The Atlanta Dream secured a 101-98 overtime win against the New York Liberty on Wednesday, moving within one victory of their first WNBA Finals appearance since 2013.
The tension inside the arena was palpable as Naz Hillmon drove to the basket. releasing a layup that would shift the entire complexion of the WNBA semifinals. With 20.8 seconds remaining in overtime. her go-ahead bucket broke the deadlock. propelling the Atlanta Dream to a 101-98 victory over the New York Liberty and handing Atlanta a commanding 2-0 series lead.
Angel Reese was the engine for Atlanta, pouring in 23 points—six of which came during the high-stakes overtime period. Her composure remained steady as she hit two crucial free throws with only 4.3 seconds left. a moment sealed after Sabrina Ionescu misfired on a desperation pass. Jordin Canada matched Reese’s 23-point effort. adding eight assists to help the Dream overcome the absence of leading scorer Allisha Gray. who was sidelined with a left hand injury. Rookie Izzy Borlase stepped into the gap, contributing 11 points off the bench.
For the Liberty, the night was defined by Breanna Stewart’s relentless offensive display. Stewart tallied 35 points, including a dominant 25-point first half. Yet. the game ended in frustration for New York; after the final buzzer. Stewart noted that officials informed the team they had no resets remaining. preventing them from advancing the ball for a final play. “We’re focused on winning one game, and that’s Friday, and then we go from there,” Stewart said afterward. “This group has experience. I’ve been part of some crazy series and I have a lot of confidence in our group.”.
The path to overtime was paved with a frantic sequence in the final two minutes of regulation. Trailing 86-80. New York clawed back as Ionescu buried a deep three. followed by Stewart’s layup after an Atlanta shot clock violation. After Reese pushed the lead to 88-85 with free throws. Marine Fauthoux forced the extra period by draining a game-tying three with 10.3 seconds left. Rhyne Howard’s final attempt at the regulation buzzer rimmed out, setting the stage for the overtime back-and-forth.
Dream coach Karl Smesko credited his team’s collective focus during those final minutes. “We just had a message that we thought we could be the best team over the last five minutes. let’s start off by executing the first couple plays. ” Smesko said. “Everybody was locked in on what those plays were, and they went out there and executed them.”.
Atlanta’s ability to survive the overtime surge—where New York briefly held a 96-93 lead—proved their resolve. The Dream now head to New York for Game 3 on Friday. sitting just one win away from their first WNBA Finals appearance since 2013. For Reese. the win was a matter of chemistry: “I think we did a great job making sure that we were all on the connected stream. We really stayed together and played together, and that’s how we won.”.
Atlanta Dream New York Liberty WNBA Semifinals Angel Reese Breanna Stewart Naz Hillmon WNBA playoffs