Overview
- Angel Reese, the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, posted 17 points, seven rebounds and seven combined steals and blocks in Sunday’s 92-82 Game 1 win.
- Atlanta forced 21 turnovers and scored 32 points off those turnovers, including nine steals in the decisive third quarter that flipped a halftime deficit into a double‑digit lead.
- Jordin Canada and veteran DeWanna Bonner stepped up offensively and combined for 48 points as Atlanta absorbed Allisha Gray’s exit with a left‑hand injury.
- New York’s stars struggled to convert the extra possessions into consistent playmaking as Sabrina Ionescu had 27 points but just one assist and Breanna Stewart faced a slow start.
- Game 2 is set for Wednesday in Atlanta and will hinge on Gray’s availability and whether the Liberty can cut turnovers and improve ball movement to slow Atlanta’s transition attack.