BROOKLYN, NY — The Atlanta Dream turned a potential playoff preview into a statement win Monday night in Brooklyn, defeating the New York Liberty, 95-84, during the Liberty’s Noche Latina celebration.
Atlanta improved to 29-14, while New York fell to 26-17 ahead of Wednesday’s regular-season finale between the teams. With postseason positioning still up in the air across the entire league, the back-to-back meetings have taken on the feel of a short playoff series.
👉 FINAL SCORES AND TOP PERFORMERS 👈
Ohhhh Canada 🍿
Jordin Canada went to WORK tonight in the @AtlantaDream's win! She helped mark the Dream's fourth-straight win, while getting this packed statline:
19 PTS | 9 AST | 3 STL | 3 REB
2026 Postseason Push | @DKSports |… pic.twitter.com/Ayh3oSRDX8
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 22, 2026
“We understand what this means,” Liberty coach Chris DeMarco said before the game. “We’re not looking past this game. We haven’t been looking past games.”
New York led 24-23 after a back-and-forth opening quarter, powered by rookie Pauline Astier’s 10 points though Atlanta moved ahead 41-38 by halftime before taking control with a 32-point third quarter.
The Rook is takin' us b2b to get us started in BK 🥶 pic.twitter.com/9PwySvrSPC
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) September 22, 2026
Allisha Gray scored seven points in the opening 2:26 of the second half while Jordin Canada added four third-quarter steals as Atlanta’s defensive pressure disrupted New York’s rhythm and helped the Dream build a 73-62 advantage.
Atlanta won the game in the third-quarter outscoring New York, 32-24, delivering a gut punch the Liberty never recovered from. The Dream committed only four turnovers, compared to 11 by the Liberty, allowing Atlanta to convert New York’s mistakes into 14 points shooting 47.8% from the field.
No midrange jumper shall escape her sight 🟢 pic.twitter.com/1mLk4hZ9gr
— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) September 22, 2026
“We just had to stay organized and trust the process,” DeMarco said.
“I thought we had a few mental lapses. Some turnovers hurt us as well.”
Two MVP Candidates Set The Tone
Breanna Stewart and Angel Reese, 2026 WNBA MVP candidates and recent USA Basketball teammates, led their respective teams with double-doubles each.
Stewart was welcomed back to Brooklyn with a loud ovation as her FIBA World Cup MVP image appeared on the video board during pregame.
MVP 🗣️ MVP 🗣️ MVP 🗣️
AND1️⃣ FOR @breannastewart 💪 | #LIGHTITUPNYL🗽 pic.twitter.com/TZFjJ9m93y
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) September 22, 2026
She finished with a game-high 27 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 11-for-19 from the field.
“I’m really locked in,” Stewart said. “I know that the moment is almost here as far as what we want to do in the playoffs. I just want to leave it all out on the court.”
Reese established Atlanta’s physical approach early, repeatedly attacking Jonquel Jones and finishing with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Jones answered with 18 points and 12 rebounds, giving her and Stewart their 13th shared double-double as Liberty teammates.
TYPE ENERGY pic.twitter.com/eEvFZui75d
— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) September 22, 2026
“I thought it was fun,” Jones said of battling Reese. “It’s a good matchup, and I think they’re a really good team. We talked about using this as a little mini-series for us before we go into the playoffs.”
Noche Latina Celebrates Brooklyn’s Roots
Beyond the playoff implications, the Liberty used Noche Latina to recognize the culture and growing influence of the Latino community.
MAMACITAAA 🌶️ pic.twitter.com/KFeREnHnVQ
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) September 21, 2026
The celebration comes as there has been an influx of rising Latino/Latina players at the professional and collegiate levels, helping the sport of basketball connect with new communities globally and giving young Latino/Latina athletes greater platform for representation.
Brooklyn artist Fanesha Fabre brought a piece of her Williamsburg community to Noche Latina, designing a commemorative t-shirt for the Liberty inspired by the neighborhood’s deep Puerto Rican roots.
“If I was to be born again, I would always wanna be Latina. Our culture is so rich and so deep, being Dominican I’m allowed to share cultural things with other Latinos from all over the world” said Fabre, who you can follow on Instagram @ArtByFaneshaFabre.
“If I was able to speak to my younger self, I would tell her to keep chasing your dreams and never give up.”
Going up for Noche Latina at @barclayscenter 🪇
Plan on pulling up? Swipe for everything you need to know! ➡️ pic.twitter.com/ycKjEsupFO
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) September 20, 2026
Atlanta left the Barclays Center Monday evening with an important victory, but the series is not finished.
The Liberty will have an immediate opportunity Wednesday to respond before the postseason begins.
Follow us on Social Media for updates and exclusive content
Instagram: @latinosportsoficial
Twitter: @latinosports
TikTok: @latino.sports
Facebook: Latino Sports
