The Atlanta Dream had it. They *had* it. A 2-1 series lead in the WNBA Finals against the Golden State Valkyries and a nine-point advantage in the second half of Game 7 on Saturday night, only to watch it all slip away. That crushing loss means the Dream’s trip this season ended in heartbreak, falling short to Gabby Williams and the second-year Valkyries, marking their fourth WNBA Finals loss, a record tied for second most in WNBA history.
Another Finals, Another Gut Punch For The Dream
This one truly stings. While their first three Finals appearances ended in sweeps, this time, they were *this close* to bringing home the hardware. The Dream’s four Finals losses mean they are the only active franchise without a title to make it that far at least four times, alongside the now-folded Connecticut Sun. The only other active franchises without a title are the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, who just joined as expansion clubs in 2026. You can feel the frustration, the “what ifs” hanging over Atlanta right now. It was the first time since 2013 the Dream even *made* it to the Finals, and the first time since 2018 they got past the first round. So much progress, only to be denied at the very last moment.
Angel Reese Took Over When It Mattered Most
Despite the brutal ending, there are undeniable positives, especially when you talk about star forward Angel Reese. The Dream traded for Reese in the offseason, banking on her to be the spark, the catalyst they needed, but it wasn’t always smooth sailing. She got off to a slow start in Atlanta, and a tough five-game losing streak in late June and early July, which included three defeats to the Valkyries, left the Dream at a worrying 12-9 mid-season. When Reese missed a potential game-winning layup against the Indiana Fever in mid-August, the team was stuck in fifth place, teetering on the edge of losing home-court advantage in the playoffs.
But that, right there, was the turning point. Reese flipped a switch, averaging a monster 19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.3 steals on an insane 56.3% shooting for the rest of the regular season. The Dream closed on a dominant 9-1 run, snatching the No. 4 seed. She kept that same fire in the playoffs, taking over primary scoring duties when Allisha Gray was sidelined for most of the semifinals against the New York Liberty and Rhyne Howard was stuck in a nasty shooting slump. Reese led them all the way to the Finals. She dropped the best performance of her career in Game 2 of the Finals: a massive 30 points, 16 rebounds, and two blocks to even the series at 1-1, joining legends like Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones as the only players in Finals history with a 30-point, 15-rebound game. She followed that up with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and three steals in Game 3. This woman played her heart out!
“We’ve won a lot of great games, and to come all the way to the Finals with this group, I mean, it says a lot,” Reese said after Game 7. “And not a lot of people have this opportunity to do it, and like I said, I’d do it all over again with this same group and just battling with them every single day. I love these girls and I love these coaches.”
The Dream tied a franchise record with 30 wins and finished in the top five in offensive, defensive, and net rating this season. It’s a tough pill to swallow for Atlanta, but with key contributors set to return in 2027, the Dream will be hungry to rewrite this ending. Will Angel Reese finally lead them to that elusive WNBA championship? We’ll be watching.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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