Dream Survive Liberty in Overtime Thriller, Take Commanding 2-0 Series Lead

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Dream are officially on the doorstep of the WNBA Finals.

In a high-stakes, dramatic Game 2 of the WNBA Semifinals on Wednesday night, the Dream outlasted the New York Liberty 101-98 in a grueling overtime thriller at State Farm Arena.

The victory gives the Dream a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, pushing the star-studded Liberty to the absolute brink of elimination. While New York looked dominant early, they ultimately handed the game away down the stretch, plagued by sloppy execution and devastating turnovers.

Here is a detailed breakdown of how Atlanta protected its home court and moved one win away from a championship berth.

A Tale of Two Halves for Breanna Stewart

For the first 20 minutes of the game, Liberty superstar Breanna Stewart was completely unstoppable.

Stewart put on an absolute offensive clinic, torching the Dream’s defense for 25 points in the first half alone to keep New York in control. However, Atlanta’s coaching staff made brilliant halftime adjustments. By sending aggressive double-teams and forcing the ball out of her hands, the Dream’s defense successfully neutralized Stewart in the second half and overtime. She managed just 10 points for the remainder of the evening, ultimately finishing with a game-high 35 points and 11 rebounds.

Turnovers Sink New York

The Liberty’s ultimate undoing was their sheer inability to protect the basketball.

New York committed 16 total turnovers, gifting the Dream a staggering 28 points off those mistakes. Center Jonquel Jones was at the epicenter of the issue. While Jones produced a strong statistical line—21 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks—she constantly struggled with ball security against Atlanta’s swarming pressure, committing a game-high six costly turnovers. Whenever New York desperately needed a clean offensive possession late in the fourth quarter and in overtime, mistake after mistake derailed their momentum.

Reese Shines Under Pressure

On the other side of the floor, Angel Reese continues to prove she is built for the postseason spotlight.

Fresh off being named the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, Reese delivered an incredibly composed offensive performance. She finished the night with 23 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks, constantly attacking the rim and drawing contact.

More importantly, Reese was clutch when it mattered most. As the game tightened in overtime, Reese stepped to the free-throw line and calmly knocked down massive shots to ice the game, finishing a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. Guard Jordin Canada was equally brilliant, orchestrating the offense, matching Reese with 23 points while dishing out eight assists.

What’s Next?

The series now shifts to Brooklyn for Game 3 on Friday night.

The Liberty find themselves in a desperate, do-or-die scenario. To keep their championship hopes alive, New York must immediately clean up their unforced errors and figure out how to generate consistent offense when Stewart is double-teamed. Meanwhile, the Dream are flying high. Armed with a 2-0 lead and massive momentum, Atlanta will look to sweep the Liberty on their home floor and punch their ticket to the WNBA Finals.

Let’s not forget one important stat. No WNBA team has ever come back from an 0-2 defecit to win a best-of-five series.