The starters were 26-for-47 from the field overall, 7-for-15 on three-pointers. Carleton and Napheesa Collier each scored 14 points. Collier also had eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals. Courtney Williams had 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Allisha Gray led the Dream with 17 points.

The Lynx made it hard on Atlanta all night, and it started paying dividends after Howard hit a three-pointer with four-plus minutes left in the third quarter to tie the score 50-50.

Hines-Allen had four points, two assists and a steal and McBride scored seven points in a 13-4 run to end the third quarter. Then Collier, fresh off being named Western Conference player of the month for August, scored four and both Carleton and Alanna Smith hit threes in an 11-6 start to the fourth that had the Lynx up 14 with less than four minutes remaining.

And the way the Lynx were playing defense, the game was all but over.

“We’ve been trying to get back to that,” Carleton said. “There have been moments [in recent games] where the defense hasn’t been good. But this was a 40-minute effort.’’