ATLANTA – The team that usually scores first in overtime wins the game.
That's what DeWanna Bonner, the veteran who has been the voice for the Atlanta Dream in the playoffs, told the team in the huddle before playing five extra minutes of basketball. The Dream scored the first basket in overtime, the last one, and walked away with a 101-98 win against the New York Liberty to take a 2-0 series lead.
The Dream led 88-85 with 14 seconds left in regulation, but Marine Fauthoux hit a tough bucket to tie the game and send it into overtime. After already going through 40 minutes of a physical battle that had 39 personal fouls called, the Dream never backed down. Instead, they did the opposite.
“I think our team always rises to the occasion,” Reese said after the game. “Our team is super fearless, and being in moments like this, we always talk about how adversity builds character. I think all of us have been in a situation in our lives where we felt like it was a last possession or our backs were turned into walls in some sort, and we’re saying, just one more. We did a great job making sure that we were all on the connected stream. We just stayed together and played together, and that's how we won.”
In real time, the Dream showed what they've been building on all season. When they needed a bucket, they got it by executing their plays to perfection. When they needed a stop, they guarded up, switched and even double-teamed to stop the Liberty.
“I think it's maturity. We talk about it in the locker room, and honestly, from training camp, our two main focuses are managing our emotions and valuing possessions more,” Jordin Canada said. “I think over time, through the second half of our season, I thought we've done a really good job valuing our possessions and executing down the stretch defensively and offensively, which has helped us into these playoffs.”
Canada was once again a catalyst for the Dream's win, and with Allisha Gray out, she stepped up with 23 points and eight assists. Reese followed that with 23 points of her own, while also adding seven rebounds, five of them being on the offensive end.
“JC has been incredible the whole playoffs, but she's just been so tough, and today was no exception,” head coach Karl Smesko said. “Then we look at Angel getting all those offensive rebounds and big plays in overtime, and then knocking down the free throws to force them to need a 3. They were both so tough in the key moments, and I'm proud of both of them.”
The underrated star for the Dream in Game 3 was Naz Hillmon, who had most of her attention on guarding Breanna Stewart in the second half. Going into halftime, Stewart had 25 points, but only scored 10 points for the remainder of the game.
“[Naz] does so much dirty work for us. The defense was just exceptional. The extra possessions were exceptional. She played a ton of minutes and was fantastic,” Smesko said.
The Dream are one win away from advancing to the finals. History is on their side as well, because no team in WNBA history has ever come back down 0-2 to win a best-of-five series. Reese didn't know that, and she's definitely not focused on it.
“It doesn't really matter because New York is a really good team,” Reese said. “Yeah, we beat them twice in the regular season at their place, but playing in that environment is not easy. Their backs are against the wall right now, but at the same time, we know they're gonna get everything they have because they have to. As long as we continue to be who we are, continue to do the things that have gotten us here, and stick together, I think we'll be fine.”