98 — 101
A game that kept changing hands
Atlanta and New York were level after one quarter, separated by almost nothing except style. Stewart and Jonquel Jones gave the Liberty early scoring punch, but the Dream answered with perimeter shooting from Jordin Canada and Isobel Borlase and enough inside work from Angel Reese and Naz Hillmon to erase a seven-point deficit. The opening 10 minutes ended 26-26, an accurate preview of a night that would feature 17 lead changes and very little room to breathe.
The first real swing came early in the second. New York moved in front 29-26 on a Jones three, then Atlanta answered with a 10-0 burst. Reese started it with a three-pointer, turned her next touch into a layup and free throw, and Canada added two more baskets as the Dream climbed to 36-29. That sequence mattered because it showed how Atlanta would stay in the game even on a night when its overall shooting percentage never matched New York’s: the Dream kept generating another possession, another trip, another chance to score.
The Liberty were too efficient to let the game get away. Stewart kept scoring in the middle of the quarter, Jones finished around the rim, and New York briefly reclaimed the lead before Atlanta closed the half in front 56-54. Rhyne Howard hit a three at 1:35, Bonner converted a late layup, and Howard struck again from deep with 28.5 seconds left. The third quarter followed the same pattern. Borlase hit back-to-back threes for Atlanta late in the period, but Fauthoux answered with a driving layup, another layup and a 24-foot banked three with 6.2 seconds left, trimming the margin to 75-74.
Fauthoux forces extra time, then Atlanta answers again
The fourth quarter tightened into a possession-by-possession finish. Atlanta inched ahead 77-74, New York answered, and the Dream eventually built an 86-80 lead when Howard finished a layup through contact and added the free throw with 1:55 remaining. That should have been enough breathing room for most teams. Against this Liberty roster, it only set up the next turn.
Sabrina Ionescu buried a three with 1:40 left to cut the deficit to three. Stewart drove for a layup with 26.5 seconds remaining, and after Reese made two free throws with 14.5 seconds left, New York still had one clean chance. Fauthoux took it, drilling a 24-foot three with 10.3 seconds on the clock to tie the game at 88-88 and send it to overtime.
Extra time was just as volatile. Howard opened with a three-point play, Reese scored inside, and Atlanta led 93-88 before Fauthoux hit another three. Leonie Fiebich tied it at 93-93, then Jones knocked down a three with 2:01 left to give New York its last lead at 96-93. Atlanta did not panic. Canada answered with a short jumper, Reese finished a layup to restore the lead at 97-96, Stewart briefly put New York back ahead 98-97, and Hillmon responded with the decisive layup at 20.8 seconds. Reese then made both free throws with 4.3 seconds left, supplying the final margin.
Our take: Atlanta won the possession game
The cleanest explanation for this result sits in the team totals. New York shot 54.7 per cent from the field and 48 per cent from three, numbers that usually win. Atlanta shot only 40.5 per cent overall. Yet the Dream attempted 20 more field goals, grabbed 11 offensive rebounds, committed only nine total turnovers and turned New York’s 17 turnovers into 28 points. Add a 21-for-23 night at the foul line against the Liberty’s 16-for-23, and Atlanta created enough extra offence to survive the efficiency gap.
Canada and Reese were the centre of that formula. Canada finished with 23 points and eight assists, hit three threes, and kept finding a basket whenever Atlanta needed one late. Reese matched her with 23 points, added seven rebounds, went 6-for-6 at the line, and scored twice in the final 45 seconds of overtime if the free throws are counted as the closer they were. Hillmon’s line was quieter but just as useful: 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists and no turnovers in 44 minutes. Howard shot 5-for-20, but her 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists still included the overtime opener and the assist on Hillmon’s winner.
For New York, the stars nearly stole it anyway. Stewart posted 35 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in 43 minutes. Jones gave Atlanta problems all night with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting and four blocks, while Fauthoux’s 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting nearly turned the finish. If the Liberty want a cleaner ending next time, the obvious fixes are ball security and free throws, not shot-making. If Atlanta wants to make nights like this less perilous, better finishing from the floor would help; the Dream had to overcome 34-for-84 shooting, including 2-for-11 from Bonner and 5-for-20 from Howard. On this night, though, the extra possessions were enough to carry them.
Scoring moments
- 1st Quarter · 9:31
Jonquel Jones makes two point shot
- 1st Quarter · 9:19
Jordin Canada makes driving layup
- 1st Quarter · 7:32
Naz Hillmon makes 1-foot layup (DeWanna Bonner assists)
- 1st Quarter · 7:13
Jonquel Jones makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 7:13
Jonquel Jones makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 7:03
Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 7:03
Breanna Stewart makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 6:26
Breanna Stewart makes 24-foot three pointer
- 1st Quarter · 6:11
Jordin Canada makes 24-foot three point jumper (Naz Hillmon assists)
- 1st Quarter · 6:00
Breanna Stewart makes 23-foot three point jumper (Pauline Astier assists)
- 1st Quarter · 5:30
Breanna Stewart makes 4-foot two point shot
- 1st Quarter · 5:11
Angel Reese makes layup (Rhyne Howard assists)
- 1st Quarter · 4:45
Naz Hillmon makes layup (Jordin Canada assists)
- 1st Quarter · 4:45
Naz Hillmon makes free throw 1 of 1
- 1st Quarter · 4:23
Breanna Stewart makes 11-foot two point shot (Marine Fauthoux assists)
- 1st Quarter · 4:05
Rhyne Howard makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 4:05
Rhyne Howard makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 3:28
Angel Reese makes tip shot
- 1st Quarter · 3:03
Isobel Borlase makes 24-foot running jump shot (Jordin Canada assists)
- 1st Quarter · 2:42
Marine Fauthoux makes 25-foot three point jumper (Breanna Stewart assists)
- 1st Quarter · 2:13
Sabrina Ionescu makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 1:37
Rebekah Gardner makes 22-foot three point jumper (Marine Fauthoux assists)
- 1st Quarter · 1:17
DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 1:05
Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 52.2
Te-Hina Paopao makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)
- 1st Quarter · 23.3
Jordin Canada makes 24-foot three point jumper (Angel Reese assists)
- 1st Quarter · 2.9
Breanna Stewart makes 9-foot turnaround jump shot (Sabrina Ionescu assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 9:28
Jonquel Jones makes 24-foot three point jumper (Leonie Fiebich assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 9:09
Rhyne Howard makes 17-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Quarter · 8:32
Angel Reese makes 24-foot three point jumper (DeWanna Bonner assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 8:05
Angel Reese makes running layup
- 2nd Quarter · 8:05
Angel Reese makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Quarter · 7:43
Jordin Canada makes running layup
- 2nd Quarter · 7:18
Jonquel Jones makes 3-foot two point shot (Marine Johannes assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 7:09
Jordin Canada makes 3-foot two point shot
- 2nd Quarter · 6:59
Pauline Astier makes two point shot
- 2nd Quarter · 6:51
DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 6:51
DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 6:07
Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 6:07
Breanna Stewart makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 5:45
Jonquel Jones makes 2-foot reverse layup (Sabrina Ionescu assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 5:22
Leonie Fiebich makes running layup (Marine Fauthoux assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 4:43
Te-Hina Paopao makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 3:56
Jordin Canada makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 3:56
Jordin Canada makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 3:47
Sabrina Ionescu makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 3:25
Angel Reese makes two point shot
- 2nd Quarter · 3:25
Angel Reese makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Quarter · 3:08
Sabrina Ionescu makes 24-foot three pointer (Leonie Fiebich assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 3:00
Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 3:00
Breanna Stewart makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 2:47
DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 2:47
DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 2:20
Breanna Stewart makes running layup (Sabrina Ionescu assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 2:07
Jonquel Jones makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 1:51
Marine Fauthoux makes driving layup
- 2nd Quarter · 1:35
Rhyne Howard makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 1:13
Breanna Stewart makes two point shot
- 2nd Quarter · 59.9
DeWanna Bonner makes driving layup (Naz Hillmon assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 47.9
Breanna Stewart makes 10-foot jumper (Sabrina Ionescu assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 28.5
Rhyne Howard makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 9:51
Naz Hillmon makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 9:23
Sabrina Ionescu makes 7-foot driving floating jump shot
- 3rd Quarter · 8:18
Naz Hillmon makes layup (Rhyne Howard assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 7:52
Jonquel Jones makes 1-foot layup (Sabrina Ionescu assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 7:43
DeWanna Bonner makes 23-foot running jump shot (Jordin Canada assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 7:14
Jonquel Jones makes tip shot
- 3rd Quarter · 6:27
Pauline Astier makes 23-foot three point jumper (Sabrina Ionescu assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 5:46
Jordin Canada makes 23-foot three point jumper (Angel Reese assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 4:55
Isobel Borlase makes driving layup
- 3rd Quarter · 3:38
Breanna Stewart makes running layup (Rebekah Gardner assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 2:47
Marine Fauthoux makes driving layup
- 3rd Quarter · 2:28
Isobel Borlase makes 23-foot three point jumper (Naz Hillmon assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 1:59
Isobel Borlase makes 24-foot three point jumper (Rhyne Howard assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 1:05
Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 1:05
Breanna Stewart makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 36.0
Marine Fauthoux makes driving layup (Breanna Stewart assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 6.2
Marine Fauthoux makes 24-foot jump bank shot (Breanna Stewart assists)
- 4th Quarter · 7:41
Jordin Canada makes driving layup
- 4th Quarter · 7:18
Jonquel Jones makes two point shot (Breanna Stewart assists)
- 4th Quarter · 7:01
Jordin Canada makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot
- 4th Quarter · 6:40
Marine Fauthoux makes driving layup
- 4th Quarter · 3:53
Rhyne Howard makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 3:53
Rhyne Howard makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 3:31
Angel Reese makes layup (Naz Hillmon assists)
- 4th Quarter · 3:17
Breanna Stewart makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 3:17
Breanna Stewart makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 1:55
Rhyne Howard makes 2-foot layup (Jordin Canada assists)
- 4th Quarter · 1:55
Rhyne Howard makes free throw 1 of 1
- 4th Quarter · 1:40
Sabrina Ionescu makes 24-foot three pointer
- 4th Quarter · 26.5
Breanna Stewart makes driving layup (Leonie Fiebich assists)
- 4th Quarter · 14.5
Angel Reese makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 14.5
Angel Reese makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 10.3
Marine Fauthoux makes 24-foot three point jumper (Breanna Stewart assists)
- OT · 4:05
Rhyne Howard makes driving layup
- OT · 4:05
Rhyne Howard makes free throw 1 of 1
- OT · 3:37
Angel Reese makes 2-foot layup (DeWanna Bonner assists)
- OT · 3:13
Marine Fauthoux makes 26-foot three pointer
- OT · 2:37
Leonie Fiebich makes driving layup (Breanna Stewart assists)
- OT · 2:01
Jonquel Jones makes 24-foot three point jumper (Marine Fauthoux assists)
- OT · 1:47
Jordin Canada makes 7-foot two point shot
- OT · 44.3
Angel Reese makes layup (Naz Hillmon assists)
- OT · 33.8
Breanna Stewart makes 1-foot layup (Sabrina Ionescu assists)
- OT · 20.8
Naz Hillmon makes layup (Rhyne Howard assists)
- OT · 4.3
Angel Reese makes free throw 1 of 2
- OT · 4.3
Angel Reese makes free throw 2 of 2
New York Liberty — Players
| Player | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | OREB | DREB | PF | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breanna Stewart | 43 | 35 | 11-21 | 2-4 | 11-13 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 3 | +2 |
| Leonie Fiebich | 43 | 4 | 2-5 | 0-3 | 0-0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | -2 |
| Jonquel Jones | 38 | 21 | 8-11 | 2-4 | 3-4 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | +3 |
| Sabrina Ionescu | 38 | 10 | 3-8 | 2-4 | 2-6 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +8 |
| Pauline Astier | 14 | 5 | 2-6 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -6 |
| Han Xu | 7 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -6 |
| Rebekah Gardner | 6 | 3 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -5 |
| Rebecca Allen | 2 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -5 |
| Marine Johannes | 3 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -7 |
| Marine Fauthoux | 31 | 20 | 8-10 | 4-6 | 0-0 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | +3 |
Atlanta Dream — Players
| Player | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | OREB | DREB | PF | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeWanna Bonner | 34 | 10 | 2-11 | 1-4 | 5-6 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | -9 |
| Naz Hillmon | 44 | 12 | 5-11 | 1-6 | 1-1 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 | +2 |
| Angel Reese | 39 | 23 | 8-16 | 1-2 | 6-6 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | +11 |
| Jordin Canada | 39 | 23 | 9-15 | 3-6 | 2-2 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +7 |
| Rhyne Howard | 44 | 18 | 5-20 | 2-6 | 6-6 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Madina Okot | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| Te-Hina Paopao | 10 | 4 | 1-2 | 1-1 | 1-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +4 |
| Isobel Borlase | 14 | 11 | 4-9 | 3-5 | 0-0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | +1 |
New York Liberty — Team statistics
| FG | 35-64 |
|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 55 |
| 3PT | 12-25 |
| Three Point % | 48 |
| FT | 16-23 |
| Free Throw % | 70 |
| Rebounds | 36 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 5 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 31 |
| Assists | 23 |
| Steals | 6 |
| Blocks | 7 |
| Turnovers | 16 |
| Team Turnovers | 1 |
| Total Turnovers | 17 |
| Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 28 |
| Fast Break Points | 8 |
| Points in Paint | 44 |
| Fouls | 25 |
| Largest Lead | 7 |
| Lead Changes | 17 |
| Percent Led | 20 |
Atlanta Dream — Team statistics
| FG | 34-84 |
|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 40 |
| 3PT | 12-30 |
| Three Point % | 40 |
| FT | 21-23 |
| Free Throw % | 91 |
| Rebounds | 35 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 11 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 24 |
| Assists | 22 |
| Steals | 7 |
| Blocks | 2 |
| Turnovers | 7 |
| Team Turnovers | 2 |
| Total Turnovers | 9 |
| Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 10 |
| Fast Break Points | 11 |
| Points in Paint | 42 |
| Fouls | 18 |
| Largest Lead | 8 |
| Lead Changes | 17 |
| Percent Led | 67 |