WNBA Finals: Dream Beat Valkyries to Force Deciding Game Seven

Atlanta Dream kept their WNBA championship hopes alive with an 80-69 victory over the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday, forcing the Finals series into a decisive seventh game.

The Valkyries entered the contest with a 3-2 series lead but struggled from the opening quarter, falling behind 32-15 as the hosts established early control.

Atlanta maintained its advantage in the second quarter, heading into half-time with a commanding 46-26 lead.

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Golden State attempted to fight back after the break, but the Dream held firm to secure the victory and level the best-of-seven series at 3-3.

Despite the defeat, Valkyries star Gabby Williams finished as the game’s leading scorer with 26 points, while Angel Reese recorded 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for Atlanta.

Allisha Gray contributed 23 points, while Rhyne Howard added 21 as the Dream produced a strong offensive performance to avoid elimination.

Reese, who joined Atlanta after being traded from the Chicago Sky, continued her impressive run in the Finals. In Game Two, she scored 30 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, becoming the youngest player and only the third overall to record at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a WNBA Finals game.

Thursday’s victory was a crucial response from Karl Smesko’s side, who had suffered consecutive defeats in Games Four and Five and faced elimination.

Game Six was originally scheduled for 8 p.m. local time at Gateway Center Arena but was moved to State Farm Arena and brought forward to 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The change accommodated scheduling arrangements involving the Atlanta Hawks, whose game against the Cleveland Cavaliers was moved to 8 p.m.

The Dream had expressed frustration over the handling of the scheduling change, arguing that their concerns had not received sufficient attention.

“Our concerns did not receive the attention nor the urgency that they deserved. We earned our place in the Finals, and our city deserves the opportunity to show up for its team,” the club said in an open letter.

Despite concerns that the earlier start could affect attendance, the game attracted a sellout crowd at State Farm Arena, providing a lively atmosphere for the must-win contest.

Atlanta will now travel to San Francisco for the decisive Game Seven against Golden State at Chase Center on Saturday, October 31. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern Time, which is midnight GMT on Sunday, November 1.

With the series tied at 3-3, both teams will have one final opportunity to claim the championship in what will be the first Game Seven in WNBA Finals history.