When DeWanna Bonner took the court on Sunday in Game 1 of the Atlanta Dream vs. Washington Mystics game, it was her 99th playoff appearance. The WNBA veteran alone had played 93 more playoff games than the entire Mystics squad. The playoff experience matters, and Bonner used that opportunity to prove that.
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The 39-year-old veteran abruptly left the Phoenix Mercury in the midst of the 2026 season and joined the Atlanta Dream to have a legitimate shot at winning the title. But Game 1 might have just proved that the Dream needed Bonner as much as the veteran star needed them for a legitimate shot at winning the title.
“She is just this perfect mix of, like, ‘I’m taller than you, so you can’t put a smaller defender on me because I’m going to seal you and then just score over the top. But also, if you put a slower defender on me, I can drive to the bucket,’”
“And like you saw, a couple of those opportunities. So, I just thought that she filled in all of the gaps where Washington had pretty much everything covered, but there was one thing that they were leaving, and then [Bonner] just filled that in,” The Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant said on the No Offseason podcast.
When Bonner joined the team, she was expected to address at least two concerning areas of the Dream. Despite having one of the best records in the league, the Dream were vulnerable in 3-point shooting and bench scoring, areas that would eventually factor big in the postseason.
During the regular season, Atlanta was 11th in the league in 3-point shooting (32.5%). The Dream also ranked 14th in the league in bench scoring with just 17.9 points per game. With Bonner’s arrival, the Dream addressed both concerns.
The WNBA veteran is an excellent shooter from the deep. This not only elevates their 3-point shooting but also creates space for Atlanta. Her presence alone can bring out defenders around the perimeter. Moreover, Bonner adds an All-WNBA-level scoring option in the Dream’s bench, which was on full display against the Mystics.
In the 92-77 win over the Mystics, Bonner had 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block off the bench while shooting 50% from the floor in 22 minutes.
“We let DB kind of get hot, and we know she’s great in the playoffs,” Washington’s Kiki Iriafen said. “It gave them a lot of momentum and really helped them win this game.”
The Mystics outscored the Dream by 26-21 in the opening quarter. They continued the lead going into halftime after both teams scored 15 points in the second quarter. However, Atlanta was finally able to flip the game in the third quarter and outscored them 29-12, and at the center of the massive lead was DeWanna Bonner.
Bonner attacked the Dream’s defense from everywhere. She scored 11 of her 13 points in the third quarter alone, giving the Dream a comfortable 12-point lead before entering the fourth quarter.
“One thing you can’t do in the playoffs is be uptight,” Bonner said after the game, per ESPN. “You’ve still got to play fun basketball. You’ve still got to laugh and enjoy this moment. I think the second half settled us down, and we had fun.”
The two-time WNBA champion brings more than what shows on the stat sheet. Even if Bonner hadn’t scored big, she was experienced enough to understand when her team needed to push the button. In the first two quarters, the Mystics already proved that they had the caliber to beat Atlanta. Ultimately, it was Bonner’s playoff experience that became the difference between the two teams.
The Atlanta Dream will have a bigger challenge in the next game. The Washington Mystics will have the home-court advantage in Game 2 when they face each other in Washington on Wednesday. The Dream will be more inclined to close the series and not face the Mystics in series-deciding Game 3. For Washington, stopping Bonner will move up the to-do list for the game.