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Two of the top contenders to win the WNBA title are facing off when the Atlanta Dream host the New York Liberty on Saturday. The game will tip off at 2 p.m. ET on CBS.Â
The Dream have exceeded expectations this season, most recently with Thursday’s 75-73 victory over the Lynx, the No. 1 team in the standings. Atlanta is currently No. 2 with a 23-13 record.Â
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Meanwhile, the Liberty are 22-14 on the season and are No. 4 in the standings. They suffered a disappointing 91-85 loss to the Chicago Sky on Thursday despite a 25-point performance from Jonquel Jones.
Where to watch New York Liberty vs. Atlanta Dream
Date: Saturday, Aug. 23 | Time: 2 p.m. ETLocation: Gateway Center Arena  — College Park, GeorgiaTV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+
Series breakdown
The Liberty are 2-1 against the Dream this season, with both wins happening in New York.Â
Their most recent encounter was on July 13, which the Liberty won 79-72 after overcoming a 19-point first-half deficit. Leonie Fiebich led the way with 21 points, while Breanna Stewart had a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds. Jonquel Jones did not play in that game due to an ankle injury. Jones will be available this Saturday, but Stewart is currently out.
The Dream had a balance effort with five players scoring in double figures, led by Allisha Gray’s 16 points. Rhyne Howard, Atlanta’s second-leading scorer, was out because of a knee injury but is back in the lineup.
Liberty struggling without Breanna Stewart
Stewart suffered a bone bruise in her right knee in late July and her absence has definitely been felt. New York is 17-7 when she plays and 5-7 without her. Stewart is one of the Liberty’s most consistent scorers with over 18 points per game while also being an invaluable presence on defense.Â
She has been All-Defensive first team for three consecutive years due to her length and ability to be disruptive anywhere on the court. Before her injury, the Liberty had a defensive rating of 97.2, which has dropped to 100.6.
But regardless of injuries, coach Sandy Brondello said the biggest setback for her team has been inconsistency. Against Chicago, the Liberty led by three points entering the fourth, but went the final six minutes of the game without making a single field goal.
“Anyone can beat anyone in this league. Anyone can with this championship; it’s wide open,” Brondello said. “But our inconsistencies are mind-boggling at times, because we play so great. We’re riding this really big wave of highs and lows, but we have an opportunity to go into Atlanta now and beat them, which is a big game for us.”Â
Atlanta is a serious contender
The Dream had six consecutive losing seasons entering 2025, and now they are one win away from setting a new franchise record for single-season wins. The team has a lot of momentum with wins in eight of their last ten games. Gray scored 27 points against the Lynx on Thursday, marking her 15th 20-point game of the season. Atlanta also became the only team to have defeated Minnesota multiple times in 2025.
Gray is leading the team in points, assist and steals, and has been one of the most impressive players in the league.
“She is in the MVP conversation because she is doing it all, including defense and rebounding,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said. “I’m really glad. I definitely think she deserves to be in the conversation. Definitely deserves to be a first-team All-WNBA player because she has been that good this year.”
