Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Dream
Atlanta survives another dramatic finish in New York, defeating the Liberty 85-83 to complete the sweep and reach the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013.
The Atlanta Dream are going back to the WNBA Finals.
After 13 years of waiting, Atlanta finally has another opportunity to play for a championship.
The Dream defeated the New York Liberty 85-83 Friday night at Barclays Center, completing a three-game sweep of the defending champions and punching their ticket to the WNBA Finals.
It was anything but easy.
Atlanta built an early lead, watched New York fight its way back, and then had to make the biggest plays of the night in the final seconds.
But once again, the Dream found a way.
A Fast Start Sets the Tone
Atlanta came out attacking.
Rhyne Howard scored 11 points in the opening quarter, while Angel Reese added 10 as the Dream jumped out to a 25-18 lead.
Reese’s first-quarter performance was particularly notable. It was her first double-digit scoring quarter of the postseason.
Jordin Canada was also setting the tone as a facilitator, finishing the game with 11 assists while repeatedly finding Atlanta’s scorers in position to attack.
The Dream carried a 44-39 advantage into halftime.
But New York wasn’t going to simply hand Atlanta a trip to the Finals.
The Liberty Fight Back
Atlanta extended its lead to 12 points early in the third quarter, but the Liberty immediately responded with a 10-0 run.
The game became a back-and-forth battle from there.
Canada took over offensively during one critical stretch, scoring nine consecutive points for Atlanta as New York continued to apply pressure.
By the end of the third quarter, the Liberty had erased Atlanta’s advantage and taken a 68-66 lead.
The Dream were going to have to win the game in the fourth.
Atlanta Makes the Plays That Matter
The final quarter was exactly what you would expect from two teams fighting for a spot in the WNBA Finals.
Neither team led by more than six points.
With just over a minute remaining, New York pulled within two at 83-81.
Then both teams struggled to maintain possession.
With 18 seconds remaining, New York called timeout with a chance to tie or take the lead.
The Liberty got the look they wanted coming out of the timeout, but the shot didn’t fall.
DeWanna Bonner secured the rebound and was immediately fouled.
The veteran calmly stepped to the free-throw line and knocked down both shots, putting Atlanta ahead 85-81 with just 6.2 seconds remaining.
New York got one final basket from Breanna Stewart, but there simply wasn’t enough time left.
The Dream had done it.
Atlanta 85, New York 83.
Reese Leads the Way
Reese finished with 22 points and nine rebounds, continuing what has been an impressive first postseason with the Dream.
Howard finished with 21 points, while Canada recorded 19 points and 11 assists.
Bonner delivered one of the biggest performances of the night with 13 points and 13 rebounds, including the crucial defensive rebound that essentially sealed the game.
Rookie Isobel Borlase also came up big off the bench, contributing 10 points.
Atlanta once again got contributions from throughout the roster.
That’s been one of the defining characteristics of this playoff run.
A Different Dream
When the season began, Atlanta had a clear objective: become a legitimate championship contender.
Now the Dream are four wins away from becoming champions.
The organization hasn’t been to the Finals since 2013, when Atlanta lost to the Minnesota Lynx.
The Dream have reached the WNBA Finals three times previously—2007, 2010 and 2013—but have never won a championship.
This year’s team now has an opportunity to change that history.
And they haven’t lost a game in the postseason.
From Atlanta to the Biggest Stage
The Dream swept the Liberty despite playing the final game without Allisha Gray, who has been sidelined with an injury.
They won Game 1 by 10 points.
They survived a three-point overtime thriller in Game 2.
And then they went into New York and won another two-point game with the season on the line.
That’s three games.
Three wins.
And a trip to the Finals.
Head coach Karl Smesko praised his team’s ability to stay together and make the necessary plays when the pressure was at its highest.
For a franchise that has waited more than a decade to return to this stage, there is no shortage of significance attached to what happened Friday night.
But the Dream aren’t celebrating a championship.
Not yet.
As Reese put it after the victory, “The job is not done.”
Now comes the biggest challenge of all.
The Atlanta Dream are going to the WNBA Finals.
And for the first time since 2013, Atlanta has a chance to finish the story.
Atlanta Dream 85, New York Liberty 83
Semifinal Series: Atlanta wins 3-0
Next: 2026 WNBA Finals — October 17
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