Atlanta Dream defeat Golden State Valkyries 79-65 tie the best-of-seven WNBA Finals at 1-1.
Angel Reese scored 30 points and had 16 rebounds as the Atlanta Dream stymied the Golden State Valkyries in a stunning win in the WNBA Finals to level the series 1-1 in San Francisco.
Allisha Gray added 18 points as the Dream took full control at both ends in the second half, winning 79-65 on Monday night to even the best-of-seven series before it heads to Atlanta.
Rhyne Howard set a Finals record with six steals, while Jordin Canada contributed 13 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as the Dream earned the franchise’s first Finals victory after going winless in three previous trips. They now head home, having salvaged a split in front of the boisterous “Ballhalla” crowd at Chase Center.
“This environment is tough to play in. Shoutout to the fans. Shoutout to my team, though,” Reese said after the game. “We came and fought. I mean, that Game 1 was tough for us. But we moved on.”
Reese became the third player with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a Finals game, joining Jonquel Jones of Connecticut in 2019 and Breanna Stewart of Seattle in 2020.
“She was definitely way more aggressive; she had a great game,” Valkyries centre Kiah Stokes said. “We let everyone kind of have their way.”
Game 3 is Wednesday in Atlanta, where the next two games were moved to the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks’ State Farm Arena so more fans could attend.
It holds more than 17,000, as opposed to the Dream’s regular home, Gateway Center Arena, which accommodates only 3,500.
Chase Center holds 18,064 and has sold out every game since the Valkyries began playing last year.
Gabby Williams finished with 14 points on 3-for-15 shooting after she was the only Golden State player to score in double figures with 26 points in Game 1, going 7 for 24 from the 3-point range.
“We shot terribly,” point guard Veronica Burton said. “We missed shots that we make all the time.”
Foul trouble almost did in the Dream this time, but Reese simply would not have it. She went scoreless in the second half of the opener, but delivered the big baskets and key defensive stops two days later, finishing 10 for 16 from the floor while dishing out three assists and blocking two shots.
“We watched film and saw the things that we messed up on. When I said that they didn’t do anything to mess us up, it was literally just us,” Reese said.
“And we can see that tonight. And we’re gonna carry that over in Atlanta. Atlanta, y’all better pull up and pop out; I’m looking forward to it.”
Atlanta scored 24 points off Golden State’s 19 turnovers to hand the Valkyries their first loss in regulation since a 73-70 defeat at Chicago on August 21.
The Dream had just eight points off turnovers in Game 1, but returned to the defensive formula that advanced Atlanta this far.