The worries about State Farm Arena being empty for a 12:30 pm ET WNBA Finals Game 6 tip-off? Totally unfounded. Atlanta showed up big time, filling every single one of the 17,000 seats before the game even started, creating an atmosphere so electric the whole building was rocking.
Mimosa Madness and a Dream Dominance
It was so early that USA’s Kate Scott, on the broadcast, declared “the word of the day is mimosa,” but the Atlanta Dream and their fans were wide awake. That insane energy from the crowd helped power the Dream to a massive 32-15 lead in the first quarter, a lead they never let go of. They rolled to an 80-69 win, pushing this series to the absolute limit. Now, it’s a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday, going down in San Francisco at 8 p.m. ET. Honestly, if they pushed that start time to midnight, maybe Ballhalla could get the same kind of edge.
Valkyries Won’t Back Down, Dream Punches First
That three-hour time zone difference between Atlanta and San Francisco sure looked like it was messing with the Valkyries. They came out slow, putting up only 15 points in the first quarter and a measly 26 at the half. But don’t think for a second Golden State was going to use that as an excuse. Even when asked three separate times postgame, Valkyries All-Star Gabby Williams shut it down. “They played at the same time as us, right?” she said. “It’s not an excuse. We have to be better.” The Dream, though, were definitely better early. Angel Reese didn’t hold back, crediting their quick start for the Game 6 win, and even for their earlier victories in Games 2 and 3. Her take? “When we punch first, we have won every single game.” That’s a mentality, right there.
Reese Keeps Balling, Howard and Gray Catch Fire
Speaking of Angel Reese, she’s just been a winner. The Dream have actually won every single game where Reese has made at least one 3-pointer. In Game 6, she went 2-of-8 from deep and 5-of-18 overall, but she hit some clutch buckets when the Valkyries tried to make a run in the fourth quarter. Plus, she wasn’t just scoring. She dominated with 14 rebounds, dished out six assists, and played some lockdown defense. Reese wasn’t even supposed to be the main scorer for the Dream, but she stepped into that role because Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray were shooting cold earlier in the series. Well, guess what? Those two broke out big time in Game 6, totally snapping their slumps. Howard dropped 21 points and Gray put up 23, with them combining for an absolutely scorching 9-of-13 from beyond the arc. That’s a nightmare for any defense.
Even with Mayor Andre Dickens urging employers and schools to cut fans some slack, many admitted to skipping work or school to be there. Max Henner, a local fan, told Sporting News he was able to make it work, but his buddies weren’t so lucky. “A lot of my friends who haven’t missed a game all season are being forced to miss this one because they don’t have PTO,” he said. That’s serious fan dedication.
Game 7 is going to be absolutely insane. Winner-take-all. Saturday. San Francisco. You know everyone will be watching to see who takes home the title.
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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