The New York Liberty face a must-win game against the Atlanta Dream in Game 3 of the 2026 WNBA semifinals on Friday, October 9, after falling behind 2-0 in the best-of-five series.
Playing at Barclays Center, Breanna Stewart and her teammates need a victory to keep their championship defense alive, while Atlanta has a chance to close out the series and secure its first trip to the WNBA Finals since 2013.
Chris DeMarco‘s team has had opportunities to take control of the series but has been unable to finish the job. Atlanta won Game 1 by a 92-82 score before surviving a thrilling overtime battle in Game 2, winning 101-98.
What happens if the NY Liberty win vs. Dream today?
If the New York Liberty defeat the Atlanta Dream in Game 3, they will cut their semifinal series deficit to 2-1 and keep their hopes of reaching the 2026 WNBA Finals alive. New York trails 2-0 in the best-of-five series and must win Friday, October 9, at Barclays Center to avoid elimination.
Jonquel Jones #35 of the New York Liberty and Angel Reese #5 of the Atlanta Dream (Source: Paras Griffin/Jonathan Bachman — Getty Images)
The Liberty have shown they can compete with Atlanta, but they have yet to turn their performances into a win. The Dream took Game 1 by a 92-82 score before earning a dramatic 101-98 overtime victory in Game 2.
What happens if the Atlanta Dream win vs. Liberty today?
If the Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty in Game 3, they will complete a 3-0 sweep of the semifinals and advance to the 2026 WNBA Finals. Atlanta leads the series 2-0 and needs just one more victory to eliminate the defending champions and secure its first Finals appearance since 2013.
The Dream have controlled the series through strong team defense and timely scoring. They opened with a 92-82 win in Atlanta, then survived an overtime thriller in Game 2, with Angel Reese and Jordin Canada scoring 23 points apiece. Naz Hillmon delivered the go-ahead basket in overtime, helping Atlanta move within one win of the championship round.
Can the NY Liberty still reach the 2026 WNBA Finals if they lose Game 3?
No. If the New York Liberty lose Game 3, they will be eliminated from the 2026 WNBA playoffs, and the Atlanta Dream will advance to the Finals with a 3-0 sweep.
The semifinals use a best-of-five format, meaning the first team to win three games advances to the championship series. With Atlanta already holding a 2-0 lead, another victory would end New York’s season.
The stakes are particularly high for the Liberty, who are trying to defend the WNBA championship they won in 2024. New York advanced to the semifinals after sweeping the Minnesota Lynx, becoming the first No. 8 seed in league history to eliminate a No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
However, the team has struggled to contain Atlanta in the current series, losing both games despite a 35-point performance from Breanna Stewart in Game 2.
How many wins do the Liberty need to advance to the WNBA Finals?
The New York Liberty must win three consecutive games to advance to the 2026 WNBA Finals after falling behind the Atlanta Dream 2-0. Because the semifinal series is a best-of-five matchup, New York needs to win Game 3, Game 4 and Game 5 to claim the series 3-2.
The first step is winning Friday’s matchup at Barclays Center. If the Liberty prevail, they will force Game 4 on Sunday, October 11, also in Brooklyn. Should they win that game as well, the series would be tied 2-2, setting up a decisive Game 5 on Wednesday, October 14, in Atlanta.
