Jordin Canada showcased her prowess in the second half by scoring 20 out of her 25 points and making five steals to lead the Atlanta Dream to a 92-82 victory over the New York Liberty in the first game of the best-of-five WNBA semifinals. DeWanna Bonner contributed 23 points, stepping up after Allisha Gray sustained a left hand injury in the second quarter. The Dream’s solid defense capitalized on forcing 21 turnovers, converting them into 32 points, with 16 coming in a dominant third quarter.
Although New York managed to reduce a 16-point deficit to five in the final minutes, Jordin Canada’s crucial three-pointer just before the shot clock expired, followed by a transition layup off a defensive stop, halted their momentum. Sabrina Ionescu led the Liberty with 27 points, while Breanna Stewart added 19.
At halftime, the Liberty held a three-point lead, but Atlanta’s impressive performance in the third quarter, outscoring New York 32-15, turned the tide. Reese and Canada each contributed three steals in the third quarter, sparking a 13-3 run that established Atlanta’s lead for the remainder of the game.
The upcoming Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Wednesday in Atlanta.
