Atlanta sweeps Liberty to reach first WNBA Finals since 2013

The Atlanta Dream swept the New York Liberty 3-0 in the WNBA semifinals, reaching the Finals for the first time since 2013 after an 85-83 win in Game 3 on October 9. Angel Reese led Atlanta with 22 points and added nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the clinching game. The Dream will face the Golden State Valkyries in the Finals, scheduled to begin October 17. Atlanta is seeking its first WNBA championship. The Valkyries secured their place in the series by beating the Las Vegas Aces in overtime, according to reports. Reese, in her first season with Atlanta after two years with the Chicago Sky, said the Finals appearance fulfilled an ambition she had expressed publicly. She recalled posting in October 2025 that she was manifesting a Finals berth, and described reaching the series as a meaningful milestone. Her account of the earlier post and its significance came from her own remarks. After the semifinal victory, Reese also described a training-camp drill that tested her three-point shooting. She said coach Karl Smesko stopped practice and required her to make two consecutive three-pointers before her teammates could resume.