The Golden State Valkyries put the Dream on the ropes, flat out. They downed Atlanta 64-55 on Monday night, snatching a commanding 3-2 series lead in the WNBA Finals and pushing the Dream to the absolute brink of elimination. That’s right, one more loss and the Dream’s season is over.
Valkyries’ Knockout Punch Came From Everywhere
Golden State didn’t rely on just one star, they had a full squad showing up. Kiah Stokes dropped 13 points, pulled down 8 boards, and added 3 blocks. Tiffany Hayes pitched in with 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals. Veronica Burton was a beast, also hitting 13 points, grabbing 8 rebounds, dishing out 3 assists, and swatting away an incredible 4 blocks. Cecilia Zandalasini rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and a block. That’s four Valkyries in double figures, talk about a team effort to get this Game 5 win!
Reese’s Grit Can’t Mask Atlanta’s Scoring Chill
For the Dream, Rhyne Howard absolutely balled out, leading all scorers with 20 points, plus 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. Allisha Gray chipped in with 10 points, a rebound, a steal, and a block. But the story for Atlanta has to be Angel Reese. She was a monster on the glass, pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds, and added 5 assists. Yet, she only managed 7 points. You can’t win in the Finals with your star forward getting that kind of production on the scoreboard, even with a massive rebounding effort. The scoring just wasn’t there when they needed it most.
Now, the series tilts back to State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The Dream are facing elimination at home in Game 6. Can they rally and force a Game 7, or will the Valkyries close it out on the road and lift the trophy? This is it, do or die for Atlanta.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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