The Atlanta Dream denied the Golden State Valkyries their first WNBA championship with an 80-69 victory in Game 6, forcing a decisive Game 7 on Sunday. The Valkyries had led the best-of-seven series 3-2 heading into the contest at State Farm Arena.
Dream Dominate Early
Atlanta set the tone immediately, building a 32-15 lead after the first quarter and extending it to 46-26 by halftime. The Dream maintained a comfortable margin throughout the second half to keep the series alive.
Key Performances
Golden State's Gabby Williams led all scorers with 26 points, though she was not at her best. For Atlanta, Angel Reese grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds. The 24-year-old forward, in her first season with the Dream after a trade from the Chicago Sky, had been held in check by Kiah Stokes in Game 5 but bounced back strongly. In Game 2, Reese became the youngest player and only the third overall to record at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a Finals series.
Historic Game 7 Awaits
The first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history will tip off at Golden State at 01:00 GMT on Sunday. "Every time we threw the first punch we won the game. We set the tone early," Reese said. "We needed an opportunity and that's all we needed. We maximised it today. Just really proud of this group. The job is not done. I'm looking forward to it. One more [game to go]."
Venue Change and Fan Support
Game 6 was originally scheduled for 20:00 local time at Gateway Center Arena (capacity 3,500) but was moved to State Farm Arena (capacity 16,888) and brought forward to 12:30 local time due to a scheduling conflict with the Atlanta Hawks. The Dream issued an open letter stating their concerns "did not receive the attention nor the urgency that they deserved." State Farm Arena sold out for the game. "We didn't have everyone come out at 12:30 for nothing. We appreciate the fans' support, on a week day, they came out and supported us," Reese added.
