The Atlanta Dream, pushed to the absolute edge, just did what no one thought they could, forcing the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history with a dominant 80-69 win over the Golden State Valkyries. Down 3-2 in the series and facing elimination on Thursday, Angel Reese and her squad found their mojo, putting the league on notice that this fight isn’t over yet.
Swagger Back: Dream Unleash Historic First Quarter
Reese said it herself, “You could definitely tell we got our swagger back,” and they proved it from the opening whistle. The Dream exploded out of their offensive slump in Game 6, blowing past the Valkyries’ usually suffocating defense. This wasn’t just a win, folks, it was a statement. Despite the 80-69 final score, Atlanta was up by a staggering 25 points with three minutes left before halftime. Imagine the West Coasters rolling out of bed for that 9:30 a.m. PT tip-off and seeing *that* unfold.
Atlanta’s 32 first-quarter points were the most by either team in any quarter of this entire Finals series, and get this: it was at least half of their total score in each of their three previous losses. The 32-15 first-quarter advantage was also the largest in Finals history! Valkyries forward Gabby Williams didn’t mince words, calling Golden State’s early play “unacceptable,” citing a serious lack of ball pressure and aggression. “They did a good job today of setting the tone early,” she admitted. “Obviously, we didn’t.” Reese nailed it, too: “When we can punch first, we’ve won every single game.” Atlanta has won all three of their series games by double digits, while Golden State’s defense kept the Dream to season lows in all their single-digit losses. The message is clear: when Atlanta hits first, they hit hard.
Reese’s Mindset Shift Secures the W
Even though the Dream sealed the deal, Angel Reese had a rough night shooting, missing 5 of 18 shots and turning it over six times, which is the second time she’s done that in these Finals. But forget the ugly stats for a second, because the heart and grit were on full display. With 15 points and 14 rebounds, she snagged her fourth double-double in six games. She might not have been at her elite offensive best, but her mental game was locked in. Reese’s philosophy for the night was simple: “It was just a mental mindset of me being able to go out there and try to lead the team as best as I can, no matter how ugly it could be. As long as we came out with the win, I just wanted to do whatever it took.”
That mentality shone brightest when Golden State tried to mount a late comeback in front of the sold-out, 17,099 strong crowd at State Farm Arena. The Valkyries cut the lead to 11 with 2:36 left, then down to eight. But with the season on the line, Reese drove hard, drew a defender, and kicked it out to Allisha Gray in the corner. Gray drained the three, thanks to a screen from DeWanna Bonner, finally sealing the deal and extending their season for another 40 minutes.
So, here we are, staring down the barrel of a Game 7. The Bay Area is already buzzing, calling their Halloween matchup “Boohalla.” Get ready, because after that Game 6 performance, the Dream have everything to play for, and the Valkyries have to figure out how to stop this surge before their season becomes a Halloween nightmare.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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