Angel Reese, Dream Sweep Liberty to Reach First WNBA Finals Since 2013

Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream are headed to the WNBA Finals. Reese scored 22 points Friday night as Atlanta survived the New York Liberty 85-83 in Brooklyn, completing a 3-0 semifinal sweep and earning the franchise’s first Finals appearance since 2013. Rhyne Howard added 21 points, while DeWanna Bonner hit two late free throws after Breanna Stewart missed a contested layup that could have tied the game. Atlanta finished the series without dropping a game and won despite leading scorer Allisha Gray being unavailable again because of a finger injury.

The significance goes beyond one closeout win. Reese arrived in Atlanta this offseason and has quickly become central to a team now four victories from the first championship in franchise history. Against New York, her scoring helped fill the void left by Gray, and the Dream again showed they can survive a high-pressure finish against a veteran opponent. The matchup also carried extra edge, with Reese and Jonquel Jones each receiving technical fouls during a physical game.

Atlanta now gets a week to prepare for the Golden State Valkyries, who also completed a semifinal sweep Friday night. The Finals begin Oct. 17 at Chase Center. For a Dream franchise that had not reached this stage in 13 years, the opportunity is suddenly much bigger than simply making a deep playoff run: Atlanta enters the championship series unbeaten this postseason and with a legitimate chance to finish the job.