Rhyne Howard exploded for five steals on Wednesday night as Atlanta absolutely walloped the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. This performance, hot on the heels of her six steals in their Game 2 victory, makes her the first player in WNBA history to rack up five or more steals in consecutive games. That’s a new level of defensive dominance, folks, and Golden State is feeling every bit of it.
The Ball Hawk Is On Another Level in the Finals
Howard has been a defensive menace all season, leading the entire WNBA in steals, but she’s dialed it up to 11 for the Finals. Her five steals in Game 3, added to the six she grabbed in Game 2, are just unreal. You hear that? *Unreal*. She’s out there making history. According to Howard herself, when you’ve got one of the postseason’s top scorers like Gabby Williams on the other side, “I just needed to make her life hard, take her shots away, take her looks away, get in the passing lanes and making sure that they’re not getting anything easy, as opposed to what we’re trying to get on the offensive end.” That’s the mindset of a champion, plain and simple. Even in their Game 1 loss, Atlanta only gave up 68 points, proving they’ve been locked in defensively this whole series. They just weren’t forcing those turnovers yet.
Golden State’s Turnover Nightmare and Howard’s Offensive Punch
On Wednesday, Atlanta turned 17 Golden State turnovers into a whopping 22 points. That’s a huge swing right there. Golden State guard Veronica Burton knows her team has to do better, especially with Howard lurking. Burton called Howard “deceptively long” with “good instincts,” admitting, “We’ve got to take care of the ball more when she’s in the gaps.” Tell me about it. Howard isn’t just a defensive wizard, either. She brought her offense in Game 3, dropping 16 points, dishing out four assists, and pulling down four rebounds. That’s a major leap from her combined 17 points in the first two games. The All-Star was way more aggressive getting to the basket, not settling for jumpers. She took 10 free throw attempts while only attempting two three-pointers. She’s showing exactly why Atlanta is No. 1 in so many categories, both in the regular season and the postseason.
After Game 1’s loss, Atlanta has now taken two straight, leading the WNBA Finals 2-1. Rhyne Howard is putting on a clinic, creating history with her defense and stepping up big on offense. Golden State has got to figure out how to handle her length and instincts, or this series is going to be over sooner than they think.
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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