ATLANTA – The Atlanta Dream finished off their preseason against the Indiana Fever at home with an 81-76 loss. It wasn't the best offensive game from the Dream's top scorers, as Rhyne Howard finished shooting 2-for-12 and Allisha Gray shooting 1-for-8. That meant that someone else had to step up, and it was Te-Hina Paopao who answered the call. The rookie came off the bench and finished with a team-high 14 points.

Paopao knocked down some big shots throughout the game, but there was not one bigger than the one she hit in the second quarter over last season's Rookie of the Year, Caitlin Clark. It was Clark who hit a 3-pointer over Paopao at first, and the crowd, which favored mostly Fever fans, got hype.

Two possessions later, Paopao had the ball in her hands and delivered a step-back 3-pointer on Clark. That was just one of the few big shots that Paopao made, but she spoke after the game about how she wanted her payback on Clark.

“I was kind of mad that she scored that 3 on me. I had to get that lick back, and that’s what I did. I appreciate my teammates for understanding that,” Paopao said. 

Throughout training camp and the preseason, Paopao has received a lot of praise from her teammates, and the results of her hard work are showing on the floor.

“She’s not a rookie,” Shatori Walker-Kimbrough said after the game. “Her confidence, she doesn’t give rookie at all. She’s been really confident, she’s been very consistent in training camp, so I’m not surprised because I’ve seen it every day.”

As the season is set to begin in six days, Paopao should play a key part on the team, especially early, with Jordin Canada being out for the next two weeks, at least.

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With the Dream needing a spark in the game, Paopao delivered on both sides of the ball. Head coach Karl Smesko was pleased with the rookie's performance and what she's been able to do.

“She really competed on the defensive end,” Smesko said. “We challenge her on that side, and she rose to the occasion. Like I said, she's fearless. She goes in there, she's ready, and she's played in big as games as there are in the college game, so this doesn't bother her. She's excited about this opportunity, and she's making the most of it.”

It's obvious that Paopao is still getting adjusted to the pace of WNBA games, and she was given sort of a reality check playing against a team like the Fever.

“I got hit by a ton of screens today, so I definitely have to get used to the fast pace. I told [Jordin Canada] those screens were coming fast, and she was like ‘I don’t know what to tell you.' I just have to get fast,” Paopao said.

The Dream will have to make some tough decisions over the next few days as they have to cut down their roster, but it should be safe to say that Paopao has earned a spot on the team, and could be a key piece in the rotation.