Angel Reese Manifested the Moment: Dream Sweep Liberty to Reach WNBA Finals

The Atlanta Dream are headed to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013, and Angel Reese says the moment is exactly what she envisioned. Atlanta defeated the New York Liberty 85-83 in Game 3 on Friday night, completing a 3-0 semifinal sweep and extending its unbeaten run through the 2026 postseason. Reese scored 22 points, while Rhyne Howard added 21 as Atlanta closed out the series without leading scorer Allisha Gray, who remained sidelined with a finger injury.

Reese’s postgame message made the victory about more than one night. Exactly 364 days after posting about manifesting a Finals appearance while watching the previous championship series, Reese has reached the stage she once watched from home. “I manifested this,” she said, thanking God and her teammates for the opportunity. She also recalled texting former teammate Kahleah Copper last year: “I texted Kah (Kahleah Copper), just get me one game in the playoffs.” Now, Reese has helped Atlanta advance to the biggest stage in the league.

The Dream had to earn the breakthrough in a tense finish. New York’s Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones each scored 26 points, but Stewart missed a contested layup with nine seconds remaining. DeWanna Bonner then converted two free throws with 6.2 seconds left to seal Atlanta’s two-point win. Reese’s impact extended beyond scoring as Atlanta made the defensive stops and clutch plays needed to survive the Liberty’s final push.

Despite reaching the Finals, Reese made clear that Atlanta isn’t treating the accomplishment as the finish line. “The job isn’t done,” she said. “Happy where we are right now. We’re not satisfied.” The Dream will face the Golden State Valkyries in the Finals beginning October 17, with both franchises pursuing their first WNBA championship.