The Atlanta Dream are finally heading back to the second round of the WNBA playoffs.

Atlanta completed a first-round sweep of the Washington Mystics on Wednesday night, pulling away late for a 93-75 victory at CareFirst Arena.

The win sends the Dream to the WNBA semifinals and ends a postseason drought that had followed the franchise for years. Atlanta had not advanced beyond the opening round since 2018.

Getting there wasn't easy.

Washington entered Game 2 with its season on the line and managed to keep the game close for much of the night. Entering the fourth quarter the Mystics trailed by just seven and managed to cut Atlanta's lead to three.

That’s when Jordin Canada provided the spark Atlanta needed.

The veteran guard scored seven straight points during a crucial fourth-quarter run and finished with 17, helping the Dream turn a close game into a convincing victory.

The moment was another example of the depth that has made Atlanta one of the WNBA's most dangerous teams this season. The Dream entered the postseason with stars Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray and Angel Reese leading the way, but Atlanta has consistently received contributions throughout its roster.

That balance became especially important during a physical first-round series against Washington.

The Mystics presented Atlanta with problems throughout both games. Washington entered the postseason having won nine of its final 11 games and finished the regular season tied with Atlanta for the WNBA's best record after the All-Star break.

But when the games mattered most, the Dream consistently found another gear.

In Game 1, Atlanta erased an 11-point deficit before defeating Washington 92-77. The Dream forced 22 Mystics turnovers and recorded a franchise playoff-record 16 steals. Howard led Atlanta with 26 points and five steals, while Gray added 22 points. Reese recorded 13 points and 12 rebounds in her first career WNBA playoff game.

Washington had its opportunities.

Rookie Sonia Citron scored 25 points in Game 1 and followed it with another 25-point performance Wednesday. Kiki Iriafen and Cassandre Prosper also provided a spark as the Mystics fought to keep their season alive in front of their home crowd.

But every time Washington made a push, Atlanta had an answer.

That composure will be tested as the Dream move deeper into the postseason. Atlanta knows all too well how quickly a promising season can come to an end.

A year ago, the Dream won 30 regular-season games and entered the playoffs with home-court advantage, only to lose their first-round series to the Indiana Fever in three games.

The disappointment stuck with the team.

"I never want to experience that feeling again," Gray said during training camp this season.

Atlanta responded by winning 30 games again this season and closing the regular season with five consecutive victories.

This time, the Dream didn't let their opportunity slip away.

They won both games against Washington by double digits and eliminated a Mystics team that had beaten Atlanta twice during the regular season.

Now the challenge gets bigger.

Atlanta will face the New York Liberty in the semifinals after the eighth-seeded Liberty stunned the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the opening round. Despite entering the playoffs as the final seed, New York has already shown that regular-season records don't mean much once the postseason begins.

Atlanta enters the matchup carrying plenty of momentum of its own.

The Dream have already erased one of the biggest questions surrounding them entering the postseason: whether this year's team could finish what last year's couldn't.

Two games later, Atlanta is still playing.

And for the first time in eight years, the Dream are headed to the WNBA semifinals.