Dallas' Ogunbowale scores record 45 forces Game 3 vs GS, as Dream sweep into semifinals

Two first-round series moved in opposite directions, two hours apart. Arike Ogunbowale scored a WNBA playoff-record 45 points to carry the Dallas Wings past the Golden State Valkyries 108-100 in overtime, evening their series at 1-1 and forcing a Game 3. Two hours earlier, Allisha Gray and the Atlanta Dream closed out the Washington Mystics 93-75, completing a 2-0 sweep that sends Atlanta to the WNBA semifinals for the first time since 2018, according to ESPN.

Ogunbowale's record night sends Dallas into an overtime classic

Dallas lost Game 1 by 24 points, 104-80, and needed a response to keep its season alive. Ogunbowale delivered it across 42 minutes, finishing 12-of-23 from the field, 5-of-8 from 3-point range and 16-of-18 at the free-throw line, adding 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals for a PIR of 36.00. ESPN reported that her late 3-pointer forced overtime, and the network's headline read "Ogunbowale saves Wings' season, breaks playoff record with 45 in OT classic."

The game stayed tight throughout, with the Valkyries up 26-23 after the first quarter before Dallas answered with a 27-point second to take a 50-45 halftime edge. Golden State clawed back with a 29-point third quarter to retake the lead, and the fourth quarter ended at a stalemate that sent the teams to an extra period. Tempers flared in that stretch, with two flagrant fouls assessed as frustration boiled over, per ESPN. Dallas then closed the door with 15 points in overtime to Golden State's 7, sealing the 108-100 win behind Ogunbowale's historic scoring night.

Free throws and a deep bench tip the overtime battle Dallas's way

The box score explains how Dallas survived a near-identical shooting night from the field. Golden State took and made more shots from the field, going 34-of-73 compared to the Wings' 32-of-64, and matched Dallas from 3-point range at 12-of-27 to 12-of-23. The difference came at the line, where Dallas went 32-of-37 on free throws against just 20-of-23 for Golden State, a 12-point swing that proved decisive in a game settled by 8 points.

Dallas also got scoring depth that Golden State could not match. Alysha Clark came off the bench for 21 points on 6-of-7 shooting in 31 minutes, and Aziaha James added 13 points in 18 minutes, with Clark finishing at +11 and James at +15. On the other side, Gabby Williams nearly matched Ogunbowale's output with 36 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists on 12-of-23 shooting, posting the game's best individual PIR at 39.00, but she got little scoring help beyond Kaila Charles's 14 points and Kayla Thornton's 13. The series now shifts to a decisive Game 3.

Allisha Gray leads Atlanta's sweep of Washington into the semifinals

Earlier, Atlanta closed out its first-round series against Washington in more straightforward fashion. The Dream led 24-17 after a quarter, and, after being edged 18-17 in the second, outscored the Mystics 24-23 in the third and 28-17 in the fourth, pulling away for a 93-75 win and a 2-0 sweep. Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 22 points on 8-of-18 shooting, adding 4 steals, while Jordin Canada posted 19 points and a team-high 11 assists across 35 minutes, finishing with the game's best PIR at 25.00. Rhyne Howard added 15 points and Angel Reese contributed 15 points and 7 rebounds with a game-best plus-minus of +26.

Washington got a strong individual effort from Sonia Citron, who scored a game-high 25 points on 10-of-11 free-throw shooting, and Kiki Iriafen grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds, but the Mystics could not overcome 19 turnovers against just 8 for Atlanta. The Dream shot 13-of-32 from 3-point range as a team and assisted on 23 of their 30 made baskets, spreading the offense in a way Washington's 13 assists on 22 field goals could not match. ESPN credited Gray with leading Atlanta into its first semifinal appearance since 2018.

What the two results change in the playoff picture

Dallas now heads into a decisive Game 3 carrying the momentum of Ogunbowale's record-setting performance. Golden State will need to find secondary scoring beyond Gabby Williams if it hopes to close out the series after squandering a 1-0 lead. Atlanta, meanwhile, moves on without needing a third game, its sweep of Washington punching a semifinal ticket the franchise had not punched since 2018. The Dream's semifinal opponent is not yet known.