WNBA investigates Liberty timeout controversy after Game 2 overtime loss

The WNBA has launched an investigation into a late-game timeout dispute that has overshadowed the New York Liberty's overtime loss to the Atlanta Dream in Game 2 of their semifinal series.

The controversy centres on whether game officials mistakenly told Liberty star Breanna Stewart that her team had no "reset" timeouts remaining in the final seconds of overtime on Wednesday night. The Liberty have made an official inquiry, prompting the league to review the incident ahead of a do-or-die Game 3.

What happened in the final seconds?

With 4.3 seconds left in overtime, the Dream's Angel Reese made two free throws to give Atlanta a 101-98 lead.

Under WNBA rules, teams in overtime receive a single "reset" timeout, which allows them to advance the ball to mid-court without taking a full huddle. Stewart said she asked referee Kevin Fahy if the Liberty had their reset option left. Fahy went to check with crew chief Fatou Cissoko-Stephens, then turned back to Stewart and told her they had none.

Believing they were out of options, the Liberty had to inbound the ball from under their own basket. Stewart was forced to take a desperate, long-range heave that fell well short of the hoop as the buzzer sounded.

Had they been allowed to advance the ball, Stewart said, "we would have had hopefully a better shot on our goal."

The referees' conflicting account

The postgame explanation from officials only added fuel to the fire. Nearly two hours after the buzzer, Cissoko-Stephens claimed in a pool report that Fahy had actually confirmed to his referee partner that New York did have a reset timeout left. Cissoko-Stephens asserted that Stewart was standing right behind Fahy when this happened, and denied there was any communication from officials telling the team otherwise.

The Liberty flatly reject that version of events.

"They just said we didn't have it," Liberty coach Chris DeMarco said, adding that multiple staff members were told the same thing.

Dream coach Karl Smesko also admitted he fully expected New York to advance the ball. "I thought they had a timeout left," Smesko said. "But they played it out the way they did."

Supporters of Stewart have fiercely defended her integrity. Her agent, Lindsay Colas, expressed frustration that the two-time MVP has had to defend her reputation ahead of an elimination game. Other coaches around the league have echoed that sentiment, with several telling reporters simply: "Stewie doesn’t lie."

What happens next?

The loss leaves the top-seeded Liberty in a historic hole, trailing the Dream 2-0 in the best-of-five series. No team in WNBA history has ever recovered from a 2-0 deficit to win a five-game playoff series.

While the timeout confusion is the main talking point, New York players admit they had plenty of opportunities to win the game before the final buzzer. The Liberty committed 17 turnovers, which Atlanta turned into 28 points. Guard Sabrina Ionescu also took the blame for a crucial turnover with less than 10 seconds left in overtime, driving into traffic and throwing the ball out of bounds with New York down by one.

"This loss is on me," Ionescu said. "I've got to take it on the chin, and I've got to be better."

Game 3 is scheduled for tonight at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where the Liberty must win to keep their season alive.