The Atlanta Dream secured a narrow 101-98 overtime victory against the New York Liberty on Wednesday night. This win moved them closer to reaching the WNBA Finals, taking a 2-0 lead in the semifinals.
A controversial officiating decision overshadowed the game’s dramatic end. Liberty’s star player, Breanna Stewart, expressed frustration when officials informed the team incorrectly about a reset timeout they still had available during the closing moments.
Stewart explained, “This is not blaming the refs, but when I ask both refs if we have a reset timeout at the end, and they tell us no, and then we leave the game with the reset timeout, it’s pretty frustrating.”
Under WNBA rules, each team receives two team timeouts and one reset timeout in overtime. This timeout allows the team to advance the ball without needing a sideline huddle.
Stewart recounted asking Kevin Fahy, one of the referees, about the availability of the reset timeout. Fahy confirmed, “No,” after consulting with crew chief Fatou Cissoko-Stephens.
In the final moments, a New York turnover gave Atlanta a chance to secure the win. Angel Reese, the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, made crucial free throws to extend the Dream’s lead to three. Stewart’s final attempt to score fell short.
Stewart expressed her disappointment: “Of course, who knows what happened to end the game, but we would have had hopefully a better shot on our goal.”
Officials were not available for comment until hours after the game concluded. In a pool report, Cissoko-Stephens clarified that the Liberty had a reset timeout remaining, even though the referees had said otherwise.
The Liberty formally inquired with the league about this situation. Coach Chris DeMarco voiced his own frustration, stating that multiple staff members were misled about the timeout availability. “We’ve got to demand more,” he said.
Dream coach Karl Smesko also weighed in, saying, “I thought they had a timeout left, but they played as if they didn’t.” Ultimately, the Dream capitalized on New York’s decisions.
Cissoko-Stephens emphasized the importance of teams managing their own timeouts, although it’s tracked by the scorer’s table and stats team.
In the final moments, the Liberty missed a critical opportunity as Sabrina Ionescu lost control of the ball, ending New York’s hopes of a comeback. Ionescu acknowledged her mistake, saying, “This loss is on me. I’ve got to take it on the chin, and I’ve got to be better.”
Atlanta’s victory highlighted their depth, with six players scoring in double figures. Reese and Jordin Canada led with 23 points each, despite Allisha Gray’s absence due to injury.
New York faces tough odds, aiming to become the first WNBA team to overturn a 2-0 playoff deficit in a best-of-five series. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday night in Brooklyn, New York.
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