Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
Tip-off: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV/Streaming: ESPN2
This is a critical Game 3 of the best-of-five WNBA Semifinals. The Atlanta Dream hold a commanding 2-0 series lead after winning Game 1 (92-82) and a dramatic overtime Game 2 (101-98) at home in Atlanta. No team in WNBA history has ever come back from an 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five series. The Liberty face a must-win situation on their home floor to keep their season alive, while the Dream are one victory away from advancing to their first WNBA Finals since 2013.
Injury Reports
Atlanta Dream:
Allisha Gray (G, left hand/finger) — Out for Game 2; listed as day-to-day heading into Game 3. She suffered the injury in Game 1 and was ruled out of Game 2. Her status for Friday is uncertain but she remains day-to-day.
Brionna Jones (F) — Out for the remainder of the season (left leg).
New York Liberty: No major new injuries reported impacting the core rotation for Game 3. Key players Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones are expected to be available.
Current Player Rosters / Key Contributors
Atlanta Dream:Key players include Angel Reese (dominant interior presence and scorer), Jordin Canada (playmaking and scoring guard), Rhyne Howard (scoring wing), Naz Hillmon (versatile forward), DeWanna Bonner (veteran scorer who stepped up significantly with Gray out), Isobel Borlase, and others. The Dream have received contributions from multiple starters and bench players in the series.
New York Liberty:
Led by Breanna Stewart (superstar two-way force), Sabrina Ionescu (elite guard/playmaker), Jonquel Jones (interior scoring and defense), Leonie Fiebich, Marine Fauthoux, Pauline Astier, and supporting pieces. Stewart has been especially dominant, posting 35 points in Game 2.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Angel Reese vs. Jonquel Jones / Liberty frontcourt: Reese has been a force in the series (23 points in Game 2, including key overtime production). Her physicality and rebounding against Jones will be pivotal in the paint.
Jordin Canada / Rhyne Howard vs. Sabrina Ionescu: Canada erupted for 23 points and 8 assists in Game 2. The backcourt battle and perimeter defense will heavily influence tempo and three-point opportunities.
Breanna Stewart vs. Dream wing defenders (Howard, Bonner, etc.): Stewart’s scoring versatility (35 points in Game 2) is New York’s biggest weapon. Limiting her efficiency is essential for Atlanta.
Bench and secondary scoring: DeWanna Bonner’s expanded role for Atlanta versus Liberty depth players.
Recent Team Forms
Dream (2-0 in series): Excellent regular-season form (30-14, top of the East) carried into the playoffs with a first-round sweep and now a 2-0 series lead. They showed resilience in overtime in Game 2 despite missing Gray, with balanced scoring (five players in double figures in key moments) and timely plays from Reese, Canada, and Hillmon.
Liberty (0-2 in series): Strong regular season (26-18) and a first-round upset sweep of the top-seeded Lynx, but they have dropped both games in Atlanta. Stewart has carried a heavy load, but the supporting cast needs more consistent production, and turnovers (including a costly one by Ionescu late in Game 2 OT) have hurt them.
Series History
The teams met multiple times in the 2026 regular season, with Atlanta taking the more recent matchups. In the Semifinals, the Dream have controlled the series so far with superior balance and clutch execution. Historical WNBA trends heavily favor the team leading 2-0 in a best-of-five (historically undefeated in closing out such series).
GAME ODDS
New York Liberty 171.5
Atlanta Dream – 3
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, October 8, 2026
