Atlanta Dream off to hot start under new coach Karl Smesko and play of Allisha Gray

NEW YORK (AP) – The Atlanta Dream made a lot of moves in the offseason, hiring Karl Smesko from Florida Gulf Coast and bringing in Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones to complement Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray.

So far the moves have paid off as the Dream have the third best record in the league behind Minnesota and New York. Atlanta (8-3) is off to one of the franchise’s best marks through 11 games since coming into the league as an expansion team in 2008. The 2016 team also won eight of its first 11 games but then went on to drop its next six games.

Gray has flourished in Smesko’s system, shooting a career-high 51% from the field including 42% from behind the 3-point line. She earned the league’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month for May.

“I think it’s the offense and just finding my shots,” Gray said. “I feel like Karl puts in an offense and the way he pays attention to the details and really helps me. Tells me if I’m open shoot the ball. Instills that confidence in me, that’s been a big part of my success.”

Griner came to the team as a free agent after spending the first 11 seasons with Phoenix after the Mercury drafted her No. 1 in 2013. With so much talent around her she doesn’t feel like she has to shoulder the load every night for the Dream to win. In a 33-point victory over Washington on Sunday, she took just four shots. The game before, a rout of Chicago, the 6-foot-8 star took only three shot attempts.

“Before you know if I only took three shots in the game it’s a loss. Here you look up and we’re beating a team by 25,” she said at practice Monday. “It just takes so much pressure off of me.”

New York and Minnesota both suffered their first losses of the season last week and the Lynx passed the Liberty for the top spot in the poll. Atlanta moved up to third with Phoenix and Seattle the next two. Indiana was sixth with Golden State behind them. Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Washington were next. Chicago, Connecticut and Dallas rounded out the poll.

The WNBA launched a new initiative last week aiming to bring the women’s professional game closer to communities by painting the official WNBA 3-point line on park basketball courts across the country. It was debuted in New York on Thursday at a park in Brooklyn.

“I’m excited about what this initiative means in terms of access and representation,” said WNBA Head of League Operations Bethany Donaphin, who grew up in New York. “I think it’s just further evidence of the way that we want to be able to connect with young girls who are inspired by the WNBA.”

Gray earned Player of the Week honors for the second time this season. The Dream wing averaged 23.3 points, six rebounds and 4.3 assists to help the team go 3-0 on the week. Other players receiving consideration were Napheesa Collier of Minnesota, Sabrina Ionescu of New York, Caitlin Clark of Indiana and Satou Sabally of Phoenix.

Indiana at Las Vegas, Sunday. With Clark back in the lineup, the Fever continue a western trip in Las Vegas. It’s unclear if A’ja Wilson will be back for the game as the Aces’ star is in concussion protocol.