The 2026 WNBA playoffs continued in thrilling fashion Wednesday when the Atlanta Dream outlasted the New York Liberty in overtime, 101-98, to win Game 2 of their best-of-five semifinal series and take a commanding 2-0 lead. The Dream are now one win away from their first Finals appearance since 2013. Out on the West Coast, the Golden State Valkyries' 83-81 win over the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces was just as exciting.
The Aces battled back from a 17-point deficit to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, only for Veronica Burton to hit a go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute to give the Valkyries a 2-0 lead of their own. The franchise, which joined the league just last season, is now on the verge of its first-ever Finals appearance. Here are some winners and losers from an entertaining Wednesday night in the WNBA playoffs: Canada continues to be the biggest winner of this postseason.
Allisha Gray, who was ruled out of Game 2, has played 11 minutes in this series. Rhyne Howard has, incredibly, shot 5 of 20 from the field in both games. And yet the Dream are up 2-0 in large part because their defensive-minded point guard has turned into an unstoppable scorer.
Canada put up 23 points and eight assists on 9 of 15 from the field, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range in Game 2. Time and again, she was able to get into the paint and find a way to finish over the Liberty's lengthy interior defenders. And she once again knocked down outside shots when the Liberty dared her to shoot.
Jordin Canada tonight:• 23 points • 8 assists • 5 rebounds • 3/6 3PM• 9/15 FG• 39 MINUTES PLAYED pic.twitter.com/2FimVd5zK9 In 26 career playoff games, Canada has reached 20 points three times -- two of them have come in this series. And if you include the first round, three of her four highest-scoring playoff performances have come in this postseason. Just look at the difference between Canada's regular season numbers and her playoff numbers: No one wants to talk about the officials, especially after a game like we just saw in Atlanta, but they have left us no choice.
There were 29 fouls called in the first half, including a truly baffling one on Rhyne Howard just before the break, which resulted in a combined 34 free throws. And then, in the second half, the standard completely changed. There were just 14 fouls in the second half and overtime -- three of which were take fouls -- and 16 free throws.
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