The Atlanta Dream are in the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013 with an 85-83 victory over the New York Liberty in the third game of their playoff semifinal series. Angel Reese scored 22 points (18 in the first half) with 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks in a tough battle with New York’s Jonquel Jones to lead the Dream. Rhyne Howard followed with 21 points, and Jordin Canada was the second-half catalyst for Atlanta, finishing with 19 points and 11 assists. Atlanta finished the first quarter with a 25-18 lead, but Liberty fought back fiercely, playing like a team whose season was on the line. Jones, battling near the basket with Reese, along with Sabrina Ionescu excited by a lack of decision on an Isobel Borlase push, ignited the Barclays Center crowd. Liberty used that surge to rally from a 12-point third-quarter deficit to finally take the lead after a 17-4 run. Jones scored 26 points for Liberty on 11-of-17 shooting from the field, along with 14 rebounds and 3 blocks. Breanna Stewart also finished with 26 points after scoring just 8 points in the first half. Sabrina Ionescu added 12 points, hitting 4 of 11 on three-pointers. Stewart made all 13 of his free throws, grabbed 4 rebounds, dished out 6 assists and blocked 2 shots. But he missed a baseline jumper that could have tied the score with 9.9 seconds left. This is the first time Stewart has been on a team that was eliminated from the WNBA playoffs. The Dream played without Allisha Gray, who was out with a left hand injury for the second straight game. Gray went through pregame warmups but decided he couldn’t go. Smesko said the team was being cautious heading into the rest of the playoffs. Dream on the rise, Liberty on the decline Atlanta advances to the Finals continues an impressive two-year turnaround under head coach Karl Smesko. The Dream finished with 30-14 records in each of the last two seasons, but took the next step with the blockbuster trade for Reese before the season. “The job is not done,” Reese said in a postgame news conference. “We’re definitely happy with where we are now, but we’re not satisfied.” Meanwhile, Liberty finished as the eighth seed in the WNBA playoffs with a 26-18 record. They beat the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round, but being eliminated from the postseason is a bad look for a team with stars like Stewart, Jones and Ionescu on its roster. The departure is even more notable when Sandy Brondello was fired as head coach after last season’s first-round exit, a year after winning the WNBA championship, and Chris DeMarco was hired for presumably better results. “I don’t think we were consistent,” Stewart said after the game. game. “This is not preparing for a test. You have to be ready to go and ready to go from the jump.” The Dream will face the Golden State Valkyries in the WNBA Finals after they defeated the Las Vegas Aces in a sweep of their own in Game 3. Game 1 is Saturday, October 17 at 3:30 pm ET. Follow live updates, highlights and news from Dream’s Game 3 victory over Liberty to close out their WNBA semifinal series: Live coverage has ended 57 updates Friday, October 9, 2026 11:38 pm UTC Yahoo Sports Staff Saturday, October 10, 2026 01:53 am UTC Cassandra Negley That was a messy way to end the season Liberty. It’s the first time Breanna Stewart has been swept in the playoffs. There is too much talent on this roster for it to happen that way, and I would expect a full look this offseason. Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart stayed to say goodbye to some Dream players. Jones gave a heart emoji on his hand as he left to great applause. Stewart followed with a towel over his head. Sat, Oct 10, 2026 01:50am UTC Yahoo Sports Staff Sweep of the 2024 WNBA Champions is Complete Sat, Oct 10, 2026 01:49am UTC Yahoo Sports Staff Breanna Stewart shoots, but can’t knock it down, and they have to foul DeWanna Bonner. She made both free throws for a four-point lead. Saturday, October 10, 2026 01:49 am UTC Cassandra Negley Some applause here for the announcement that Liberty will take its reset timeout. Sat, Oct 10, 2026 01:47 am UTC Yahoo Sports Staff Back-to-back turnovers! The Liberty makes a great stop on defense, releases it at the other end and the Dream does the same before a timeout is called. Saturday, October 10, 2026 01:44 am UTC Cassandra Negley Some of these possessions will haunt the Liberty. So many opportunities to even the score or take advantage, and they haven’t been able to do it. ………Will this come down to a reset timeout? Sat, Oct 10, 2026 01:44 am UTC Yahoo Sports Staff Atlanta takes a four-point lead with 1:04 left, and it’s officially crunch time for Liberty to save its season. Sat, Oct 10, 2026 01:38 am UTC Ian Casselberry Upon review, DeWanna Bonner will get three free throws as she was in the act of shooting a three-pointer when Rhyne Howard was pushed toward her by Leonie Fiebich. Bonner made all three free throws to give the Dream an 81-75 lead with 3:15 left. Saturday, October 10, 2026 01:37 am UTCIan CasselberryDeWanna Bonner is shot in her left ankle as Rhyne Howard falls on top of her while tangled with Leonie Fiebich and knocks her to the ground. The referees are reviewing to determine if Bonner or Howard were fouled and should take the free throws. Saturday, October 10, 2026 01:34 am UTCIan Casselberry A nice bounce pass from Jordin Canada to Rhyne Howard cutting to the basket results in a basket and a foul. Howard hits the free throw for a 3-point play to put the Dream ahead 78-73 with 3:48 left in the fourth quarter. 10, 2026 01:29 AM UTCIan CasselberryJordin Canada hits a three-pointer to put Atlanta back ahead 73-71 with 5:23 left in regulation. He now has 15 points with 10 assists and right now looks like the Dream’s best offensive threat. Saturday, October 10, 2026 01:21 AM UTCIan CasselberryFour points in a row from Rhyne Howard and the Dream 71-70 with 7:24 left in the fourth quarter. Howard has 18 points for Atlanta. Saturday, October 10, 2026 01:16 am UTC Ian Casselberry Jonquel Jones grabbed an offensive rebound after a three-point mistake by Marine Fauthoux. Leonie Fiebich then finds Sabrina Ionescu on the left wing and hits a three to put Liberty ahead 71-66. Saturday, October 10, 2026 01:14 am UTC Cassandra Negley This team of referees allows Angel Reese to have an incredibly long conversation with them while DeWanna Bonner is on the line ready to shoot free throws. Saturday, October 10, 2026 01:11 AM UTCIan CasselberryThe Liberty outscored the Dream by 7 points in the third quarter to take a 68-66 lead heading into the fourth. Two free throws by Breanna Stewart put New York ahead. He has 18 points left with 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 3 blocks. Jonquel Jones leads Liberty with 22 points. Angel Reese also has 22 for the Dream, while Rhyne Howard has 14. Saturday, October 10, 2026 01:08 am UTCIan Casselberry The Liberty built their biggest lead of the night at 66-62, but that quickly disappeared on baskets from DeWanna Bonner and Angel Reese. It’s a 66-66 game with less than a minute left in the third. room. Saturday, October 10, 2026 01:06 am UTC Ian Casselberry Rhyne Howard is called for a foul against Breanna Stewart at the line. Angel Reese was approached for a possible ban and the Liberty are asking for a review, arguing he committed a hostile act by tackling Stewart. Upon review, the referees determined that Reese’s collision with Stewart was a continuation of his defensive effort. No hostile act. Saturday, October 10, 2026 01:03 am UTC Cassandra Negley In-arena support for Angel Reese, who received light applause during player introductions, disappeared as quickly as a WNBA official requesting a group report. (Too soon?) Saturday, October 10, 2026 01:02 am UTCIan Casselberry The Dream are not moving so well on offense. Jordin Canada gets trapped in the lane thanks to some great defense from Jonquel Jones. But no one moves to the open wing for Canada to pass and she has to take a contested shot.
