Atlanta Dream beat New York Liberty 101-98 in overtime to lead WNBA semifinal 2-0
The Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty 101-98 in overtime in Game 2 of the WNBA semifinals and are one win from their first Finals since 2013. Game 3 is Friday in Brooklyn.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2The Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty 101-98 in overtime on Wednesday night in Game 2 of the WNBA semifinals, taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series. Fox NewsR “lifted Atlanta to a 101-98 victory over the New York Liberty and a 2-0 lead in the semifinal series” Read at Fox News ↗ NewsweekN “Atlanta defeated the New York Liberty 101-98 in overtime Wednesday night in Game 2 of the WNBA semifinals” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2The Dream are one win from their first WNBA Finals appearance since 2013. Fox NewsR “The Dream moved within one win of their first WNBA Finals appearance since 2013” Read at Fox News ↗ NewsweekN “The victory puts the Dream in position to reach the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2Angel Reese and Jordin Canada each scored 23 points for Atlanta; Canada added eight assists and Reese seven rebounds. Fox News says Reese, the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year, scored six of Atlanta's 13 overtime points and made two free throws with under five seconds left after an errant pass by Sabrina Ionescu. Fox NewsR “scored 23 points, including six of Atlanta’s 13 points in overtime” Read at Fox News ↗ NewsweekN “Reese matched Canada's scoring total while adding seven rebounds” Read at Newsweek ↗
Centre · 1Newsweek lists Rhyne Howard with 18 points, Naz Hillmon with 12 and DeWanna Bonner with 10 for Atlanta. NewsweekN “Rhyne Howard finished with 18 points, while Naz Hillmon added 12 and veteran DeWanna Bonner contributed 10.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2Breanna Stewart led New York with 35 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, scoring 25 in the first half. Jonquel Jones had 21 points and Marine Fauthoux 20 off the bench. Fox News reports Stewart missed a desperation attempt on the final play. NewsweekN “finishing with 35 points, 11 rebounds and six assists”“Jonquel Jones added 21 points, while Marine Fauthoux provided a significant spark off the bench with 20.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Fox NewsR “she missed a desperation attempt on the game’s final play” Read at Fox News ↗ Centre · 1New York shot 54.7 percent from the field and 48 percent from three, but committed 16 turnovers that Atlanta turned into 28 points, according to Newsweek. NewsweekN “The Liberty committed 16 turnovers, which the Dream converted into 28 points.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Mixed · 2Accounts of the decisive Hillmon basket differ. Fox News says her go-ahead layup came with 20.8 seconds left in overtime. Newsweek says she scored a crucial basket in the final 20 seconds of regulation to force overtime. Fox NewsR “Naz Hillmon’s go-ahead layup with just 20.8 seconds remaining in overtime” Read at Fox News ↗ NewsweekN “Hillmon came through with a crucial basket in the final 20 seconds of regulation, helping Atlanta stay alive and force overtime.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2Late in regulation, Fox News says New York trailed 86-80 before Ionescu hit a deep three, an Atlanta shot-clock violation with 31 seconds left gave the Liberty the ball, and Stewart's layup made it 86-85. Newsweek instead describes the Dream as trailing by three with just over two minutes left. Fox NewsR “An Atlanta shot-clock violation with 31 seconds left gave New York another opportunity, and Breanna Stewart finished a layup through traffic to make it 86-85.” Read at Fox News ↗ NewsweekN “Trailing by three points with just over two minutes remaining in regulation, the Dream refused to let the game slip away.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2Atlanta played without Allisha Gray, a four-time All-Star and its leading scorer, who hurt her left hand in the first quarter of Game 1, a 92-82 Atlanta win. It was the first game she had missed this season, and Fox News lists her as day-to-day. Fox NewsR “Gray, a four-time All-Star, injured her left hand during the first quarter of Atlanta’s 92-82 Game 1 victory”“Gray is listed as day-to-day ahead of Atlanta's Game 3 matchup” Read at Fox News ↗ NewsweekN “suffered a hand injury in Game 1 and was unavailable for Game 2” Read at Newsweek ↗
Mixed · 2Atlanta has won four straight playoff games, having swept the Washington Mystics in the first round. New York, the defending champions, had become the first No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 seed by eliminating Minnesota. Atlanta lost in the first round last year despite a franchise-record 30 regular-season wins. NewsweekN “The Dream have now won four consecutive playoff games, sweeping the Washington Mystics in the first round”“New York became the first No. 8 seed in league history to knock off a No. 1 seed” Read at Newsweek ↗ Fox NewsR “helping the Dream hold off the defending champions” Read at Fox News ↗ Mixed · 2Game 3 is at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where Atlanta can clinch a Finals spot and New York will try to extend its season. Fox NewsR “Game 3 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.” Read at Fox News ↗ NewsweekN “New York will be fighting to extend its season, while Atlanta will have its first opportunity to secure a trip to the WNBA Finals.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Newsweek tells it as a feel-good story of Atlanta's resilience without Gray, with context on both teams' playoff runs.
- Emphasis
- Atlanta's depth, Stewart's performance, turnovers and shooting figures, and the teams' playoff history.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Reese's overtime scoring and the free throws that sealed the win.
- Charged language
- “Thrilling”“spectacular performance”
- For example
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“they are finding ways to win even without one of their biggest stars” — Newsweek
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Fox News (OutKick) gives a play-by-play recap led by Reese's overtime scoring and Hillmon's go-ahead layup.
- Emphasis
- Late-game sequence, Reese's award and free throws, and Gray's injury status.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Box-score detail on other scorers, shooting and turnover figures, and the Mystics and Lynx series.
- Charged language
- “perfect postseason run”“raucous home crowd”
- For example
-
“Atlanta’s perfect postseason run continued Wednesday night before a raucous home crowd.” — Fox News
What every side reports
- Atlanta won Game 2 101-98 in overtime and leads the best-of-five series 2-0.
- Reese and Canada scored 23 points each; Stewart scored 35 for New York.
- Allisha Gray missed the game with a hand injury suffered in Game 1.
- Game 3 is Friday in Brooklyn.
Where accounts differ
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When Naz Hillmon's decisive basket came
- Centre
- Newsweek: a crucial basket in the final 20 seconds of regulation that forced overtime.
- Right
- Fox News: a go-ahead layup with 20.8 seconds left in overtime.
-
Who trailed late in regulation
- Centre
- Newsweek: Atlanta trailed by three with just over two minutes left.
- Right
- Fox News: New York trailed 86-80, then cut it to 86-85.
Atlanta Dream organisation
Coverage portrays Atlanta as resilient and deep, winning without Gray and one win from the Finals.
“the Dream once again relied on their depth and ability to make timely plays when the game was on the line” — Newsweek
New York Liberty organisation
Coverage portrays New York as the defending champions, strong offensively but undone by turnovers and now facing elimination.
“New York will be fighting to extend its season” — Newsweek
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Dream Move One Win From WNBA Finals After Thrilling Liberty Victory
Celebratory Upbeat narrative of Atlanta's resilience without Gray, with detailed stats and playoff context.
Right1 article
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Dream move within one win of first WNBA Finals appearance since 2013 after overtime victory
Neutral Game recap built around Reese's overtime scoring and the closing sequence, with Gray's injury update and promotional links.
- 8 Oct 04:09 First Fox NewsR Dream move within one win of first WNBA Finals appearance since 2013 after overtime victory
- 8 Oct 04:22 +13m NewsweekN Dream Move One Win From WNBA Finals After Thrilling Liberty Victory
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.