Controversy Overshadows Atlanta Dream’s Overtime Win Against New York Liberty

The Atlanta Dream are on the verge of reaching the WNBA Finals after defeating the New York Liberty 101-98 in overtime on Wednesday night. This victory puts the Dream ahead 2-0 in the semifinal series.

The game’s conclusion, however, was marked by controversy. New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart claimed that officials mistakenly informed the team they had no reset timeout available in the game’s final moments. This was incorrect, as the Liberty had one remaining.

“This is not blaming the refs,” Stewart stated. “But when I ask both refs if we have a reset timeout at the end, and they tell us no, and then we leave the game with the reset timeout, it’s pretty frustrating.”

Under league rules, teams are granted two team timeouts and one reset timeout during overtime. This enables them to advance the ball without consulting on the sideline.

Stewart explained her interaction with the officials. “I asked Kevin [Fahy]. I said, ‘Do we have a reset timeout?’ And he said, ‘I’m going to check at the table.’ So then he looked to [crew chief] Fatou [Cissoko-Stephens], and she said, ‘No.’ So then he told me, ‘No.'”

A late turnover by New York gave Atlanta the chance to extend their lead. Angel Reese, named the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, secured the win by making crucial free throws. Although the Liberty had a final attempt, Stewart’s shot missed as time expired.

Post-game, officials were not immediately available for comments. ESPN later asked crew chief Cissoko-Stephens about the apparent mix-up. She noted: “Stewart was standing behind referee Fahy when he confirmed with his partner that New York did indeed have a reset timeout remaining.”

This mix-up led the Liberty to approach the league for clarification, according to sources cited by ESPN.

Liberty coach Chris DeMarco commented on the confusion. “Yeah, same thing. They just said we didn’t have it. Multiple staff members [were told]. It is what it is. We’ve got to demand more. But it is what it is.”

From the Dream’s side, Coach Karl Smesko remarked, “I was, I thought they had a timeout left. But they played it out the way they did. So I was expecting it to be advanced, but it wasn’t, so we had to play it, and fortunately, we were able to get the stop.”

According to Cissoko-Stephens, while the scorer’s table tracks timeout usages, it is the team’s responsibility to manage their timeouts.

During a critical moment toward the end of overtime, the Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu lost control of the ball, which went out of bounds. Ionescu accepted responsibility for her misstep. “I told them it was my fault,” she said. “I took ownership for that. This loss is on me. I’ve got to take it on the chin, and I’ve got to be better.”

The Dream demonstrated their depth with six players scoring in double figures. Reese and Jordin Canada each contributed 23 points. Allisha Gray, the Dream’s top scorer, sat out due to a finger injury.

The Liberty face challenging odds as no team in WNBA history has overturned a 2-0 deficit to win a best-of-five playoff series. Game 3 will take place Friday night as the series moves to Brooklyn, New York.