Angel Reese Pushes Dream One Win From WNBA Finals After Overtime Statement

Angel Reese delivered when Atlanta needed her most, scoring 23 points as the Dream outlasted the New York Liberty 101-98 in overtime Wednesday night to seize a 2-0 lead in the WNBA semifinals. Reese scored six of Atlanta’s 13 points in the extra period and knocked down two pressure free throws with 4.3 seconds remaining. Jordin Canada added 23 points and eight assists, while Naz Hillmon’s layup with 20.8 seconds left put Atlanta ahead for good. The Dream won despite playing without leading scorer Allisha Gray.

The bigger story is what Reese’s performance says about Atlanta’s championship ceiling. New York got 35 points from Breanna Stewart and still could not break the Dream’s balance, defense and late-game execution. Reese did more than fill the box score: she gave Atlanta a dependable interior option in the most important possessions of the night and helped close a game that featured 17 lead changes and eight ties.

Atlanta now heads to Brooklyn for Friday’s Game 3 with a chance to reach the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013. No team wants to give a veteran Liberty roster extra life, so the Dream’s best opportunity is to finish the series immediately. Reese has already helped put them on the doorstep; one more win would turn a strong postseason run into a Finals breakthrough.