The New York Liberty are on a warpath, and Thursday night’s clash with the Atlanta Dream proved they aren’t just winning — they’re dismantling the league’s most dangerous players with surgical precision.
Angel Reese, the Dream’s double-double dynamo and arguably the most feared rebounder in the WNBA, walked into the matchup averaging video-game numbers on the glass. But according to sources close to the Liberty locker room, New York had a secret blueprint — and it worked better than anyone could have imagined.
The Game Plan That Stunned the Dream
Reese finished with 25 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block in 33 minutes. On paper, that looks like a monster night. But behind the scenes, Liberty insiders claim the team’s real victory was psychological.
“Holding a great player like Angel Reese to only nine rebounds… that’s a big point,” Liberty star Satou Sabally reportedly told reporters after the game, her voice steady but carrying a noticeable edge. “We’re long, we’re battling down there. Every one of us was just crashing and relying on each other.”
Sabally wasn’t just talking about stats — she was drawing a line in the sand. Sources say the Liberty entered the game believing that if they could limit Reese’s second-chance opportunities, they could break the Dream’s entire system. And that’s exactly what happened.
Inside the Defensive Masterclass
Chris DeMarco, the Liberty assistant who reportedly designed the defensive scheme against Reese, was blunt about the challenge. According to a team insider, DeMarco told the squad before tip-off that Reese would get hers — but they couldn’t let her dominate the glass.
“JJ’s battling. Reese is tough on the glass and our game plan was to try to keep the three out and we did that,” DeMarco said, per a pool reporter. “Our effort — I know we have turnovers — but it’s been incredible. We can live with mistakes if we’re playing as hard as we are.”
That attitude, sources say, has become the Liberty’s identity. New York is now riding a six-game winning streak, and the chemistry in the locker room is reportedly electric. Players are buying into the system, and the results are terrifying the rest of the Eastern Conference.
What This Means for the WNBA Playoff Picture
With the win, the Liberty improved to 9-4, vaulting past the Dream and the Indiana Fever to snatch the top spot in the East. But insiders say the real story is the message sent to the rest of the league: New York can neutralize the league’s best rebounder without breaking a sweat.
Sabally dropped 19 points on 5-of-9 from deep, Breanna Stewart added 19 points and 11 boards, and Marine Johannes chipped in 17 off the bench. Five Liberty players hit double digits, and the offense looked unstoppable.
“This is a statement,” one Eastern Conference scout told us, speaking on condition of anonymity. “If they can limit Reese like that, who else can they shut down? The Liberty are building something scary.”
Next up: the Washington Mystics on June 14 at 3 p.m. ET. If New York keeps playing with this kind of focus, the rest of the WNBA better watch out. Sources say the Liberty believe they haven’t even peaked yet — and that should send chills through every contender in the league.
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