when she’s open from deep.
From the Vault
On Wednesday, Kendrick Lamar held forum at the Great Western Kia Forum and put on a show for the ages. Jay Rock hit the stage with him and went through some of their all time bangers. We’re going to pull up a track that they didn’t do, but is still a heater all the same
More reading: Peachtree Hoops, ATEEJL Dream, Swish Appeal, The Strickland, The Local W, New York Daily News, New York Post, The Athletic. Fansided, Just Women’s Sports, SI All Knicks, Winsidr, Her Hoop Stats, CBS Sports, and The Next
Atlanta, GA
18 essential Atlanta restaurants, from neighborhood gems to MICHELIN-starred destinations
Photograph by Andrew Thomas Lee
Atlanta’s dining scene has long been a force, but in recent years, its flavors have only grown more powerful. Chefs from around the world have brought global recipes here, while local talent continues to prove that Southern cooking is far more than just fried chicken (though you’ll find plenty of that, too). Eight Atlanta restaurants have MICHELIN stars, with many more recognized with distinctions and Bib Gourmand nods. Whether you’re craving soul food, steaks, or spiced curry, here are 18 spots worth seeking out.
Photograph by Kate Blohm
Photograph by Kate Blohm
Global Meets Southern
In Atlanta, international flavors mingle with Southern traditions, giving rise to inventive fusion cuisines. Sweet Auburn BBQ in Poncey-Highland is proof of this: Siblings Anita and Howard Hsu combine their Chinese heritage with their Atlanta roots in dishes like pimento cheese wontons and char siu–style smoked ribs. At Smyrna’s Heirloom Market, housemade kimchi and macaroni and cheese accompany meats like smoked brisket and Korean spicy pork. At Talat Market in Summerhill, “fusion” speaks less to the dishes than to the sense of place. The restaurant calls itself “Georgian Thai,” a nod to its use of regional produce in deeply rooted Thai dishes like crispy rice salad with seasonal greens sourced from Georgia farms (Woodland Gardens, Hickory Hill) and pork from nearby Riverview Farms.
Courtesy of Lees Bakery
Buford Highway Hits
Atlanta’s 36-mile stretch of road known as Buford Highway is home to the city’s most dynamic international dining. Along the street’s Brookhaven section, Vietnamese mainstay Lee’s Bakery is well-known for its bánh mì prepared with from-scratch rolls. At Yet Tuh, hidden in the back of a Doraville office park, Korean favorites like kimchi pancakes and bibimbap are served in a homey setting. Also on a Doraville section of Buford Highway, Filipino flavors delight at Kamayan ATL, where veggie lumpia and sizzling sisig deliver bold spices; cool off with the fruit-filled halo-halo.
Courtesy of Mary Mac’s Tea Room
Courtesy of Mary Mac’s Tea Room
A Taste of History
Peer into the past at Atlanta’s landmark restaurants. At Paschal’s in Castleberry Hill, Civil Rights leaders (including John Lewis and Andrew Young) gathered over fried chicken, while Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. organized the movement over soul-food dishes like macaroni and cheese and ham hocks at Vine City’s Busy Bee Cafe. Mary Mac’s Tea Room, open in Midtown since 1945, serves up classic Southern hospitality and sweet tea in six bustling dining rooms. Also in Midtown, the world’s largest drive-in restaurant, The Varsity, has boisterously asked customers “What’ll ya have?” since 1928 (a chili dog, of course).
Photograph by Andrew Thomas Lee
Photograph by Heidi Geldhauser
Photograph by Andrew Thomas Lee
Locally Inspired
Long growing seasons and a favorable climate yield a bounty of local produce that inspires area chefs to new levels of creativity. The Chastain in Buckhead grows herbs and vegetables in its on-site garden, visible from the farmhouse-style dining room, showcasing them in drinks, dishes, and a garden tasting menu. At West Midtown’s Miller Union, James Beard Award–winner Steven Satterfield has made the seasonal vegetable plate a must-order (The New York Times says it’s the dish that showcases the restaurant’s “full effect.”) In Reynoldstown, chef Reid Trapani partners with local growers to create Latin American–inspired vegan dishes at La Semilla, often featuring peak-season fruit desserts, like apple empanadas in fall or strawberry tres leches in spring.
Photograph by Andrew Thomas Lee
Photograph by Thomas Espinoza
Photograph by Thomas Espinoza
Upscale Fare
MICHELIN began awarding stars to Atlanta restaurants in 2023, signaling to the world the strength of the city’s dining scene. Recipients include Lazy Betty, where chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Philips craft a seasonally driven tasting menu in a cosmopolitan Midtown setting. Buckhead’s Atlas, also a MICHELIN star winner, surrounds diners with high art (Picasso, Chagall) while chef Freddy Money delivers equally artful dishes (don’t skip the lavish cheese cart or the water-garnish service). In West Midtown, Chef J. Trent Harris of MICHELIN-starred Mujō prepares world-class omakase meals featuring traditional Edomae-style nigiri with fish flown in from Japan. A hip-hop soundtrack keeps the mood upbeat in the dark intimacy of the blackbox setting.
Photograph by Matt Wong
Courtesy of Little Tart Bakeshop
Neighborhood Gems
Atlanta is a patchwork of pocket neighborhoods, each with its own personality reflected in its restaurants. In East Lake, Pure Quill Superette is located in a former tire shop, encapsulating the neighborhood’s historic yet gritty charm. Inside, the team prepares elevated comfort food like fried cod sandwiches, tofu rice bowls, and squash hoecakes served with housemade preserves. In Old Fourth Ward, Staplehouse reflects the neighborhood’s evolution, where creative types gather in a former boardinghouse that speaks to the area’s layered past. Dishes are simple—sourdough pizza, salads, and an Italian grinder among them—but prepared with precision. The Little Tart Bakeshop matches Grant Park’s blend of charm and community with its plant-filled decor and buttery, flaky croissants and galettes filled with seasonal fruit, plus a full coffee program that keeps the neighborhood humming.
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Catcher Jair Camargo collected his first big league hit in the top of the ninth tonight. He was added for the double-header today.
This was his first MLB appearance since 2024 with the Twins. He was hitless in seven plate appearances for Minnesota.
He struck out in his first at bat with Atlanta before doubling for his first base knock.
Congratulations.
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