Sports · Basketball · 1 day ago
Atlanta Dream sweep New York to reach WNBA Finals for first time since 2013
The Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty 85-83 on Friday in Brooklyn to win their WNBA semifinal series three games to none.
Angel Reese led Atlanta with 22 points, and Rhyne Howard added 21.
The Dream reached the Finals for the first time since 2013, after not making the semifinals since 2018.
Reese joined Atlanta in an offseason trade and helped the team advance while leading scorer Allisha Gray was sidelined with a finger injury.
Atlanta will play either the Las Vegas Aces or the Golden State Valkyries in the Finals, which begin Oct.
17.
The Dream have reached the Finals three times before but have not won a championship.
They will need four more wins to claim the franchise’s first title.
The fourth-seeded Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty 85-83 on Oct. 9 to complete a three-game sweep of their WNBA semifinal series.
Atlanta advanced to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013 and has not lost in the 2026 playoffs.
Angel Reese scored 22 points and Rhyne Howard added 21 for Atlanta, while Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart each scored 26 for New York.
DeWanna Bonner made two free throws with 6.2 seconds remaining to help secure the Dream's win.
Atlanta will face the winner of the Las Vegas Aces-Golden State Valkyries series in the Finals, which begin Oct. 17.
- Who
- The Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty
- What
- Atlanta beat New York 85-83 to sweep their semifinal series and reach the WNBA Finals.
- When
- Friday, Oct. 9, 2026
- Where
- New York
- Why
- The Dream advanced by winning the best-of-five semifinal series 3-0.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
No direct quotes in the coverage so far.
The Liberty opened the playoffs by beating the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx 91-75.
Atlanta beat the Washington Mystics 93-75 to win its first-round series 2-0.
Atlanta beat New York 92-82 in Game 1 of the semifinals.
The Dream beat the Liberty 101-98 in overtime to take a 2-0 series lead.
Atlanta won Game 3 by an 85-83 score to complete the sweep and advance to the Finals.
- Game 3 score
- Atlanta Dream 85, New York Liberty 83
- Semifinal series
- Atlanta won 3-0
- Atlanta playoff record
- 5-0
- Top Atlanta scorers
- Angel Reese: 22 points; Rhyne Howard: 21 points
- Finals start
- Oct. 17, 2026
Sources
‘I’m supposed to be here’: Angel Reese’s road from ridicule to the WNBA finals
Dream, Angel Reese sweep Liberty as Atlanta reaches first WNBA Finals since 2013
Angel Reese powers Atlanta past New York into first WNBA finals since 2013
2026 WNBA playoffs bracket, schedule: Dream knock out Liberty with semifinals sweep
Dream wrap up first WNBA Finals berth since 2013 with sweep of Liberty
Reese, Howard help the Dream sweep the Liberty and advance to WNBA Finals
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