Hot Start, Cold Finish: Dream Fall to Liberty 79–72

The Atlanta Dream came out swinging in Brooklyn, but a tale of two halves haunted them again as they dropped a hard-fought road game to the New York Liberty, 79–72 on Sunday July 13.

And y’all—this one stung.

Atlanta looked locked in from the jump. Danielle Caldwell got things going with a strong drive, then Jordin Canada added two calm, confident free throws to spark the early rhythm. The Dream responded to New York’s early pressure with a flurry of three-pointers, flipping the lead and flipping the energy.

Canada found Brionna Jones inside for a go-ahead bucket, and just like that, Atlanta was rolling. Allisha Gray showed off the defense, picking pockets and finishing on the break. Then Paopao splashed a deep triple to cap a dominant 22–4 run that left the Liberty looking dazed.

By the end of the first quarter, Atlanta’s defense had held New York to their lowest opening-quarter total of the season. And on the other end? The Dream were cooking—shooting 56% from the field and 50% from three. This wasn’t just a good start—it was a statement.

The momentum carried into the second. Caldwell was in her bag, Jones kept moving without the ball, and Brittney Griner (yes, ATL’s got her now) bullied her way to a pair of powerful finishes. The Dream crashed the boards hard, pulling down a season-high 25 first-half rebounds, and entered the break with a strong 11-point cushion.

But then came the second half—and the storm.

New York came alive in the third, while Atlanta’s offense cooled off just enough to let the Liberty creep back in. Even with Naz Hillmon and Caldwell hitting big threes, the tide was turning. Allisha Gray kept fighting, drawing contact and cashing in from the line, but the Liberty caught fire late in the third and took the lead for the first time.

Still, the Dream weren’t done.

Hillmon hit another clutch three early in the fourth, Gray answered with a quick jumper, and Canada got to her midrange sweet spot before converting a tough and-one. Atlanta kept clawing—Hillmon and Caldwell both scored through contact, and Canada put together a strong closing stretch.

But even with all that heart, it wasn’t enough. The Dream shot 75% from the line in the fourth, played with urgency, and pushed until the final buzzer—but they couldn’t erase the gap. The hot start just didn’t carry through the final 20 minutes.

This one showed flashes of greatness—but also highlighted a familiar concern: finishing. The Dream can hang with anyone in this league, but consistency in second halves is what separates playoff contenders from championship threats.

Next up, it’s another key road test. The Dream head to Chicago to face Angel Reese and the Sky on Wednesday, July 26.

Let’s see if Atlanta can bounce back and bring that first-half fire for a full 40.