Sunday's three-game slate ran the full spectrum. Atlanta needed a 33-point fourth quarter to dig out of a 15-point hole and edge Phoenix by two. Dallas redeemed themselves after a rough stretch with a wire-to-wire performance in New York built on perimeter shooting and bench production. And Seattle flexed their free throw dominance to pull away from Washington comfortably. Here's how it all went down.

Phoenix Mercury 80, Atlanta Dream 82

This game had no business being as dramatic as it was. Phoenix jumped out 25-13 after the first quarter, led by as many as 15 in the first half, and looked entirely in control. Then Atlanta remembered who they were. The Dream outscored the Mercury 24-19 in the second quarter to trim the deficit, kept it manageable through a tight third (12-13), then detonated a 33-23 fourth quarter to steal the win. Final: 82-80, Atlanta, and the biggest lead of the game for the Dream was just four.

Rhyne Howard did what stars are supposed to do when their team needs them most. She put up 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting, hitting six of her 12 three-point attempts for a 50 percent clip from deep. Her fast-break efficiency was perfect on four attempts, converting all two of her opportunities for six points, and her 66.1 percent true shooting on a high-volume night was the engine of the fourth-quarter comeback. Jordin Canada was the unsung architect of the win, putting together one of the quieter triple-doubles you will see: 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 14 assists against just one turnover for a 14.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. When your point guard touches the ball 14 times and only gives it away once, your offense is going to find its rhythm eventually, and Atlanta found it just in time. Angel Reese contributed a double-double as well, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds, though her 50 percent showing from the free throw line (5-of-10) and three turnovers were threads Atlanta could not afford to pull any harder.

Phoenix had enough to win this game. Alyssa Thomas was dominant, posting a double-double with 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting, 12 rebounds, and seven assists, shooting 72 percent true shooting and never looking anything less than elite. The problem was three-point shooting, again. Phoenix went 4-of-21 from three (19 percent), and that perimeter drought has now shown up in multiple straight games. Kahleah Copper led the Mercury with 20 points but needed 16 shots, shot just 37.5 percent from the field, and finished at minus-8. Kyara Linskens provided a spark off the bench, going 3-of-4 with a made three and a perfect 3-of-3 from the line for 10 points on 94 percent true shooting, but it was not enough when Atlanta got hot from three in the fourth and simply would not miss when the game was on the line.

ATL 82 · PHO 80

Dallas Wings 91, New York Liberty 76

After back-to-back rough shooting nights, Dallas came into New York and looked like a completely different team. The Wings trailed by three after one quarter, took the lead in the second, then buried New York with a 28-17 third quarter that put the game out of reach. Dallas won going away, 91-76, led by 15 made threes and 38 bench points. This was a statement performance from a team that needed one.

Azzi Fudd was the story of the night, and it was not particularly close. Coming off the bench, she shot 9-of-15 from the field, including 6-of-12 from three, for 24 points with three steals and two blocks, all on 80 percent true shooting. Her 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio on only one turnover in 24 minutes of work was the kind of efficient reserve performance that changes the tone of a game. Paige Bueckers matched her with 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting, going a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line with a 7.0 assist-to-turnover ratio, and shooting 72.6 percent true. Jessica Shepard posted a quiet double-double, contributing 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting with 11 rebounds and six assists against one turnover. Dallas had 22 assists on 30 made baskets, shot 42.9 percent from three (15-of-35), and converted 75 percent of fast-break opportunities (6-of-8). Awak Kuier added a clean 10 points off the bench, shooting 2-of-3 from three and going a perfect 4-of-4 from the line.

New York had no functional answer for any of it. Satou Sabally led the Liberty with 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line, but she finished at minus-17, a reflection of how thoroughly Dallas won the game when she was on the floor. Breanna Stewart logged a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds but shot just 38.9 percent and finished at minus-17 as well. Sabrina Ionescu shot 4-of-15 for 11 points on a 34.6 percent true shooting mark. This was supposed to be a hostile environment for Dallas, their second road game in as many days, but the Wings played like the game was at home.

DAL 91 · NYL 76

Washington Mystics 85, Seattle Storm 97

Washington actually led after the first quarter, 26-24, and had the makings of a competitive game through the first 10 minutes. Seattle flipped the script in the second quarter, outscoring the Mystics 23-13 to build a lead they never relinquished. Washington made noise in the fourth, scoring 31 points in the final frame when the game was already decided, but the Storm led by as many as 26 and won comfortably, 97-85.

The story in Seattle was free throws. The Storm went 32-of-34 from the line, a 94.1 percent clip, and drew 26 fouls over the course of the game. That number helped transform a 26-point shooting night (44.1 percent from the field) into 97 total points. Natisha Hiedeman carried the scoring load with 24 points on 7-of-12 shooting, hitting four of her six three-point attempts and going a perfect 6-of-6 from the line with a 2.5 assist-to-turnover ratio. Stefanie Dolson came off the bench to shoot a perfect 3-of-3 from the field (including 2-of-2 from three) and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line for 16 points, posting the cleanest individual shooting line of the game. Johnson added 17 points, going 7-of-7 from the line. Seattle's bench combined for 32 points and was a major factor in building and maintaining the lead.

Washington got contributions from several players but never had enough consistency across the roster to mount a real challenge. Sonia Citron drew eight fouls and went 10-of-11 from the free throw line for 16 points, and Angela Dugalic shot 5-of-6 from the field with a made three for 13 points in an efficient outing. But Georgia Amoore continued her recent rough run, shooting 2-of-9 from the field (1-of-7 from three) for 13 points that relied almost entirely on her perfect 8-of-8 from the line, and finishing at minus-13. Cassandre Prosper went 1-of-8 from the field with an efficiency score of minus-8 in meaningful minutes. Washington's 20 percent three-point shooting (4-of-20) was the number that kept them from turning an 11-point second half deficit into something smaller.

SEA 97 · WAS 85

Sunday was a day for redemption and clutch basketball. Atlanta became the comeback story of the day with their 33-point fourth quarter, surviving a game they had no business winning before the final frame. Dallas looked like the team everyone expected to see when they're healthy and clicking together, with Fudd's bench explosion as the catalyst. Seattle continued to assert themselves as one of the more complete teams in the league, and their free throw dominance has now become a genuine calling card. And Phoenix and New York both have film to watch this week.

Star of the Night: Jordin Canada, Atlanta Dream

11 points | 4-of-8 FG | 7 rebounds | 14 assists | 1 turnover | 14.0 AST/TO ratio | Double-Double

In a game full of strong performances, Canada's floor-general work was the reason Atlanta found their rhythm when it mattered most. Fourteen assists and one turnover in a comeback win over a team that led by 15 is a performance that deserves the top honor. Howard's 21 points get the headlines, but Canada's playmaking made the comeback possible.

Dud of the Night: Georgia Amoore, Washington Mystics

13 points | 2-of-9 FG | 1-of-7 from three | 8-of-8 FT | 4 turnovers | minus-13

Amoore's points came almost entirely from the free throw line in a game where Washington needed her to make shots. The 22.2 percent shooting from the field and 14.3 percent from three are numbers that are impossible to overcome when they keep appearing. This is now the third straight poor shooting performance for Washington's primary guard, and the Mystics are running out of ways to cover for it.