The Atlanta Dream are heading to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013, pulling off an absolute stunner with an 85-83 road victory over the New York Liberty in Game 3 of their semifinal series. This wasn’t just a win, it was a three-game sweep of the Liberty, sending the Dream to face either the Golden State Valkyries or the Las Vegas Aces when the Finals kick off on October 17.
It Was a Brawl, But the Dream Stood Tall
Man, this Game 3 was an absolute battle! It was an extremely physical contest from tip-off, and you could feel the tension, knowing it could get completely out of hand at any moment because the officials were letting just about everything go. We saw Angel Reese right in Sabrina Ionescu’s face after the Liberty guard delivered a hard foul to Isobel Borlase. You know that was payback for what Reese thought should have been a foul on Borlase earlier. And later, both Reese and Jonquel Jones were hit with technicals after a dust-up under the basket. This wasn’t pretty, but it was playoff basketball at its most intense, and the Dream somehow kept their cool when it mattered most.
Clutch Shots, Game-Defining Plays, and No Turnovers from Canada?!
The Dream actually jumped out in front early, even pushing their lead up to 12 points early in the second half. But come on, this is the playoffs, you know the Liberty weren’t going down easy! New York immediately responded, took the lead, and held it going into the fourth quarter. When Ionescu drained a three-pointer 30 seconds into the final frame to push the Liberty’s lead to five, it felt like they might pull away. Instead, we got a back-and-forth affair that had everyone on the edge of their seats down the stretch. Jordin Canada hit a straight-up circus shot to give the Dream a four-point advantage with just over a minute to play. Jones responded quickly to cut the deficit to two. The Liberty then got a few stops and had multiple chances to tie the game. One ended with an Ionescu turnover, and yeah, she had a crucial one at the end of Game 2 too. The other ended with a miss by Breanna Stewart. It all came down to DeWanna Bonner, who stepped up yet again in this postseason with 13 points and 13 rebounds, icing the game at the free throw line. Canada, who was tremendous all series, finished with an insane 19 points, 11 assists, and zero turnovers. Reese powered her way to 22 points and nine rebounds. For the Liberty, Jones was excellent in defeat with 26 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks, while Stewart added 26 points of her own.
Now the Dream wait to see who they’ll face, either the Golden State Valkyries or the Las Vegas Aces, with the WNBA Finals kicking off on October 17. This is it, folks. Atlanta has been to the Finals three times before, but they got swept every single time. Can they break that trend and finally grab the first title in franchise history? You bet the entire league will be watching this one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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