Atlanta’s Dream snatched an 80-69 victory from the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday, forcing a winner-take-all Game 7 in the WNBA Finals. After watching the Dream’s dominant performance in Game 6, where they played with an intensity the Valkyries just couldn’t match, it feels clear that Atlanta is ready to finish this series, even in Golden State’s “Ballhalla fortress” at Chase Center. My gut told me the Dream would take this in six, and even though they didn’t, there’s no way I’m changing my pick now. Atlanta has the momentum and, more importantly, the best player in the series.
The Angel Reese Show Is Just Getting Started
You can’t talk about the Dream’s path to a championship without talking about Angel Reese. She was slowed down a bit by Kiah Stokes in the middle of this series, but Reese absolutely exploded back to life in Game 6. She flirted with a triple-double, dropping 15 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists. Oh, and she set a new Finals record with an astounding 78 total rebounds. That’s just unreal. When I asked her about the team finding their joy again, Reese put it simply: “When we can punch first, we’ve won every game.” That’s the mindset of a champion, and it’s exactly what Naz Hillmon reminded the whole team to do: “remember who you are.” That’s the spark Atlanta needs.
Gray, Howard, and a Pace the Valkyries Can’t Handle
It wasn’t just Reese stepping up. Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard both had their best games of the Finals in Game 6. Gray went off for a team-high 23 points on a super-efficient 8-of-12 shooting, including a scorching 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. Howard wasn’t far behind with 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting, hitting four threes herself. For most of the first five games, Golden State managed to keep this All-Star duo quiet, but if Gray and Howard keep shooting like that in Game 7, the Dream are going to take this game offensively to a place the Valkyries simply cannot follow.
Atlanta started fast in Game 6, dictating the tempo and forcing Golden State into a shootout that they are not equipped to handle. In every Dream win this series, Atlanta has forced at least 10 Valkyries turnovers, including 15 in Game 6. Remember Game 2? The Dream were on the brink, almost down 2-0, but Reese single-handedly refused to let them lose, her individual brilliance outshining Golden State’s collective. Expect Game 7 to be the same. Atlanta will push the pace, and the Valkyries won’t be able to establish their slow, possession-based game. Golden State’s Veronica Burton might think her team is in a “good spot” heading home, but the Dream are feeling comfortable too, especially after that Game 6 explosion.
This is it. The longest season in WNBA history comes down to one final game on Halloween. If the Dream keep up this pace, force those turnovers, and get big performances from Reese, Gray, and Howard, they are going to end the season with their first-ever championship. Get ready, because it’s going to be a show.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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