The Atlanta Dream are going through a mini-slump right now, losing their last five games and dropping to the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. The good news is that the schedule gets easier for their next five games before the All-Star break, and that should help them get back on track.
There have been several issues that have plagued the Dream throughout this losing streak, but the biggest one is not making the easy shots they're getting. With a team as talented as the Dream on that side of the ball, it won't be too long before the shots start going in, and they'll get back to dominating on offense.
The defense hasn't been much of a problem, as they rank in the top 5 of the league, but there are still some times when they could go through cold spells. When it comes down to them getting important stops during the game, Karl Smesko usually inserts Indya Nivar into the game. She's been one of the better wing defenders alongside Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray, which has taken pressure off them.
Unfortunately, the Dream waived Nivar and signed Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, who was with the team last season. The next day, the Dream signed Nivar back to a developmental contract.
The Dream did the right thing bringing back Indya Nivar
Nivar wasn't scoring a ton of points for the Dream, but when she got in the game, she was instantly impacting the game. She can guard the best player on the opposing team with no worries, while also being in the right spots on the other side of the ball.
Having a player on the team that's willing to do the small things that don't show up on the stat sheet is important, and already in her rookie season, Nivar is doing that.
When Howard and Gray are off the floor, it is imperative that she is on the floor to relieve them, and no matter how many minutes that entails, she's going to make the most of it. With her being on a developmental contract, she probably won't see minutes unless someone is injured at this point, but it's still good to have her around the team.
Nivar was a second-round pick for the Dream this season, and the hope is that she can continue to grow with the team that drafted her.
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