The Atlanta Dream were not going to let the Golden State Valkyries celebrate on their floor. With a championship on the line for Golden State, Atlanta came out on fire at State Farm Arena on Thursday afternoon, scored 32 points in the first quarter and never looked back. The Dream beat the Valkyries 80-69 to tie the WNBA Finals 3-3 and force a Game 7 in San Francisco on Saturday. I was in the building for this one, and the photo above is my view from the seats.
A 32-Point First Quarter
Atlanta had scored 62 and 55 points in the last two games. It had 32 after one quarter on Thursday. The Dream outscored Golden State 32-15 in the first 10 minutes, and the lead grew to as many as 25. Golden State’s defense, which had won the last two games of the series, had no answer early, and Atlanta took a 46-26 lead into halftime.
Golden State did not go away. The Valkyries won the third quarter 21-17 and the fourth 22-17, but the hole was too deep. Atlanta made 13 of 30 three-pointers and blocked eight shots, and Golden State shot 31.4 percent from the field, including 7 of 27 from three.
Who Showed Up
- Allisha Gray: 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including 5 of 7 from three, plus six rebounds and three blocks.
- Rhyne Howard: 21 points with four 3-pointers. She fouled out, but the damage was done.
- Angel Reese: 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. After being held under 10 points in Games 4 and 5, she got back to double figures.
- Naz Hillmon: seven points and five rebounds.
- For Golden State: Gabby Williams scored 26 points and Tiffany Hayes added 15, but Veronica Burton, the Game 5 star, went 2 of 13.
My Pick
In my Game 6 preview, I picked the Dream 74-69 and said the home crowd would give them one more push. I had the right team, and Atlanta did even better than my score.
The Series So Far
| Game | Date | Location | Result / Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Dream 97, Valkyries 71 |
| Game 4 | Sat., Oct. 24 | Atlanta | Valkyries 67, Dream 62 |
| Game 5 | Mon., Oct. 26 | San Francisco | Valkyries 64, Dream 55 |
| Game 6 | Thu., Oct. 29 | Atlanta | Dream 80, Valkyries 69 |
| Game 7 | Sat., Oct. 31 | San Francisco | 8 p.m. |
Up Next
It all comes down to one game. Game 7 is Saturday night at Chase Center, and either the Valkyries or the Dream will win the first championship in franchise history. Golden State has home court, but Atlanta has the momentum after this one. I am ready for Game 7.
Featured photo by Wesley D. Smith.
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