Borlase's 'Dream' start to showdown against Bec's Liberty

• Sabrina bewitches Lynx to extend Allen's WNBA career
• WNBL champion keeps Miela Sowah's title hopes alive
• Talbot OUT but Las Vegas Aces into WNBA semi-finals

Every team left in the WNBA playoffs has an Australian on its roster, so an Australian will be a WNBA champion in 2026. Five remain across two best-of-five semi-finals that tipped off this morning (AEDT).

WNBA Scores: Atlanta Dream 92 def. New York Liberty 82 (Final)

Australian guard Isobel Borlase, 22, and the Atlanta Dream have drawn first blood in the WNBA semi-finals, beating Rebecca Allen and Anneli Maley's New York Liberty 92-82 in Game 1 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Monday (AEDT).

The Liberty led 40-37 at half-time before Atlanta won the third quarter 32-15, and across the game the Dream turned 21 New York turnovers into 32 points, with 14 steals of their own.

New York cut a 16-point deficit to five when Leonie Fiebich hit a three with 5:19 left, but Jordin Canada answered with a three 24 seconds later and then hit a step-back three with 1:30 left to make it 87-77. Canada finished with 25 points and five steals, DeWanna Bonner had 23 off the bench and Angel Reese 17 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three blocks.

Atlanta did it largely without Allisha Gray, who went down with a left hand injury in the second quarter, the Associated Press reported, and finished with 11 minutes.

Borlase had two stints off the bench for 10 minutes. She first replaced Gray with 3:59 left in the first quarter, then came back midway through the third with Atlanta ahead 52-44. Her 24-foot three missed and Allen stripped her for a turnover soon after, but she pulled down a defensive rebound with 1:31 left in the quarter and made both free throws to push the lead to 65-52. Atlanta was plus-three with her on the floor.

Allen, 33, who retires when New York's season ends, played the last four minutes of the third quarter. She had that steal on Borlase but missed her only shot, a driving layup with 41.9 seconds left in the quarter, and finished minus-two. Maley, 28, did not play (coach's decision).

Sabrina Ionescu led New York with 27 points, Breanna Stewart had 19 points, three steals and three blocks, and Jonquel Jones 12 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks. Han Xu, the former Perth Lynx centre, had three points in eight minutes.

• Isobel Borlase (ATL): 10 MIN, 2 PTS, 1 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 1 TO, 0 BLK, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, 2-2 FT, +3
• Rebecca Allen (NY): 4 MIN, 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 0 TO, 0 BLK, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -2
• Anneli Maley (NY): DNP (coach's decision)

Atlanta leads the best-of-five series 1-0. Game 3 moves to Barclays Center in Brooklyn at 10:30am AEDT on Saturday, October 10.

In the other semi-final, Miela Sowah's Golden State Valkyries and Stephanie Talbot's Las Vegas Aces tipped off Game 1 in San Francisco at 7am AEDT and were still playing at the time of filing.

Game 2 is in Atlanta at 10:30am AEDT on Thursday, October 8.

WNBA Scores: Golden State Valkyries 71 def. Las Vegas Aces 60 (Final)

Australian forward Stephanie Talbot sat out injured as Miela Sowah's Golden State Valkyries beat her Las Vegas Aces 71-60 in Game 1 of the other semi-final at Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday (AEDT).

Golden State led 34-31 at half-time and won the third quarter 22-17. Las Vegas got within five when Jackie Young hit a three with 8:25 left, but Gabby Williams answered with a step-back three at 7:21 to make it 62-53, and after A'ja Wilson's free throws cut the margin to 65-58 with 4:44 to go, the Aces did not score again until Kalani Brown's basket with 53.4 seconds left.

The Valkyries won the rebounding 52-25, with 17 offensive boards to two, and outscored Las Vegas 34-18 in the paint while the Aces shot 21 of 62 from the field.

Talbot did not appear in the Las Vegas box score, and ESPN's injury report lists her out with a left leg injury.

Williams led Golden State with 25 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, Kiah Stokes pulled down 14 rebounds with four blocks, and Kaitlyn Chen had 11 points off the bench. Wilson scored 24 for Las Vegas on 8-of-21 shooting, Chelsea Gray had 16 and Young 11 on 4-of-15. Jewell Loyd did not return after leaving midway through the third quarter, and ESPN's injury report now lists her out with a left leg injury as well.

• Stephanie Talbot (LV): did not play (injury)
• Miela Sowah (GS): did not play (Development Player not on Playoffs Roster)

Golden State leads the best-of-five series 1-0. Game 2 is at Chase Center at 12:30pm AEDT on Thursday, October 8.