Brooklyn, NY — Angel Reese’s prediction about reaching the WNBA Finals has become reality. Nearly a year after watching the championship series from home and declaring that she was “manifesting the finals,” Reese helped lead the Atlanta Dream to the biggest stage in women’s basketball with a 22-point performance in an 85-83 victory over the New York Liberty on Friday night at the Barclays Center.
Atlanta completed a three-game sweep of New York in the semifinal series, earning its first trip to the WNBA Finals since 2013. The fourth-seeded Dream have yet to lose in the postseason and are now four victories away from capturing the first championship in franchise history.
Reese, who earned the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award, joined Atlanta through an offseason trade and quickly established herself as a central figure in the team’s championship push. Before this season, the Dream had not advanced beyond the first round since reaching the semifinals in 2018.
Reflecting on her journey, Reese remembered watching the Finals from home over the previous two seasons and reaching out to fellow player Kahleah Copper with a simple request: “Just get me one game in the playoffs.”
Now, Reese and her teammates are preparing to compete for a championship.
“The job isn’t done,” Reese said. “Happy where we are right now. We’re not satisfied.”
Atlanta will face the winner of the Las Vegas-Golden State series when the WNBA Finals begin Saturday, Oct. 17.
Dream Make the Plays When It Matters Most
The closing moments delivered plenty of tension as Atlanta fought to protect its narrow advantage. The Dream held an 83-81 lead with 17.7 seconds remaining after committing a turnover that gave New York an opportunity to pull even.
Liberty star Breanna Stewart had a chance to tie the game, but her contested layup missed with nine seconds left. Atlanta’s DeWanna Bonner then stepped to the free-throw line and converted both attempts with 6.2 seconds remaining, providing the final points in the two-point victory.
Stewart acknowledged the missed opportunity after the game.
“I missed a bunny to tie the game, which really stinks,” she said. “Atlanta is a tough team. You know, tons of credit to them for making it tough for us every single night, and wish them the best in the Finals.”
Dream coach Karl Smesko praised his players for staying composed under pressure and finding a way to close out the series.
“We were able to make the last couple of plays and able to move onto the Finals,” Smesko said. “Excited about it and proud of the way our players competed and pulled together and held on to win.”
Atlanta Advances Without Allisha Gray
The Dream secured their place in the championship series despite missing leading scorer Allisha Gray, who has been sidelined by a finger injury suffered in Game 1. Gray also missed Game 2 and participated in warmups before Friday’s contest, but she was ruled out approximately an hour before tipoff.
She remained with the team on the bench, supporting her teammates while wearing a Howard jersey.
With Gray unavailable, Atlanta received an early offensive boost from Howard, who scored 11 points in the opening quarter. Reese added 10 points during the period, connecting on two three-pointers as the Dream established their rhythm.
The physical nature of the matchup became increasingly apparent in the second quarter.
After Isobel Borlase scored on consecutive possessions, Sabrina Ionescu was called for an offensive foul while attempting to set a screen on her. Ionescu and Reese exchanged words before officials separated them.
The tension continued when Jonquel Jones blocked a Reese attempt. The two players bumped chests while exchanging comments, prompting officials to intervene and assess technical fouls to both.
Despite New York’s efforts to regain control, Reese helped Atlanta maintain its advantage. The Liberty closed the gap to 40-39 late in the first half, but Reese scored the final four points of the quarter to send the Dream into halftime with a 44-39 lead.
Liberty Rally, but Atlanta Responds
Atlanta opened the third quarter aggressively, scoring the first seven points to stretch its advantage to 51-39. New York answered with a 16-4 surge, scoring the first 10 points of that run and gradually shifting the momentum.
A tip-in by Jones gave the Liberty their first lead since the opening moments of the game, and New York carried a 68-66 advantage into the fourth quarter.
The Dream faced another challenge early in the final period when they fell behind by four. Rather than allowing the Liberty to seize control, Atlanta responded with eight consecutive points to move ahead 75-71 with 4:55 remaining. During that stretch, the Dream’s defense held New York without a field goal for more than six minutes.
The teams traded baskets down the stretch, but Atlanta managed to establish an 83-79 cushion with approximately one minute remaining. Jones converted a layup to bring New York within two, setting up the dramatic final possessions.
Stewart and Jones each finished with 26 points for the Liberty, but their combined production was not enough to prevent the series sweep.
A Difficult Ending for New York
For New York, the defeat brought a disappointing conclusion to a season that began with championship expectations. The Liberty returned much of the core that captured the franchise’s first WNBA title two years earlier, but consistency proved difficult to maintain throughout the campaign.
The Liberty entered the postseason as the eighth seed and showed their potential by eliminating top-seeded Minnesota in the opening round. However, Atlanta presented a challenge they could not overcome, ending New York’s championship hopes in three games.
Stewart said the disappointment extended beyond Friday’s result, recognizing how difficult it is to reach the league’s final series, much less win it.
“What I’m thinking about right now is a lost opportunity,” Stewart said. “It’s really hard to get to the Finals and it’s really hard to win a WNBA championship.”
Atlanta, meanwhile, can turn its attention to the ultimate prize. Behind Reese’s impact, a resilient team effort and timely execution in the closing seconds, the Dream have moved within four wins of making franchise history.
