Dream makes franchise history with WNBA Finals Game 2 win over Valkyries appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Atlanta Dream waited 16 years for this one. Atlanta beat the Golden State Valkyries 79-65 in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals on Monday night at Chase Center, earning the first Finals win in franchise history and evening the best-of-seven series at 1-1.
The Dream had been 0-10 in the Finals before Monday. Atlanta was swept in each of its first three trips, falling to the Seattle Storm in 2010 and to the Minnesota Lynx in 2011 and 2013, and it dropped a 68-64 decision in Game 1 on Saturday.
Angel Reese made sure the streak ended there. The forward delivered a monster performance with 30 points, 16 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal, scoring 15 of those points in the first half.
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The bounce-back was notable for Reese, who was held to 14 points and 12 rebounds in her Finals debut in Game 1 as Golden State’s defense stifled Atlanta. The Dream shot just 32.8% from the field and 16% from three in that loss.
Allisha Gray added 18 points and five rebounds on Monday, while Jordin Canada filled the stat sheet with 13 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists.
The game turned in the third quarter. Atlanta closed the period on a 15-2 run to take control, and the Valkyries never recovered.
Golden State got 14 points apiece from Gabby Williams and Tiffany Hayes, with Veronica Burton chipping in 11 points and seven rebounds. Williams, who torched the Dream for 26 points in Game 1, struggled to find her shot this time, going 3-of-15 from the field.
With the split, the Dream wrestled home-court advantage away from the second-seeded Valkyries. Atlanta entered the Finals as the No. 4 seed after sweeping the Washington Mystics and New York Liberty, and the team is now 6-1 this postseason.
Golden State, meanwhile, is in the Finals in just its second season as a franchise. Neither team has ever won a WNBA championship, so a first-time champion will be crowned either way.
The series now shifts to State Farm Arena, where the Dream will host Game 3 on Wednesday, Oct. 21, and Game 4 on Saturday, Oct. 24. After finally breaking through, Atlanta will look to take the series lead in front of its home crowd.
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