ATLANTA — The Atlanta Dream secured their second consecutive victory in the WNBA Finals on Wednesday, defeating the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 to claim a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Angel Reese powered the fourth-seeded Dream with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Atlanta will host Game 4 on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET before the series shifts to San Francisco for Game 5 on Monday.
Both franchises are chasing their first WNBA championship. Atlanta has reached the Finals three times previously but was swept on each occasion, while Golden State is making its Finals debut in just its second season.
How the Dream won the game: Atlanta’s offense finally found its rhythm in Game 3, shooting 49.3% from the field after failing to reach 35% in either of the series’ first two games. The improvement was especially pronounced beyond the arc, where the Dream connected on nine 3-pointers — five coming from the duo of Naz Hillmon and Reese.
Although Golden State enjoyed success from deep (12-of-30), Atlanta’s defensive pressure fueled much of its offense. The Dream forced 17 Valkyries turnovers, converting them into 22 points, and controlled the interior with a plus-24 advantage on points in the paint and a plus-three margin on the glass.
Reese once again served as Atlanta’s engine, scoring 15 points in a half for the third straight Finals game and becoming the youngest player in WNBA Finals history to record three consecutive double-doubles.
What the win means for Atlanta: After dropping Game 1 to fall to 0-10 all-time in Finals contests, the Dream have responded with two convincing victories and now sit two wins from the franchise’s first title. They aim to extend their momentum Saturday in the early game of a doubleheader with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. A 3-1 series lead heading back to Chase Center for Monday’s Game 5 would place the Valkyries in a nearly insurmountable position.
Outlook for Game 4: Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase expressed dissatisfaction with her team’s fight in Game 2, and Game 3’s third-quarter unraveling likely only deepened those concerns. Atlanta has dominated possession of the lead throughout the series — they led for 29:24 in Game 1 before Golden State’s late rally — and that control has only intensified, with the Dream leading by as many as 21 in Game 2 and winning by 26 in Game 3.
Though the Valkyries trail only 2-1, they face significant trouble unless they quickly address their defensive lapses and turnover issues. — Alexa Philippou
