Despite losing home-court advantage for the first round, the New York Liberty won’t lack for confidence when the WNBA playoffs begin on Sunday.
After all, the Liberty (26-17) won the WNBA championship in 2024, and they retain the core of that team. The Liberty also won the Commissioner’s Cup final over Las Vegas earlier this year.
On Wednesday, the Liberty will host the Atlanta Dream in the regular-season finale for both squads. Both teams have already clinched playoff berths, but seeding is still in question.
The Dream defeated host New York 95-84 on Monday, ensuring Atlanta will have a top-four playoff seed and the Liberty will start the playoffs on the road seeded somewhere between fifth and eighth.
Liberty star Breanna Stewart posted game highs in points (27) and rebounds (14) as fans chanted “M-V-P.” Stewart also picked up her first technical foul since 2017. Stewart believed she was fouled by Dream star Angel Reese on a key play late in that game, but there was no call.
“She slapped the (expletive) out of my hand,” Stewart said. “You have to see that, baseline ref.”
Stewart is averaging 20.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists this season, and perhaps that technical foul is a sign that her intensity level is peaking just in time for the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Atlanta (29-14) has won four straight games. With a win on Wednesday, the Dream would tie the franchise record for regular-season victories, which was set last year.
Atlanta has never won a WNBA title, reaching the championship series three times (2010, 2011, 2013).
Perhaps this will be a Dream year for Atlanta as Reese has set all kinds of WNBA rebound records, and also has a record 32 double-doubles this season.
Despite going 0-for-3 on 3-pointers and 4-for-8 on free throws on Monday, Reese finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds. For the season, she is averaging 16.6 points and 12.3 rebounds while shooting 45.3% on field goals and 19.6% on 3-pointers.
Then again, the Dream are more than just Reese. On Monday, for example, five Atlanta players scored in double figures, including veteran DeWanna Bonner, who had 17 points.
“It just shows you how good our team is and how balanced we are,” Reese said. “(Bonner) was huge. She gave us a spark off the bench.”
Allisha Gray leads the Dream in scoring average (18.9), followed by Rhyne Howard (18.0). Jordin Canada leads the squad in assists (7.3), and Howard is No. 1 in steals (2.3).
In fact, the Dream lead the league in steals per game (9.0), and they are the type of defense-first team that has given New York trouble this season. The Liberty are 1-4 this season against the two teams that best fit that profile, Atlanta and Golden State.
–Field Level Media
