The Atlanta Dream is heading back to the WNBA Finals after taking down the New York Liberty in a three-game semifinal sweep.
If this is a dream, don’t wake Atlanta up.
The Atlanta Dream is headed to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013 after earning an 85-83 victory over the New York Liberty on Friday night at Barclays Center. Angel Reese‘s 22 points proved heavenly while 21 more from Rhyne Howard was the perfect complement in a sweeping success of the WNBA semifinals. Atlanta will god for its first championship in a seven-game series with the Golden State Valkyries that begins next Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m. ET, NBC).
What can the basketball world take away from the Dream’s dreamy semifinal trio?
That’s you all day, Angel
https://t.co/xnLeUR2zk6
— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) October 9, 2026
Reese Won’t Cease
Held in relative check in her traditional rebounding department (the 23 she ended the series with was her lowest in any three-game span this season), Reese nonetheless made a couple of sizable statements on Friday night: she has likely surpassed Trae Young as Public (Atlanta-based) Enemy No. 1 in New York following testy exchanges with Liberty players and fans alike and that she’s capable of flipping a game’s script with her scoring.
Holding a direct hand in all but three of the first 20 Atlanta points and helped the Dream build what was an impenetrable first half lead. Reese put up 18 of her XX points over the first 20 minutes, an output that included a pair of triples (just the third time she has successfully sunk at least two threes in a games this season). Forced to account for a relatively new school out of the hands of the postseason rookie by placing Breanna Stewart upon her, Reese got back into the rebounding and defensive grooves to help seal the deal.
The Dream has seen a vision come true with the explosiveness of Reese, who has guided the Dream to a 13-2 record when she reaches at least 20 points. Again, it’s very clear that her game as is won’t satisfy everyone, and that’s probably not something she should aim for. This series, and perhaps this September stretch as a whole, however, does hint at her becoming a more complete, and thus more dangerous, player.
Dream Deep
A night where the Dream played just seven women, and only six with at least five minutes, might have ironically have made the most sterling statement about how well-equipped this group is for the grueling, grinding nights of a championship run.
In addition to dealing with Allisha Gray‘s continued injury woes, the Dream’s latest bit of improvisation came on a night where Naz Hillmon, the scoring heroine from Game 2, was fruitless from the field on seven attempts. Howard was 4-of-10 from three but struggled in the mid-range. All that and more allowed the Liberty to erase a double-figure lead and delay what Atlanta hoped was the inevitable.
Another clutch bench effort from Isobel Borlase, however, stabilized the effort, as the Australian World Cup participant hit 5-of-6 from the field. One of the newest Georgians, DeWanna Bonner, looked right at home to the tune of a serendipitous 13-point/rebound double-double. It was easy to see all that buried under a sensational second half by Canada, who scored 16 points in the second half alone en route to victory.
Torch Extinguished … For Now
Thus ends another rollercoaster season for the Liberty, which held fleeting leads in each of the three games against Atlanta.
With a first round sweep of the league-leading Minnesota Lynx under its belt, New York atoned at least somewhat well enough for last year’s first round defeat to the Phoenix Mercury, That, however, was far from comforting for the Liberty’ leading triumvirate, as Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, and Breanna Stewart were stopped short of the WNBA Finals for the second consecutive season.
The metropolitan aftermath centered on the Liberty’s regrets over its defensive performance (Stewart ruefully called the “defense wins championships” axiom “f***ing true”) as well as its belief that the current group is enough to capture an elusive second championship.
“I believe in this locker room, and I believe in our roster, and I do I do think we have enough,” head coach Chris DeMarco offered, adding that all communication he’s had with the team indicates he’s returning for 207. “That’s a [general manager] Jonathan [Kolb] question, obviously making roster decisions, but I do think we have enough as is. We fought like hell and maybe if a few things go differently, maybe we’re up 2-1 right now.”
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
Editor’s Pick
The post Dream On! 3 Takeaways From Atlanta's Sweep of Liberty appeared first on Ballislife.com.