Dream breaks unwanted 16-year record in WNBA Finals Game 2 win originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
At long last, the Atlanta Dream has won a WNBA Finals game.
It's been a postseason of firsts for the Dream. Atlanta snapped an eight-year drought without a playoff series win by sweeping the Washington Mystics before a semifinal sweep of the New York Liberty delivered the Dream a first Finals appearance in 13 years.
And on Monday night, Atlanta won its first-ever Finals game by rolling over the Golden State Valkyries in San Francisco.
MORE: Angel Reese refused to let the Dream lose Game 2 of the WNBA Finals
After losing their first 10 games in the WNBA Finals, the Dream rode a dominant Angel Reese performance to a 79-65 win over the Valkyries at Chase Center on Monday.
It ended a drought that began in 2010, when Atlanta -- then a third-year franchise -- was swept in the Finals by Sue Bird and the Seattle Storm.
FIRST-EVER DREAM WIN IN FINALS HISTORY ✅ ATL, LET'S GO! #AllForAtlanta | @lendistry https://t.co/TXxh43hoET
— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) October 20, 2026
The following year, the Minnesota Lynx swept Angel McCoughtry and the Dream to tip off their 2010s dynasty. The Lynx swept the Dream again in 2013, and the Valkyries won Game 1 Saturday to deal the Dream a 10th successive loss in the championship series.
But that streak has come to an end, and the Finals head down to Atlanta on Wednesday all even at a game apiece.