The Atlanta Dream kept their championship hopes alive Thursday night, defeating the Golden State Valkyries 80-69 in Game 6 of the 2026 WNBA Finals to force a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday. The victory marks the first time the Finals, now in their second season as a best-of-seven series, will go the full distance.
Game 6 Summary
The Dream jumped to an early double-digit lead and never trailed. Allisha Gray paced Atlanta with 23 points, while Rhyne Howard added 21. Angel Reese recorded her second consecutive double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds. For Golden State, Gabby Williams led all scorers with 26 points, but the Valkyries struggled from the field, shooting just 31% as a team.
Series Context
The series is now tied 3-3 after each team protected its home court through the first five games. Atlanta won Games 2 and 3 at home by double digits, while Golden State responded with victories in Games 4 and 5 on the West Coast. Game 7 is scheduled for Saturday, October 31, at 8 p.m. ET in San Francisco.
Playoff Paths
Atlanta entered the Finals with a perfect 5-0 postseason record, sweeping the Washington Mystics in the first round and the New York Liberty in the semifinals. Golden State needed three games to eliminate the Dallas Wings in the opening round before sweeping the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals.
Historic 2026 Season
The 2026 campaign has been groundbreaking on and off the court. A new collective bargaining agreement raised the salary cap from $1.5 million to $7 million, and multiple regular-season records fell: Caitlin Clark became the first player with a 40-point, 10-assist game; Angel Reese set a single-game rebounding record with 26; and Kelsey Mitchell surpassed A'ja Wilson's single-season scoring mark.
2026 WNBA Finals Schedule (All Times Eastern)
Game 1: Valkyries 68, Dream 64 (Oct. 17)
Game 2: Dream 79, Valkyries 65 (Oct. 19)
Game 3: Dream 97, Valkyries 71 (Oct. 21)
Game 4: Valkyries 67, Dream 62 (Oct. 24)
Game 5: Valkyries 64, Dream 55 (Oct. 26)
Game 6: Dream 80, Valkyries 69 (Oct. 29)
Game 7: Valkyries vs. Dream, 8 p.m. ET (Oct. 31)
