Third-quarter surge and five-turnover composure carry Dream past Liberty 95-84

A sharp New York start, then a halftime turn

New York had the quicker early rhythm. Pauline Astier scored the Liberty’s first six points, finishing at the rim twice before adding another layup at 6:02 of the first quarter, and Breanna Stewart’s turnaround jumper helped push the home side in front. But this never settled into a one-team script. Atlanta answered with Jordin Canada’s three at 7:15, DeWanna Bonner’s 30-footer at 4:54, and Naz Hillmon’s three at 53.8 seconds, the kind of reply sequence that kept every New York nudge from becoming separation. By the end of the opening quarter, the Liberty led only 24-23, which fit a game that would feature seven lead changes.

The Liberty created their clearest cushion in the second. Jonquel Jones scored inside and from deep, Astier drove in again at 6:59, and Jones’ basket at 6:24 made it 33-27. Atlanta’s answer was more forceful than flashy. Angel Reese scored at 6:13, 5:41 and 4:35 to erase the gap, tying it 35-35 with a running layup. Stewart’s three-point play at 2:07 restored a 38-35 New York edge, but Atlanta closed the half better: Hillmon tied it with another deep make at 1:11, and Bonner finished a three-point play with 3.1 seconds left for a 41-38 Dream lead at the break. That sequence mattered because it flipped the emotional weight of the game without needing a huge run.

The third quarter belonged to Atlanta

The game’s decisive stretch came after halftime, and it began with Atlanta turning a narrow lead into a real problem for New York. After Stewart cut the margin to 43-40 at 9:25 of the third, Allisha Gray went to work. She scored at 8:41, converted a layup and free throw at 8:21, then added another layup at 7:36. In a little more than a minute, Gray had driven Atlanta from a manageable edge to a 50-40 lead. It was a burst built on direct scoring, not volume shooting, and it changed the shape of the night.

New York still had one honest push left in the quarter. Sabrina Ionescu hit from 28 feet at 7:18, Astier drilled a three at 6:12, and another Ionescu three plus a Stewart layup pulled the Liberty within 55-53 by 4:21. That was the opening Atlanta had to answer, and it did so emphatically. Gray scored again at 3:21, Rhyne Howard hit a three at 2:46, Te-Hina Paopao followed from 27 feet at 2:13, and Howard struck again from deep at 46.3 seconds. Bonner’s three with 6.4 seconds left sent Atlanta to the fourth up 73-62. In a game that was tight for most of the first half, that closing sequence of the third was the hinge.

The Liberty managed a few fourth-quarter cuts, but never the one that would truly threaten the result. Rebecca Allen’s three at 8:01 and Jones’ three at 6:38 trimmed the margin to 79-71. Stewart kept pushing, turning a layup into a three-point play at 4:34 to make it 82-74 and scoring again at 2:56 and 1:42. Each time, Atlanta had a settled response. Bonner scored at 5:25, Reese finished inside at 3:31, and Canada’s driving layup at 3:16 restored breathing room. From there, Canada closed the door at the foul line, and the teams played the fourth even at 22-22, which was all Atlanta needed after owning the quarter before it.

Our take: the clean team won, and that is not a small detail

Atlanta had standout numbers almost everywhere that mattered most. Canada ran the game with 19 points, nine assists and a perfect 8-for-8 at the line. Reese added 18 points and 10 rebounds, Bonner scored 17 on just six field-goal attempts, Howard had 16 with timely third-quarter shooting, and Gray’s 14 points included the ignition sequence that opened the game up. New York had stars of its own: Stewart finished with 27 points and 14 rebounds, Jones added 18 and 12, and Astier gave the Liberty 15 points and four assists. But the Liberty’s best players had to work against a game that kept tilting away from them.

Our take: the box score points straight to possession management. New York actually finished with more rebounds, 40-32, and more assists, 23-17. Usually those are winning indicators. Atlanta erased them by giving the Liberty almost nothing extra. The Dream committed only five total turnovers, while New York had 11, and Atlanta turned those into 14 points while allowing just two the other way. That 12-point swing in points off turnovers was bigger than the final margin. Add Atlanta’s stronger shooting night, 47.8 percent from the field to New York’s 42.3, and the result starts to look less like an upset of the stat sheet and more like a lesson in which errors matter most.

For New York, the most obvious improvement starts with cutting down empty possessions and getting more from the perimeter around Stewart and Jones. The Liberty went 7-for-29 from three, Ionescu shot 3-for-12 overall, Leonie Fiebich scored one point, and Marine Johannes went scoreless on 0-for-6 shooting. The ball did move — those 23 assists prove that much — but the finishing did not keep pace. For Atlanta, even a strong win leaves one caution light on: the Dream were outrebounded 40-32 and grabbed only four offensive rebounds. On a night when the turnover edge is smaller, that glass deficit could matter more. Still, this was the kind of road win that travels well in the WNBA: balanced scoring, a decisive middle stretch, and almost no self-inflicted damage.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 8:48

   Pauline Astier makes 3-foot reverse layup (Breanna Stewart assists)

2. 1st Quarter · 8:23

   Pauline Astier makes running layup (Breanna Stewart assists)

3. 1st Quarter · 8:14

   Angel Reese makes 3-foot layup (Jordin Canada assists)

4. 1st Quarter · 7:31

   Breanna Stewart makes 9-foot turnaround jump shot (Pauline Astier assists)

5. 1st Quarter · 7:15

   Jordin Canada makes 24-foot three point jumper (Allisha Gray assists)

6. 1st Quarter · 6:02

   Pauline Astier makes running layup

7. 1st Quarter · 5:40

   Angel Reese makes driving layup

8. 1st Quarter · 5:12

   Sabrina Ionescu makes free throw 1 of 2

9. 1st Quarter · 5:12

   Sabrina Ionescu makes free throw 2 of 2

10. 1st Quarter · 5:00

    Angel Reese makes two point shot

11. 1st Quarter · 4:54

    DeWanna Bonner makes 30-foot three point jumper (Isobel Borlase assists)

12. 1st Quarter · 4:04

    Jonquel Jones makes layup (Leonie Fiebich assists)

13. 1st Quarter · 4:04

    Jonquel Jones makes free throw 1 of 1

14. 1st Quarter · 3:29

    Sabrina Ionescu makes 7-foot driving floating jump shot (Jonquel Jones assists)

15. 1st Quarter · 3:29

    Sabrina Ionescu makes free throw 1 of 1

16. 1st Quarter · 2:37

    DeWanna Bonner makes 4-foot layup (Jordin Canada assists)

17. 1st Quarter · 2:28

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 2

18. 1st Quarter · 2:28

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 2 of 2

19. 1st Quarter · 2:07

    Naz Hillmon makes 4-foot layup (Jordin Canada assists)

20. 1st Quarter · 1:30

    DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 1 of 2

21. 1st Quarter · 1:30

    DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 2 of 2

22. 1st Quarter · 1:03

    Han Xu makes two point shot

23. 1st Quarter · 53.8

    Naz Hillmon makes 26-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)

24. 1st Quarter · 33.5

    Pauline Astier makes 7-foot driving floating jump shot (Han Xu assists)

25. 1st Quarter · 27.0

    Jordin Canada makes driving layup

26. 1st Quarter · 21.7

    Pauline Astier makes free throw 1 of 2

27. 1st Quarter · 21.7

    Pauline Astier makes free throw 2 of 2

28. 2nd Quarter · 8:50

    Jonquel Jones makes layup (Leonie Fiebich assists)

29. 2nd Quarter · 8:28

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 1 of 2

30. 2nd Quarter · 8:28

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 2 of 2

31. 2nd Quarter · 8:09

    Jonquel Jones makes 24-foot three point jumper (Marine Johannes assists)

32. 2nd Quarter · 6:59

    Pauline Astier makes driving layup

33. 2nd Quarter · 6:44

    Rhyne Howard makes 10-foot driving floating jump shot

34. 2nd Quarter · 6:24

    Jonquel Jones makes two point shot (Marine Johannes assists)

35. 2nd Quarter · 6:13

    Angel Reese makes 3-foot layup (DeWanna Bonner assists)

36. 2nd Quarter · 5:41

    Angel Reese makes driving layup

37. 2nd Quarter · 5:07

    Breanna Stewart makes driving layup (Sabrina Ionescu assists)

38. 2nd Quarter · 4:57

    Rhyne Howard makes 20-foot pullup jump shot

39. 2nd Quarter · 4:35

    Angel Reese makes running layup

40. 2nd Quarter · 2:07

    Breanna Stewart makes 8-foot fade away jump shot (Sabrina Ionescu assists)

41. 2nd Quarter · 2:07

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 1

42. 2nd Quarter · 1:11

    Naz Hillmon makes 26-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)

43. 2nd Quarter · 3.1

    DeWanna Bonner makes two point shot

44. 2nd Quarter · 3.1

    DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 1 of 1

45. 3rd Quarter · 9:42

    Rhyne Howard makes 13-foot pullup jump shot (Angel Reese assists)

46. 3rd Quarter · 9:25

    Breanna Stewart makes 9-foot turnaround jump shot (Leonie Fiebich assists)

47. 3rd Quarter · 8:41

    Allisha Gray makes 2-foot two point shot (Naz Hillmon assists)

48. 3rd Quarter · 8:21

    Allisha Gray makes running layup (Rhyne Howard assists)

49. 3rd Quarter · 8:21

    Allisha Gray makes free throw 1 of 1

50. 3rd Quarter · 7:36

    Allisha Gray makes running layup

51. 3rd Quarter · 7:18

    Sabrina Ionescu makes 28-foot three point jumper (Leonie Fiebich assists)

52. 3rd Quarter · 6:50

    Jordin Canada makes 4-foot two point shot

53. 3rd Quarter · 6:39

    Jonquel Jones makes 2-foot layup (Leonie Fiebich assists)

54. 3rd Quarter · 6:29

    Allisha Gray makes free throw 1 of 3

55. 3rd Quarter · 6:29

    Allisha Gray makes free throw 2 of 3

56. 3rd Quarter · 6:29

    Allisha Gray makes free throw 3 of 3

57. 3rd Quarter · 6:12

    Pauline Astier makes 25-foot three pointer (Jonquel Jones assists)

58. 3rd Quarter · 4:58

    Sabrina Ionescu makes 22-foot three point jumper (Jonquel Jones assists)

59. 3rd Quarter · 4:21

    Breanna Stewart makes driving layup (Pauline Astier assists)

60. 3rd Quarter · 3:21

    Allisha Gray makes driving layup

61. 3rd Quarter · 2:46

    Rhyne Howard makes 26-foot three point jumper (DeWanna Bonner assists)

62. 3rd Quarter · 2:26

    Jonquel Jones makes 4-foot two point shot

63. 3rd Quarter · 2:13

    Te-Hina Paopao makes 27-foot three point jumper (Angel Reese assists)

64. 3rd Quarter · 2:03

    Sabrina Ionescu makes free throw 1 of 2

65. 3rd Quarter · 2:03

    Sabrina Ionescu makes free throw 2 of 2

66. 3rd Quarter · 1:33

    Jordin Canada makes driving layup

67. 3rd Quarter · 1:14

    Rhyne Howard makes driving layup (Jordin Canada assists)

68. 3rd Quarter · 55.1

    Breanna Stewart makes 3-foot layup (Jonquel Jones assists)

69. 3rd Quarter · 46.3

    Rhyne Howard makes 24-foot three pointer

70. 3rd Quarter · 30.1

    Rebekah Gardner makes 26-foot three point jumper (Leonie Fiebich assists)

71. 3rd Quarter · 6.4

    DeWanna Bonner makes 22-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)

72. 4th Quarter · 9:32

    Allisha Gray makes 3-foot layup (Jordin Canada assists)

73. 4th Quarter · 9:18

    Leonie Fiebich makes free throw 1 of 2

74. 4th Quarter · 8:51

    Breanna Stewart makes 11-foot pullup jump shot

75. 4th Quarter · 8:40

    Rhyne Howard makes free throw 1 of 2

76. 4th Quarter · 8:40

    Rhyne Howard makes free throw 2 of 2

77. 4th Quarter · 8:01

    Rebecca Allen makes 25-foot three point jumper (Breanna Stewart assists)

78. 4th Quarter · 6:52

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 1 of 2

79. 4th Quarter · 6:52

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 2 of 2

80. 4th Quarter · 6:38

    Jonquel Jones makes 23-foot three point jumper (Breanna Stewart assists)

81. 4th Quarter · 5:25

    DeWanna Bonner makes running layup

82. 4th Quarter · 4:43

    DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 2 of 2

83. 4th Quarter · 4:34

    Breanna Stewart makes driving layup

84. 4th Quarter · 4:34

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 1

85. 4th Quarter · 3:31

    Angel Reese makes layup (Jordin Canada assists)

86. 4th Quarter · 3:24

    Sabrina Ionescu makes free throw 1 of 2

87. 4th Quarter · 3:24

    Sabrina Ionescu makes free throw 2 of 2

88. 4th Quarter · 3:16

    Jordin Canada makes driving layup

89. 4th Quarter · 2:56

    Breanna Stewart makes 15-foot pullup jump shot

90. 4th Quarter · 2:36

    Angel Reese makes free throw 1 of 2

91. 4th Quarter · 2:36

    Angel Reese makes free throw 2 of 2

92. 4th Quarter · 2:28

    Breanna Stewart makes driving layup (Pauline Astier assists)

93. 4th Quarter · 1:55

    DeWanna Bonner makes technical free throw

94. 4th Quarter · 1:55

    Angel Reese makes free throw 1 of 2

95. 4th Quarter · 1:55

    Angel Reese makes free throw 2 of 2

96. 4th Quarter · 1:42

    Breanna Stewart makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot (Pauline Astier assists)

97. 4th Quarter · 1:42

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 1

98. 4th Quarter · 1:10

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 1 of 2

99. 4th Quarter · 1:10

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 2 of 2

100. 4th Quarter · 1:01

     Jonquel Jones makes free throw 2 of 3

101. 4th Quarter · 50.1

     Jordin Canada makes free throw 1 of 2

102. 4th Quarter · 50.1

     Jordin Canada makes free throw 2 of 2