After splitting the first two games in San Francisco, the WNBA Finals move to Atlanta for Game 3 tonight. The Golden State Valkyries took Game 1, and the Atlanta Dream answered with the first Finals win in franchise history on Monday night. Now it is a best-of-five, and the next two games are in front of what should be the biggest crowd the Dream have ever played for.
Game 3 at a Glance
| Matchup | Golden State Valkyries at Atlanta Dream |
| Series | Tied 1-1 |
| When | Wednesday, Oct. 21, 8 p.m. ET |
| Where | State Farm Arena, Atlanta |
| TV | USA, CNBC, Peacock |
| Line | Dream -4.5, total 151.5 |
| Injuries | None reported for either team |
Where We Left Off
If you missed it, I covered Game 2 in detail here. The short version: Angel Reese put up 30 points and 16 rebounds, Rhyne Howard set a Finals record with six steals, and Atlanta turned 19 Golden State turnovers into 24 points in a 79-65 win. The Dream closed the third quarter on a 15-2 run and never looked back.
It was the kind of game that flips a series. Atlanta shot 32.8 percent in the Game 1 loss and looked nothing like the team that swept its way through the first two rounds. In Game 2, the defense showed up and so did Reese.
The Move to State Farm Arena
The Dream normally play at Gateway Center Arena, which seats about 3,500. For Games 3 and 4, they are moving to State Farm Arena, the home of the Hawks, which holds more than 17,000. That is the right call. Atlanta has waited a long time for a Finals home game, and this crowd should be loud.
The Dream are 3-0 at home this postseason. One thing to watch: they went just 3-3 in the six regular-season games they played in Atlanta’s bigger downtown arena, so this is not a building they own the way they own their regular home.
Three Things to Watch
1. Can Golden State take care of the ball? Nineteen turnovers will not win a Finals game on the road. The Valkyries’ defense has been the best in the playoffs, but their offense needs to stop giving Atlanta easy points in transition.
2. Who answers for Gabby Williams? Williams carried Golden State with 26 points in Game 1, then went 3-of-15 in Game 2. She is the Valkyries’ best scorer, and if she gets going early, this becomes a different game.
3. Can anyone slow down Angel Reese? Reese is averaging 14 points in the paint in the Finals and has gone to the free-throw line 18 times. Golden State has to decide whether to send help and live with what Atlanta’s shooters do. The Dream stuck mostly to a seven-player rotation in Game 2, so fouls and fatigue are worth watching too.
A Defensive Series
Do not expect a shootout. Game 1 ended with 132 total points, and Game 2 had 144. Both teams went under the total in each game, and the two teams have gone under in six of their last seven meetings. Atlanta has posted an 85.8 defensive rating in the Finals, which is outstanding. Points are going to be hard to come by.
The Rest of the Series
| Game | Date | Location | Result / TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Sat., Oct. 17 | San Francisco | Valkyries 68, Dream 64 |
| Game 2 | Mon., Oct. 19 | San Francisco | Dream 79, Valkyries 65 |
| Game 3 | Wed., Oct. 21 | Atlanta | 8 p.m. ET, USA |
| Game 4 | Sat., Oct. 24 | Atlanta | 1 p.m. ET, NBC |
| Game 5 | Mon., Oct. 26 | San Francisco | 8 p.m. ET, USA |
| Game 6* | Thu., Oct. 29 | Atlanta | 8 p.m. ET, USA |
| Game 7* | Sat., Oct. 31 | San Francisco | 8 p.m. ET, USA |
*If necessary
My Pick
I am taking the Dream tonight. They have the momentum, the crowd and the best player in the series right now. But I do not think it will be easy. The Valkyries are in just their second season and have never backed down from anyone, and I expect Williams to bounce back. Dream 74, Valkyries 68.
Either way, somebody is going to win their first WNBA title before Halloween. I am ready for tonight.
Featured photo: State Farm Arena, Atlanta by Warren LeMay, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
_Arena,_Atlanta,_GA_(46558861525)_-_2019.jpg){kind=link}
Leave a Reply