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Dream Take 2-0 Lead Over Liberty in Semifinals
Confirmed
In Short: The Atlanta Dream extended their lead over the New York Liberty to 2-0 in the WNBA semifinals with a 101-98 overtime victory on Wednesday night.
The Atlanta Dream secured a crucial 101-98 overtime victory over the New York Liberty in Game 2 of their best-of-five WNBA semifinals series on Wednesday night, taking a commanding 2-0 lead.
In Game 1, the Dream had already established dominance with a 92-82 win, thanks to a suffocating defense in the third quarter that turned a three-point gap into a 14-point lead.
DeWanna Bonner, a late-August acquisition, played a pivotal role in both games, contributing significantly to the Dream's success.
"We knew the first three minutes would be really important," said Jonquel Jones, highlighting the Dream's focus from the outset.
Rhyne Howard's performance was also crucial, as she played point guard and finished with 16 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds in Game 1.
"She’s the head of the snake on offense and defense," Coach Karl Smesko said of Howard, emphasizing her leadership.
Angel Reese's 23 points and Naz Hillmon's go-ahead layup with 20.8 seconds left in overtime were key factors in the Dream's Game 2 win.
"Experience in the playoffs definitely matters," Stewart said, underscoring the importance of playoff experience for the Dream.
"We knew we didn’t play our best in the first half," Coach Smesko acknowledged, noting the Dream's improvement in the second half.
"We just roll her way," DeWanna Bonner said of Jones, highlighting the team's support for key players.
"It’s great to be up 1-0, but there’s still a lot of work to be done," Coach Smesko said after Game 1, maintaining a level-headed approach.
"Everybody stepped up, and that's what we need," Jones said, reflecting on the team's collective effort.
What this adds
The Dream's strong third-quarter performance in Game 1 set the tone for their series dominance.
The Dream's Game 2 victory in overtime was a testament to their resilience and depth, despite losing Gray to an injury.
The Dream's sweep of the Washington Mystics in the first round and their current 2-0 lead over the Liberty highlight their strong playoff form.
Background
The Atlanta Dream secured a 92-82 victory over the New York Liberty in Game 1 of their best-of-five series.
What's confirmed
- “A great way to start the series,” Dream Head Coach Karl Smesko said.
- - The Atlanta Dream moved within one win of reaching the WNBA Finals after defeating the New York Liberty 101-98 in overtime Wednesday night.
- Reese and Canada had three steals apiece in the third, keying a 13-3 run to start the half which gave Atlanta a lead it never surrendered.
- Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray, left, fights for possession with New York Liberty guard Pauline Astier, right, during the first half of Game 1 of the WNBA basketball semifinals Sunday, Oct, 4, 2026, in Atlanta.
- The No. 1 Minnesota Lynx will host the No. 8 New York Liberty in a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals, the No. 2 Valkyries will host the No. 7 Dallas Wings, the No. 3 Las Vegas Aces will begin their title defense against the No. 6 Indiana Fever, and the No. 4 Atlanta Dream will welcome the No. 5 Washington Mystics to town.
What's still developing
- “You never want to see your teammate go down,” Canada said.
- The Dream are taking 54% of handle and 57% of wagers at -1.5 at DraftKings.
- The numbers for Game 1 were similar, with Atlanta closing at -3.5 and a total of 172.5 – so you can see what value the sportsbooks place on Gray -- and the Dream rallied for a 92-82 victory despite losing their star in the first half to an injury to her left (shooting) hand.
- The Atlanta Dream needed extra time, but now the No.
- 8 New York Liberty will face off after both teams swept their opponents in the first round.
- In the opening round, the Dream dominated the Washington Mystics, winning both games by at least 15 points to complete the sweep.
- Not only did the lower-seeded Liberty win the season series 2-1, with the most recent win coming approximately one week ago, but some might even suggest that the Lynx “strategically” attempted to avoid this matchup, whereas the Liberty were aiming for it.
- When the final buzzer sounded, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever took down the Las Vegas Aces, 99-89, to force a Game 3, while the New York Liberty eliminated the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, 87-71, with a two-game sweep.