Dream close strong after Liberty rally, edge New York 85-83 behind Canada and Reese

Canada turned the game back Atlanta’s way

The Dream spent most of the night playing from in front. After Jonquel Jones opened the scoring for New York, Atlanta ran off the next surge behind Rhyne Howard, DeWanna Bonner and Angel Reese, moving ahead 8-2 and then 20-12. Howard’s third three-pointer of the opening quarter pushed the margin to nine, and Atlanta carried a 25-18 lead into the second.

New York kept threatening without quite completing the turn. The Liberty cut the margin to two more than once in the second quarter, but Atlanta found timely baskets from Isobel Borlase and Reese and took a 44-39 lead to halftime when Reese finished inside with 18 seconds left. Early in the third, Bonner and Reese stretched the advantage to 51-39, giving the Dream their largest cushion of the night.

That looked like a moment to seize control, but the Liberty finally broke the pattern. Jones drove the comeback with a three, interior finishes and a tip shot, while Stewart and Marine Fauthoux added key baskets as New York won the third quarter 29-22. Stewart’s free throws with 32.9 seconds left in the period gave the Liberty a 68-66 edge, their first lead since the opening minute.

The lead did not last long. Sabrina Ionescu opened the fourth with a three for a 71-66 New York advantage, then Atlanta answered through the players who had carried it all evening. Howard scored on consecutive possessions, Canada drilled a 24-foot three for a 73-71 lead, and the Dream never trailed again. Canada added two free throws and a short jumper, Bonner made five free throws in the final 3:15, and Stewart’s basket at 0.0 was too late to change the result.

Reese set the tone, and Atlanta kept finding another scorer

Atlanta’s best work came from the variety of its main contributors. Reese finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and three assists, scoring from the paint, the line and beyond the arc. Howard added 21 points with four made threes, while Canada produced the sort of point-guard line that settles a close game: 19 points, 11 assists and no turnovers in 38 minutes.

Bonner’s night was quieter as a scorer, but it mattered everywhere else. She paired 13 points with 13 rebounds, including 12 on the defensive glass, and her late free throws gave Atlanta the last bit of separation it needed. Borlase also gave the Dream an efficient lift off the bench, scoring 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting and helping keep Atlanta’s offence moving when the Liberty made their third-quarter charge.

The Dream did not win with overwhelming shooting. New York actually posted the better field-goal percentage, 43.5 to 40.6. Atlanta’s edge came from the shape of its offence and the care it took with the ball. The Dream recorded 19 assists, grabbed 33 rebounds, collected nine on the offensive end and finished with only eight total turnovers. Those are not glamorous numbers, but they are exactly the kind that let a team survive a hot stretch from a contender on the road.

New York, for its part, got star-level production from its front line. Stewart scored 26 points and did not miss at the foul line, going 13 for 13 while adding six assists. Jones matched her with 26 points of her own, shot 11 for 17, pulled down 14 rebounds and blocked three shots. Ionescu chipped in 12 points with four made threes, and Fauthoux contributed nine points, including important baskets during the Liberty’s third-quarter surge.

Our take: the Dream owned the small margins

Games this close rarely belong to one dramatic moment alone. Atlanta earned this result in the less spectacular parts of the box score. The Dream rebounded better, 33-29. They turned the ball over less, 8 times to New York’s 11. They also turned those mistakes into a 12-7 advantage in points off turnovers. Add 22 made free throws to that equation, and the path to an 85-point road win becomes clear even without a great shooting night.

For the Liberty, the comeback itself was a warning to any opponent; Stewart and Jones can flip a game in a hurry, and a 29-point third quarter proved it. But the fourth quarter belonged to Atlanta’s control. After Ionescu’s three made it 71-66, New York did not lead again. If there is an obvious area to revisit, it is the possession battle. When a team shoots slightly better but still loses, the missing ground is often found in rebounds, turnovers and the extra chances they create or erase. On this night, those details stayed with the Dream.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 9:26

   Jonquel Jones makes two point shot

2. 1st Quarter · 9:12

   Rhyne Howard makes 28-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)

3. 1st Quarter · 8:16

   DeWanna Bonner makes 18-foot running pullup jump shot

4. 1st Quarter · 7:19

   Angel Reese makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)

5. 1st Quarter · 7:03

   Jonquel Jones makes 2-foot reverse layup (Breanna Stewart assists)

6. 1st Quarter · 6:27

   Sabrina Ionescu makes 24-foot turnaround jump shot

7. 1st Quarter · 6:10

   Angel Reese makes 2-foot two point shot (Jordin Canada assists)

8. 1st Quarter · 5:11

   Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 2

9. 1st Quarter · 5:11

   Breanna Stewart makes free throw 2 of 2

10. 1st Quarter · 4:59

    Rhyne Howard makes 3-foot layup (Angel Reese assists)

11. 1st Quarter · 4:43

    Jonquel Jones makes 23-foot three point jumper (Sabrina Ionescu assists)

12. 1st Quarter · 4:36

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

13. 1st Quarter · 3:40

    Angel Reese makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)

14. 1st Quarter · 3:02

    Rhyne Howard makes 27-foot three point jumper (Angel Reese assists)

15. 1st Quarter · 2:38

    Marine Fauthoux makes driving layup

16. 1st Quarter · 2:08

    Jonquel Jones makes 3-foot layup (Marine Johannes assists)

17. 1st Quarter · 1:19

    Isobel Borlase makes 13-foot pullup jump shot (Naz Hillmon assists)

18. 1st Quarter · 43.5

    Rhyne Howard makes 28-foot three point jumper (Naz Hillmon assists)

19. 1st Quarter · 27.3

    Marine Fauthoux makes driving layup

20. 2nd Quarter · 9:03

    Angel Reese makes free throw 1 of 2

21. 2nd Quarter · 9:03

    Angel Reese makes free throw 2 of 2

22. 2nd Quarter · 8:45

    Han Xu makes free throw 1 of 2

23. 2nd Quarter · 8:45

    Han Xu makes free throw 2 of 2

24. 2nd Quarter · 7:58

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 1

25. 2nd Quarter · 7:34

    Sabrina Ionescu makes 23-foot three pointer (Jonquel Jones assists)

26. 2nd Quarter · 6:36

    Isobel Borlase makes 6-foot driving floating jump shot (Angel Reese assists)

27. 2nd Quarter · 6:07

    Isobel Borlase makes 6-foot running jump shot (DeWanna Bonner assists)

28. 2nd Quarter · 4:22

    Leonie Fiebich makes 3-foot two point shot (Jonquel Jones assists)

29. 2nd Quarter · 4:22

    Leonie Fiebich makes free throw 1 of 1

30. 2nd Quarter · 3:36

    Jonquel Jones makes free throw 1 of 2

31. 2nd Quarter · 3:36

    Jonquel Jones makes free throw 2 of 2

32. 2nd Quarter · 3:04

    DeWanna Bonner makes 18-foot pullup jump shot

33. 2nd Quarter · 2:28

    Leonie Fiebich makes 25-foot three point jumper (Breanna Stewart assists)

34. 2nd Quarter · 2:17

    Jordin Canada makes 3-foot two point shot

35. 2nd Quarter · 2:17

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 1 of 1

36. 2nd Quarter · 2:08

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 2

37. 2nd Quarter · 2:08

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 2 of 2

38. 2nd Quarter · 1:51

    Isobel Borlase makes 10-foot turnaround jump shot

39. 2nd Quarter · 1:23

    Jonquel Jones makes two point shot

40. 2nd Quarter · 1:11

    Angel Reese makes 2-foot layup (Jordin Canada assists)

41. 2nd Quarter · 50.8

    Breanna Stewart makes 23-foot three point jumper (Marine Fauthoux assists)

42. 2nd Quarter · 47.4

    Angel Reese makes free throw 1 of 2

43. 2nd Quarter · 47.4

    Angel Reese makes free throw 2 of 2

44. 2nd Quarter · 18.0

    Angel Reese makes driving layup (Jordin Canada assists)

45. 3rd Quarter · 9:45

    Rhyne Howard makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)

46. 3rd Quarter · 9:17

    DeWanna Bonner makes 14-foot pullup jump shot

47. 3rd Quarter · 8:21

    Angel Reese makes free throw 1 of 2

48. 3rd Quarter · 8:21

    Angel Reese makes free throw 2 of 2

49. 3rd Quarter · 7:54

    Sabrina Ionescu makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot

50. 3rd Quarter · 7:26

    Jonquel Jones makes 26-foot three point jumper (Breanna Stewart assists)

51. 3rd Quarter · 6:28

    Jonquel Jones makes two point shot

52. 3rd Quarter · 5:43

    Jonquel Jones makes driving layup (Sabrina Ionescu assists)

53. 3rd Quarter · 5:32

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 1 of 2

54. 3rd Quarter · 5:32

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 2 of 2

55. 3rd Quarter · 5:14

    Marine Fauthoux makes 23-foot three point jumper (Breanna Stewart assists)

56. 3rd Quarter · 5:06

    Jordin Canada makes driving layup

57. 3rd Quarter · 4:49

    Breanna Stewart makes driving layup

58. 3rd Quarter · 4:39

    Jonquel Jones makes tip shot

59. 3rd Quarter · 4:33

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 1 of 2

60. 3rd Quarter · 4:33

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 2 of 2

61. 3rd Quarter · 4:24

    Breanna Stewart makes 9-foot pullup jump shot

62. 3rd Quarter · 3:31

    Jordin Canada makes running layup

63. 3rd Quarter · 3:31

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 1 of 1

64. 3rd Quarter · 3:15

    Breanna Stewart makes layup (Sabrina Ionescu assists)

65. 3rd Quarter · 2:27

    Leonie Fiebich makes free throw 1 of 2

66. 3rd Quarter · 2:27

    Leonie Fiebich makes free throw 2 of 2

67. 3rd Quarter · 2:02

    Isobel Borlase makes 11-foot step back jumpshot

68. 3rd Quarter · 1:43

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 2

69. 3rd Quarter · 1:43

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 2 of 2

70. 3rd Quarter · 1:11

    Marine Fauthoux makes running layup (Breanna Stewart assists)

71. 3rd Quarter · 59.1

    DeWanna Bonner makes 2-foot layup (Isobel Borlase assists)

72. 3rd Quarter · 45.6

    Angel Reese makes two point shot (Jordin Canada assists)

73. 3rd Quarter · 32.9

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 2

74. 3rd Quarter · 32.9

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 2 of 2

75. 4th Quarter · 9:26

    Sabrina Ionescu makes 25-foot three point jumper (Leonie Fiebich assists)

76. 4th Quarter · 7:57

    Rhyne Howard makes free throw 1 of 2

77. 4th Quarter · 7:57

    Rhyne Howard makes free throw 2 of 2

78. 4th Quarter · 7:24

    Rhyne Howard makes driving layup (Jordin Canada assists)

79. 4th Quarter · 5:23

    Jordin Canada makes 24-foot three pointer (Naz Hillmon assists)

80. 4th Quarter · 4:55

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 1 of 2

81. 4th Quarter · 4:55

    Jordin Canada makes free throw 2 of 2

82. 4th Quarter · 4:04

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 2

83. 4th Quarter · 4:04

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 2 of 2

84. 4th Quarter · 3:48

    Rhyne Howard makes 4-foot layup (Jordin Canada assists)

85. 4th Quarter · 3:48

    Rhyne Howard makes free throw 1 of 1

86. 4th Quarter · 3:32

    Breanna Stewart makes 5-foot turnaround jump shot (Jonquel Jones assists)

87. 4th Quarter · 3:15

    DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 1 of 3

88. 4th Quarter · 3:15

    DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 2 of 3

89. 4th Quarter · 3:15

    DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 3 of 3

90. 4th Quarter · 2:55

    Jonquel Jones makes layup

91. 4th Quarter · 2:12

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 2

92. 4th Quarter · 2:12

    Breanna Stewart makes free throw 2 of 2

93. 4th Quarter · 1:15

    Jordin Canada makes 4-foot two point shot

94. 4th Quarter · 59.0

    Jonquel Jones makes layup (Breanna Stewart assists)

95. 4th Quarter · 6.2

    DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 1 of 2

96. 4th Quarter · 6.2

    DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 2 of 2

97. 4th Quarter · 0.2

    Breanna Stewart makes two point shot