No Alisha Gray, no problem.
The Atlanta Dream proved they could win without their leading scorer, edging the New York Liberty 85-83 on Friday night at Barclays Center in Game 3 of their WNBA semifinal series.
With the victory, Atlanta completed a sweep of the Liberty in the 2026 WNBA playoffs and punched its ticket to the WNBA Finals. The Dream will now face the Golden State Valkyries, with a chance to capture the franchise’s first WNBA championship.
The bad dream from Atlanta jumped out to a 25-18 first-quarter lead, powered by 10 points from Angel Reese, 11 points from Ryhne Howard, and 5 assists from Jordin Canada. The visitors were buoyed by do-it-all forward DeWanna Bonner, who stepped into the starting lineup in Gray's absence and grabbed 4 rebounds in the opening frame.
Atlanta opened up a 9-point lead early in the 2nd quarter and felt in control of the game, but the Liberty pulled within 1 point, making it 39-40 after forward Breanna Stewart hit a 3-pointer off a Marine Fauthoux assist. The Dream scored the final 4 points of the 2nd quarter and went into halftime up 44-39
Former MVP center Jonquel Jones paced the Liberty with 13 points and 6 rebounds in the first half, but didn't get much help from stars Sabrina Ionescu or Stewart. Stewart shot poorly, but went 5-for-5 from the line in the half, and Ionescu tallied just 6 points before intermission.
A bit of home cooking in the 3rd quarter, where New York outscored Atlanta 29-22, behind Stewart heating up for 10 points on 3-for-5 shooting, made the arena feel like a Game 4 was possible. But a close 4th quarter, where New York went 1-7 from the 3-point line, was closed out by the visitors after Breanna Stewart 5-foot bank shot missed with 9.9 seconds left and the Liberty trailing b 2, 81-83.
It was all over after that, as the Dream celebrated their trip to the Finals on the Liberty’s home floor.
The Bonner Effect
The 39-year-old Bonner, who stands 6-foot-4, joined Atlanta on Aug. 27 after a buyout from the Phoenix Mercury. She brought two WNBA championships, six All-Star selections and extensive playoff experience to a Dream team that had posted a 25-13 record and already clinched a playoff berth.
Bonner’s length and versatility made Atlanta’s defense more switchable, frustrating the Liberty’s guards and disrupting their offensive rhythm. She figures to play an instrumental role in the Finals, as Atlanta prepares to face the Golden State Valkyries. Game 1 of the WNBA Finals is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17, at 3:30 p.m.
Looking Ahead
The Liberty’s core trio of Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart is under contract through the 2028 season. During the postgame news conference, when asked about an endorsement for the return of their head coach Chris DeMarco, the three danced around the question like Alvin Ailey performers.
Still, questions remain about the team’s defensive identity. The Liberty often appeared a step slow, and management would be wise to prioritize defensive reinforcements in the offseason, adding specialists who can improve the team’s foot speed, perimeter coverage and ability to contain opposing guards.
Whether those changes will be enough remains to be seen. It will also be worth watching whether the Liberty stick with DeMarco or consider a coaching change as they look to regroup and return to championship contention.
