Rhyne Howard just pulled off a historic WNBA Finals Game 2, and get this: it had *nothing* to do with her offense. The Atlanta Dream’s All-Star guard, known for her scoring, surprised everyone by setting a Finals record with six steals in Monday’s 79-65 win over the Golden State Valkyries. This wasn’t some minor victory either, it evened the Finals series, sending it south to Atlanta for the next two games in what is now a best-of-five showdown.
Defense Wins Championships, Apparently
Forget the stat sheet for points, because Howard was a defensive menace in Game 2. Six steals in a WNBA Finals game? That’s insane. Her offensive rating was only 74 in Game 1 and 79 in Game 2, and she’s scored a mere 17 points from 21 shot attempts across both games. But who cares when you’re making history on the other end of the court, right? The Dream has been on a tear this postseason, riding a 6-1 playoff record into Game 3. It’s a wild ride: Atlanta is just two wins away from its first-ever championship, and Howard’s defense is a massive reason why. She was a first-team All-Defense selection, so we know she can do it, but to step up like this in the Finals? That’s clutch.
When Will the Shot Come Around?
Despite the defensive heroics, Howard’s offense has been a bit of a head-scratcher. She’s only shooting 30.6 percent from the floor in the playoffs. Still, Dream head coach Karl Smesko thinks a breakout might be brewing if Atlanta keeps pushing the pace and punishing Golden State in transition, just like they did in Game 2. Smesko, speaking from State Farm Arena, said, “I think the more we get out in transition, I think it’ll help Rhy get easier looks. [The Valkyries] are obviously pretty focused on not losing her and not letting her have any separation. … We want Rhy to be a big part of what we do.” Howard remains a fundamental part of the Dream’s game plan, and everyone in Atlanta is holding their breath, hoping that shot starts falling. If it does, the Valkyries defense will suddenly have a whole lot more to worry about than just Angel Reese.
Game 3 goes down Wednesday night in Atlanta, and the Dream are just two wins away from their first-ever championship. If Howard’s shot finally drops, this series is gonna be a whole new ballgame for Golden State.
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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