Atlanta Dream Near WNBA Finals After Thrilling Win

The Atlanta Dream are one win away from reaching the WNBA Finals following a gripping 101-98 overtime victory against the New York Liberty. This triumph secured a 2-0 lead in the semifinal series. However, the match’s dramatic climax was tainted by controversy surrounding a disputed timeout call.

New York’s Breanna Stewart raised concerns post-game, citing a crucial miscommunication. She stated that officials misinformed the Liberty about their reset timeout status during the game’s closing moments. Stewart told reporters, “This is not blaming the refs, but when I ask both refs if we have a reset timeout at the end, and they tell us no, and then we leave the game with the reset timeout, it’s pretty frustrating.”

Each team receives two team timeouts and one reset timeout during overtime, offering a chance to advance the ball without a sideline huddle. Stewart communicated with officials Kevin Fahy and crew chief Fatou Cissoko-Stephens for clarification, only to be mistakenly told that her team had no reset timeout available.

A late turnover by New York provided Atlanta a chance to seal the victory. Angel Reese, honored as the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, made two vital free throws, extending the Dream’s lead. Stewart attempted a last-second shot, which was unsuccessful, as the clock expired.

Members of the media had to wait two hours for official clarification. Cissoko-Stephens confirmed Stewart’s account, acknowledging the error, explaining, “Stewart was standing behind referee Fahy when he confirmed with his partner between Reese’s penalty free throws that New York did indeed have a reset timeout remaining.”

The Liberty plan to address the issue formally with the league. Coach Chris DeMarco shared his frustrations, echoing Stewart’s sentiments about the timeout confusion, “Yeah, same thing. They just said we didn’t have it. Multiple staff members [were told]. It is what it is. We’ve got to demand more. But it is what it is.”

Dream coach Karl Smesko noticed the timeout error as well, expecting the Liberty to utilize it to their advantage. The scorer’s table and stats staff track timeout availability, but Cissoko-Stephens stressed that teams must manage their timeouts.

In crucial moments, the Liberty missed key opportunities. Sabrina Ionescu lost control of the ball with less than 10 seconds left, resulting in a turnover. Taking ownership, Ionescu admitted, “I told them it was my fault. I took ownership for that. This loss is on me. I’ve got to take it on the chin, and I’ve got to be better.”

Atlanta demonstrated strong depth, with six players scoring in double figures. The team’s attack was led by Reese and Jordin Canada, both contributing 23 points. Star player Allisha Gray was absent due to a finger injury.

The Liberty face challenging odds to become the first team to overcome a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five WNBA playoff series. Game 3 will occur Friday night as the series continues in Brooklyn, New York.