Atlanta beats Liberty and takes away opening-round home court

Atlanta defeated New York 95-84 on Sept. 21, dropping the Liberty to 26-17, ending their three-game winning streak, and removing home-court advantage in the opening playoff round. Stewart's 27-point, 14-rebound performance and Jones's double-double were outweighed by New York's 1-for-13 first-half three-point shooting, Atlanta's 32-point third quarter, and concerns about fatigue, defensive adjustments, and postseason readiness.