Atlanta Dream reach WNBA semifinals for first time since 2018

The Atlanta Dream advanced to the WNBA playoffs semifinals for the first time since 2018 after defeating the Washington Mystics 83-75 in Game 2 of their first-round series Tuesday night. The victory secured the Eastern Conference's top regular-season seed a spot in the next round, ending a four-year streak of first-round exits.

Allisha Gray led the Dream with 22 points in the decisive game. The team's performance capped a strong regular season, positioning them to host Game 1 of the semifinals against the New York Liberty on Sunday. The Liberty earned their semifinal berth by sweeping the Minnesota Lynx, marking a historic upset as the first No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1 seed in the league's 30-year history.

The Dream's lead grew significantly in the fourth quarter. Jordin Canada hit back-to-back three-pointers and added a jumper from the free-throw line to extend Atlanta's advantage to 89-70 with just under three minutes remaining. Washington had challenged earlier in the game, committing 11 turnovers in the first half before mounting a 14-2 run in the third quarter to narrow the gap to 65-62. Atlanta responded by scoring the next 13 points, including a three-pointer by Canada, to reestablish a double-digit lead at 78-62.

Key players for Washington included Rhyne Howard, the top pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft, who finished with 15 points before fouling out with more than six minutes left in the fourth quarter. Angel Reese also contributed 15 points and seven rebounds for the Mystics. This playoff appearance was Washington's first since winning the 2019 WNBA championship. In contrast, the Dream have won three consecutive conference titles from 2010 to 2013 but have never captured an overall WNBA championship. The other first-round series concluded Wednesday, with the Dallas Wings hosting the Golden State Valkyries.