Rookie Dangerfield shines again as Lynx return, beat Atlanta

Rookie Crystal Dangerfield scored 23 points, Napheesa Collier had 19 points and 12 rebounds and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Atlanta Dream 88-79 on Friday night.

The game was the first of three in the WNBA bubble Friday after play was postponed the previous two days following the weekend shooting of Jacob Blake.

Dangerfield reached 20 points for the fourth time this season, the most by a Lynx rookie since Maya Moore had five in 2011.

Odyssey Sims added 17 points, seven rebounds and nine assists off the bench for Minnesota (10-4), which avoided consecutive losses for the first time this season.

Betnijah Laney led Atlanta (3-12) with 22 points and five assists. Courtney Williams scored 17 points, Elizabeth Williams had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Monique Billings added 10 points and eight boards. Atlanta was looking for back-to-back victories for the first time this season.

Laney had 15 points in the first half, including a bank shot to beat the first-quarter buzzer, while Dangerfield scored 16 in their second meeting over a six-day span.