• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Silver Stars-Dream Preview

Jun 12, 2010 - 7:12 PM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

San Antonio (3-5) at Atlanta (7-3), 3:00 p.m. EDT

The struggling Atlanta Dream realize the losses will continue to mount if they don't improve from the foul line.

With an increased emphasis on their free-throw shooting, the Dream try to avoid losing for the fourth time in five games Sunday when they host former Atlanta star Chamique Holdsclaw and the San Antonio Silver Stars.

After opening the season a franchise-best 6-0, Atlanta has lost three of four this month. The Dream are still doing a good job in the paint, but their free-throw shooting has become a major liability.

Atlanta is shooting a league-worst 64.7 percent from the line, and opponents are taking advantage. In Friday's 91-79 loss at New York, the Dream (7-3) held a 50-18 scoring edge in the paint but also missed 10 of 21 free throws.

"It cost us," Atlanta coach Marynell Meadors said. "People are fouling us because we go to the line and we miss, so we have to figure out a way to start making free throws. ... If you can close the gap by hitting your free throws, then it makes things a little bit easier."

Erika De Souza led the Dream with 21 points, but missed 5 of 8 foul shots. She's shooting 45.8 percent from the line this season.

"We just have to get in the gym and work on these things," said forward Angel McCoughtry, who missed both her free throws and finished with 12 points.

McCoughtry, who averaged 23.3 points in her previous seven games, scored 20 in Atlanta's season-opening 75-70 win in San Antonio on May 15. Iziane Castro Marques had a game-high 23 points.

Holdsclaw was a holdout for Atlanta, and released four days later. The six-time All-Star said she could no longer play for the Dream because of a falling out with Meadors, also the club's general manager.

Holdsclaw is second on San Antonio with 14.7 points per game. She averaged 13.9 points in 2009 to help the Dream go from four wins in their inaugural season to 18 and a playoff berth.

The Silver Stars (3-5) are coming off an 87-75 win over Tulsa that snapped a four-game losing streak.

San Antonio welcomed back coach Sandy Brondello, who missed two games after giving birth May 31 to a daughter, and Becky Hammon, who also missed the previous two because of a strained right quadriceps.

Hammon made an immediate impact, scoring 15 of her 17 points in the second half.

"The thing in general with this game is just having Becky back," said Holdsclaw, who had 19 points and 11 rebounds."She's a great player at creating for others. She's our Steve Nash."

However, San Antonio could be without leading rebounder Michelle Snow. The center, who is averaging 7.5 rebounds, suffered a facial contusion against the Shock and is day-to-day.