Photo Credit: Atlanta Dream/Instagram
By: Jennifer Portee
Jordin Canada scored 19 points, Angel Reese added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and the Atlanta Dream moved closer to securing home-court advantage in the opening round of the WNBA playoffs with a 95-84 victory over the New York Liberty on Monday night.
DeWanna Bonner scored 17 points, Rhyne Howard had 16, and Allisha Gray delivered a key third-quarter response as Atlanta improved to 29-14. The Dream can clinch a top-four seed and home court in the first round with a win over New York on Wednesday, or with an Indiana loss in either of its final two regular-season games.
Atlanta did not pull away until after halftime.
The Dream took a 41-38 lead into the locker room after a tightly played first half in which neither team found much offensive flow. New York led by one after the first quarter, fueled by 10 points from Pauline Astier, while its defense held Howard and Gray scoreless on a combined 0-for-5 shooting.
But the Liberty’s perimeter shooting left points on the floor. New York went 1-for-13 from 3-point range in the first half, and Atlanta stayed close long enough to find its opening.
Bonner gave Atlanta a late lift heading into halftime. With 3.1 seconds remaining, she came down with an offensive rebound, finished through contact and converted the free throw to put the Dream ahead by three.
Gray came out of the break aggressive after going scoreless in the first half. She scored 12 points in the third quarter, including seven during a 9-2 Atlanta run that gave the Dream separation. Howard followed with 10 points in the period as the Dream turned a three-point halftime edge into a 73-62 lead entering the fourth.
New York made a few pushes in the final quarter and trimmed the margin to eight several times, but it could not get closer. Canada kept Atlanta settled, Reese controlled the glass, and the Dream had enough scoring across the lineup to keep the Liberty from building momentum.
Breanna Stewart finished with 27 points and 14 rebounds for New York (26-17). Jonquel Jones added 18 points and 12 rebounds, but the Liberty could not extend their three-game winning streak and will open the playoffs on the road.
Before tipoff, the Liberty honored seven players who recently represented their countries in the women’s FIBA World Cup. Stewart led the United States to gold and earned tournament MVP honors, while Marine Johannes and Astier helped France capture silver. Raquel Carrera and Spain earned bronze.
Atlanta will have the opportunity to finish the job Wednesday. One more win over the Liberty would give the Dream the top-four position they have been working toward and bring postseason basketball back to Atlanta with home court on the line.