The New York Liberty return home tonight to face the Atlanta Dream at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. Eastern in a WNBA semifinal matchup that could tilt the race for the Finals.
New York brings a 26-18 record into the game, while Atlanta arrives at 30-14 — the better regular-season mark, but facing a road environment in one of the league’s loudest buildings. The Liberty’s Breanna Stewart finished fifth in this week’s MVP voting with 171 points, and her two-way play remains central to New York’s title defense ambitions. The semifinal round is being played as best-of-five series, leaving little room for a bad night.
The game caps a pivotal week for the league. On Thursday, Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson collected a record fifth MVP award, and both semifinal series now head toward their decisive middle games — the point in a short series where rotations shorten, stars log heavy minutes and a single quarter can swing a season.
Fans can watch tonight’s game on ESPN2. Around the league, attention is also turning to the future of the Indiana Fever, whose season has ended but whose young core — and a noisy debate about the coverage surrounding it — continues to dominate talk shows. The basketball, at least, gets the final word tonight in Brooklyn.
Related reading: Micah Parsons Targets a Week 6 Return Against His Old Team at Lambeau · Aces Face Elimination at Home Against Golden State in Wilson's MVP Week · Guardians Stun White Sox 9-5 to Force a Winner-Take-All ALDS Game 5
