Howard cans 6 3s, scores 43 points in Dream win

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Rhyne Howard hit six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 43 points — one shy of Atlanta’s single-game franchise record — on 14-of-20 shooting to help the Dream set their single-game scoring record and beat the Los Angeles Sparks 112-84 Sunday.

Allisha Gray scored 15 points and Nia Coffey 13 for the Dream. Atlanta (7-8), which has won back-to-back games following a three-game skid, set a season high for points in a game and topped the 100-point plateau for the second time this season.

Howard made 9 of 12 from the field and scored 25 points before halftime — a franchise record for points in the first half and the most points scored by a WNBA player in a half this season.

Nneka Ogwumike led Los Angeles (7-10) with 25 points. Dearica Hamby scored 18 with eight rebounds, Azura Stevens added 13 points and nine boards, and Zia Cooke scored 11 points.

Howard’s 40-point performance was the fifth in the WNBA season, a single-season record. The previous high was three (2006, ’08, ’15).