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Sep 10, 2009 - 7:34 PM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Connecticut (15-17) at Atlanta (17-15), 7:00 p.m. EDT

The Atlanta Dream look to complete a stunning turnaround from their 2008 expansion season when they try to clinch a playoff spot in a home matchup with the Connecticut Sun on Friday night.

Atlanta (17-15) finished with a league-record 30 losses last year, but the Dream are not only one victory away from securing a postseason berth, they are pushing for the Eastern Conference's second seed.

Atlanta could have clinched a trip to the playoffs with a win at Phoenix on Saturday, but suffered a 100-82 loss.

The Dream kept it close early, trailing by two with five minutes remaining in the third quarter, but the road-weary club couldn't keep pace and was outscored 48-32 the rest of the way.

Coach Marynell Meadors thought wrapping up a five-game trip with games on consecutive nights took its toll on her team down the stretch.

"We fought hard and I thought our energy was good," Meadors said. "But you just can't play these back-to-back games and have to travel the same day. It's just totally impossible."

Atlanta, which went 2-3 on the trip, should be well rested Friday after having nearly a week off.

Playing at home should also help the Dream, winners of eight of 10 in Atlanta. They defeated the Sun 72-67 at home July 7, and are 2-1 against them this season.

Erika de Souza, who scored a team-high 23 points against the Mercury, finished with 12 points and a season high-tying 17 rebounds against Connecticut two months ago.

Atlanta forward Chamique Holdsclaw led the Dream with 19 points in the July victory over the Sun, but she sat out the last six games while recovering from arthroscopic surgery on her right knee.

Connecticut is also without one of its top players in Asjha Jones, averaging a team-high 16.7 points. She has missed nine straight games due to an Achilles' tendon injury.

The Sun have struggled without Jones, but managed to beat New York 88-85 in overtime last Friday to snap a five-game losing streak.

Connecticut trailed by nine with 4:49 left in regulation but held the Liberty scoreless the rest of the quarter.

"We had to dig down deep and play defense," said Amber Holt, who scored 11 of her season-high 18 points in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Despite their slide, the Sun are still in the mix for the final playoff spot in the East with two games remaining.

"You can't say we haven't given effort," said Lindsay Whalen, who had 16 points, seven assists and five rebounds. "This team has been pretty good at staying with it."