For the first time since 2013, the fourth-seeded Atlanta Dream are headed to the WNBA Finals after defeating the eighth-seeded New York Liberty 85-83 in Game 3 at Barclays Center to complete a sweep of the semifinal series.
The Dream, now 5-0 in the 2026 WNBA playoffs, will face the Golden State Valkyries in the WNBA Finals; the best-of-7 series begins next Saturday in San Francisco.
With leading scorer Allisha Gray sidelined by a hand injury, Angel Reese led the Dream with 22 points and nine rebounds; Rhyne Howard added 20; Jordin Canada had 19 points and 11 assists, and DeWanna Bonner had chipped in with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Atlanta had five players in double figures.
For Reese, who is in the playoffs for the first time in her career, reaching the Finals is great, but the job isn’t finished.
On October 10, 2025, after the Aces won the WNBA Finals, Reese tweeted, “Manifesting the Finals.” Almost a year later, that vision became reality.
Following the Game 3 win over the Liberty, Reese discussed the tweet.
“I’ve sat at home for the last two years and watched it,” she said. “And I kept saying, I texted (Kahleah Copper), and I was like, ‘give me one game in the playoffs,’ and have an opportunity to come to Atlanta. Them wanting me in Atlanta and being able to push me every day to help me get to this very moment, it’s really a shout-out to them. I manifest a lot of things. I think it’s important to speak positives into your life, positive into your team. But this is all God. I’m just so thankful, and I’m blessed to be able to be in a situation a lot of people wish they were here, and I’m not gonna take this moment for granted. I’m here for a reason; we’re all here for a reason.”
The Dream are in the Finals, but as Reese points out, they are not satisfied. Now, they have eight days to rest up and get ready to finish the job against Golden State.
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