Paopao's Late Jumper Caps Dream Rally From 19 Down in 91-90 Opener Win Over Lynx

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Lynx led the season opener for almost 40 minutes. The Atlanta Dream led it for about 12 seconds, and that was enough. Te-Hina Paopao hit a pull-up jumper for Atlanta's first lead of the night, Allisha Gray and Angel Reese came up with blocks on the final two Minnesota shots, and the Dream completed a comeback from 19 points down to beat the Lynx 91-90 on Saturday at Target Center.

Gray scored 24 points, 16 of them after halftime, and Reese had 11 points and 14 rebounds in her Dream debut. Minnesota rookie Olivia Miles was brilliant in her own WNBA debut with 21 points and eight assists, but the Lynx scored just 38 points after the break and let a 15-point halftime lead get away.

A Fast Start for Minnesota

For a half, everything went the Lynx's way. Minnesota led 24-12 after the first quarter and 52-37 at halftime, and according to The IX, the Lynx shot 52.6 percent in the first half while building a lead that reached 19 points. Miles, the No. 2 pick in the 2026 draft, looked comfortable from the start. She finished with 21 points, eight assists, two steals and two blocks, and went 8-of-8 from the free throw line.

The IX noted that Miles became the fifth player in league history to post at least 20 points and five assists in her debut, joining Cynthia Cooper, Tonya Edwards, Candace Parker and Dawn Staley. "She did a lot of things well," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said, according to The IX, adding that Miles "was big time for us."

Kayla McBride added 20 points, Courtney Williams had 14 and Emma Cechova scored 12. Minnesota played without Napheesa Collier, who had surgery on both ankles during the offseason and is expected to resume on-court activity in early June, according to The Associated Press.

Atlanta Finds Its Footing

The second half looked like a different game. During one cold stretch the Lynx missed nine straight field goal attempts, and Atlanta used an 18-4 run to pull within 58-57 with 2:51 left in the period, according to the AP. Cechova answered with a layup and Miles followed with a 3-pointer to steady Minnesota for a moment, but the Dream kept coming.

Atlanta outscored Minnesota 26-19 in the third and 28-19 in the fourth. The Dream dominated the glass, outrebounding the Lynx 46-25 in the box score, and The IX reported that Minnesota committed 11 second-half turnovers that turned into 14 Atlanta points. Minnesota also went 15-of-22 at the line, while Atlanta made 22 of its 30 free throws.

Naz Hillmon and Rhyne Howard each scored 15 points for the Dream, and Jordin Canada added 12 points and six assists. Reese, acquired from Chicago on April 6 for 2027 and 2028 first-round picks, recorded the 50th double-double of her career in her 65th game, according to the AP.

Paopao, Then Two Blocks

After Canada got into the lane for a basket, Paopao delivered the shot of the night, a 16-foot pull-up jumper that put Atlanta in front 91-90 with about 12 seconds to go. It was the Dream's first lead of the game.

"I just trust 'Pao' and she looked like she had a little bit of space, so I just let the play go out and 'Pao' knocked it down, so that was huge," Dream coach Karl Smesko said, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Just a great way to finish the game."

Minnesota still had two chances. Gray blocked Miles at the rim with 6.6 seconds left, according to The IX, and after a jump ball, Miles got the ball to Emese Hof. Reese blocked Hof's shot at the buzzer.

Smesko said Reese "came up big in the biggest moments," pointing to a late layup, an offensive rebound and the final block, according to the AJC. Reese, for her part, gave the credit to the shooter. "I'm really happy for 'Pao'; she's our Energizer Bunny," she said.

What It Means

For Atlanta, it was a statement start to a new era with Reese in the frontcourt, and proof that a team that shot 24 percent from 3-point range can still win on effort, rebounding and nerve. The Dream shot 31-of-73 from the field to Minnesota's 35-of-70 and still found a way.

For Minnesota, the loss stings, but there was plenty to like in Miles. "It's a testament to my hard work and my mindset coming into the game," the rookie said, according to The IX. Williams had a shorter review of her new teammate: "I mean she's a little killer."

The Lynx head to Phoenix on Tuesday, while the Dream travel to Dallas the same night. Both teams will have a few days to think about the last 12 seconds in Minneapolis, for very different reasons.

Photo Credit: Elijah Scott/Undrafted