Atlanta Dream Take Game 1 Behind Bonner’s Halftime Spark and Record-Setting Defense

ATLANTA — DeWanna Bonner wouldn’t elaborate on what she said in the locker room as her Atlanta Dream faced a 40-37 deficit in their semifinal opener versus the New York Liberty. “Maybe after the series,” she said in the postgame news conference with a smile.

But the late-season acquisition’s fiery halftime message helped spur a third-quarter surge that put Atlanta in the driver’s seat for the remainder of Sunday’s contest.

Halftime Message Sparks Third-Quarter Surge

The Dream rediscovered their identity after the break, stealing the ball from New York nine times in the third alone and scoring 16 points off those turnovers to help them come away with a 92-82 win and go up 1-0 in the best-of-five series.

“DB got into us at halftime, I’ll just say that,” guard Jordin Canada smirked. “We knew we didn’t play our best in the first half. … We just weren’t being aggressive enough on the defensive end and offensive end.”

“We talked about a second-half surge, that the first three minutes of the second half are going to be really important, and so we came out ready to go.”

Though the Liberty rallied in the fourth to cut a 16-point deficit to five, they didn’t get the requisite stops to pull any closer.

Atlanta is now the only team yet to lose this postseason and has won each playoff game by double figures.

Defense Sets WNBA Records in Semifinal Win

Atlanta showed on Sunday why that unit — which in turn fuels so much of its offense — has been so elite: Atlanta scored 32 points off turnovers on the afternoon, including 16 in the third quarter alone, with both marks tying WNBA records.

The Liberty took a timeout down three at the 8:04 mark of the third to try to stop the bleeding, but it was to no avail. New York turned the ball over another six times and trailed by 12 before managing to hit a shot from the field.

“They upped their defensive pressure, and I think we were driving into driving lanes and not really creating a good outlet for our teammates,” said Sabrina Ionescu, who led the Liberty with 27 points but had five turnovers to one assist. “And so I think we’ll go back and watch the film and just understand those points off turnovers really matter, especially on a team that thrives off of it.”

Added Breanna Stewart (19 points): “They just kind of raced it down our throats, and we need to be better.”

Veteran Leadership Fuels Dream’s Playoff Push

Atlanta had to pull out the win with only 11 minutes from top scorer Allisha Gray, who suffered a left hand injury in the first half and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. Coach Karl Smesko did not have an update on Gray postgame besides saying, “hopefully she’ll be OK.”

Not only did the Dream’s collective defensive effort help make up for Gray’s absence, but so did the play of veteran leaders Canada and Bonner. The only two members of the team who have previously won a WNBA championship, the duo combined for 48 points on the night.

Canada — whom Bonner referred to as the “head of the snake on offense and defense” — scored 12 of her 25 points in the pivotal third quarter, also finishing with five steals and four assists.

Bonner — who has played in a league-record 101 playoff games — came in off the bench to add 23 points, including three 3-pointers, and nine rebounds. The 39-year-old agreed to a contract buyout with the Phoenix Mercury in late August in hopes of joining a contender in what could be her final season.

“I just thought she was exactly what we needed,” Smesko said. “Not just because she’s a veteran presence and all the experience, because she still plays like she did tonight. That was a huge performance, and when we needed a play, she made it.”

Reese, who on Sunday was second behind Canada with four steals, said that Bonner “always challenges us” — and that she wasn’t even smiling postgame, reminding the group that nothing has been achieved yet with just one win under their belts.

Gray Injury Casts Shadow Over Victory

Allisha Gray’s left hand injury in the first half is a concern for the Dream as they move deeper into the playoffs. The team’s leading scorer was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday’s game, and Coach Karl Smesko offered no timetable for her return beyond expressing hope that “she’ll be OK.”

Atlanta’s ability to compensate — through defensive intensity, bench production from Bonner, and Canada’s clutch third-quarter burst — will be tested if Gray is unavailable for upcoming games. The Dream’s depth has been a talking point all season, and this victory demonstrated that the roster can rally around its veterans when needed.

Series Heads to New York with Atlanta Holding Edge

Game 2 will be back at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Wednesday before the series moves to New York for Games 3 [Friday] and, if necessary, 4 [Sunday].

“She keeps us together and keeps us pretty grounded,” Reese said. “We can do everything we want [to celebrate] today and then tomorrow having the mindset of going in and playing another one on Wednesday. She keeps us pretty humble.”

The Liberty will need to solve Atlanta’s suffocating defensive pressure and cut down on turnovers if they hope to even the series. With Ionescu and Stewart both under 30 points combined, New York’s stars were held in check by a Dream unit that has made ballot-security defense its identity all season.

Sports, WNBA, Atlanta Dream, New York Liberty, WNBA Playoffs, WNBA Semifinals, DeWanna Bonner, Jordin Canada, Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, Karl Smesko, State Farm Arena