Collier scores 16 points, Carleton 14 as Lynx earns fifth straight 68-55 win over Atlanta; Howard injured

Napheesa Collier scored 16 points and the Minnesota Lynx used a balanced attack to defeat the Atlanta Dream 68-55 Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory.

Bridget Carleton scored 14 points and Dorka Juhasz had 10 off the bench for the Lynx (12-2), who posted a 19-6 advantage over their reserves. Juhasz also had 11 rebounds. Carleton was 4 of 5 from behind the arc, but her teammates were 3 of 17.

Atlanta’s top two scorers, Rhyne Howard (16.2) and Allysha Gray (15-8) combined for 13 points on 2-of-25 shooting, 0-of-14 from 3-point range. Howard left the game in the third quarter with a lower leg injury and did not return.

Minnesota struggled with its offense, going 7 of 22 from 3-point range and shooting 35.5 percent overall (27 of 76), but held the Dream to 29 percent (19 of 66).

Tina Charles led Atlanta (6-7) with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Nia Coffey had all 11 of her points in the first half and Haley Jones had 11.

Minnesota took a 45-30 lead into halftime, using an 11-0 run spanning the first two quarters to get some separation. The Dream came back in the game with an 11-4 run before Courtney Williams made three free throws for the Lynx in the final second.

Jones scored to bring Atlanta within 43-39 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, but reserve Cecilia Zandalasini hit a 3 to give the Lynx an 11-point lead and it was 56-47 heading into the fourth quarter.

Minnesota outscored Atlanta 12-8 over the final 10 minutes.

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