Dream Secures 2-1 Lead in WNBA Finals

ATLANTA — Angel Reese contributed significantly with 21 points and 12 rebounds, leading the Atlanta Dream to a 97-71 victory over the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday night, taking a 2-1 advantage in the WNBA Finals.

Rhyne Howard scored 16 points and Naz Hillmon added 15 for the Dream, who will host Game 4 this Saturday.

This marked another strong performance for Reese, who had an impressive 30 points and 16 rebounds in Game 2, giving the Dream their first win ever in the finals. She has now recorded a double-double in every game of the series.

“It’s an incredible feeling to be in the finals. You work hard all season, competing against everyone, and when you perform at this level, it’s what you dream of. This is what the offseason prepares you for,” Reese reflected. “I’ve put in the effort for this moment, and I’m thrilled to have helped lead the team to victory. We’re feeling optimistic heading into Saturday.”

After being tied at 49 in the third quarter, Atlanta managed to score eight consecutive points, four of them by Reese. Although Golden State cut the lead to 59-55 with a layup from Tiffany Hayes, Atlanta finished the quarter strong, scoring 12 of the last 14 points.

The Dream has shown dominance in the third quarter throughout the series, outscoring the Valkyries a combined 63-35 across the three games.

In the fourth quarter, after Atlanta gained a 17-point lead, Jordin Canada attempted to pass to Reese but instead threw the ball over her head; fortunately, Howard caught it and drew a foul.

Golden State couldn’t recover from that point. Gabby Williams scored 15 points, while Hayes added 14 for the Valkyries.

This game was initially set for Thursday at the Gateway Center Arena, where the Dream usually plays. However, the league coordinated with the Atlanta Hawks to move the next two championship games to State Farm Arena, allowing for a larger crowd. The Gateway Center has a seating capacity of only 3,500, whereas State Farm holds over 17,000 fans.

“We need to protect our home court,” Howard said, emphasizing the importance of putting on a show for the fans. “We fought hard for this arena, and we can’t let them come in and take a win.”

Wednesday’s match was a sellout, as will be Game 4, which is also slated for State Farm Arena. The attendance included various music celebrities, such as Ludacris, and former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom mentioned he would be attending.

Kanter Freedom was offered a private suite for safety but chose not to use it, resulting in his removal from the game.

The game started slowly, with Atlanta taking a 9-1 lead within the first five minutes. Golden State missed their first eight attempts before Aminata Gueye finally made a basket with 4:39 remaining in the quarter.

They managed to close the gap to 13-10 before Hillmon hit back-to-back three-pointers, followed by Reese making one as well. The Dream led 23-15 at the end of the first quarter.

Their accurate three-point shooting persisted into the second quarter, allowing Atlanta to extend their lead to 37-26 midway through that period.

Golden State stayed close, trailing 46-40 at halftime, with both teams combining for 15 successful three-pointers at a 48% rate—more than in either of the previous two games.

Reese had 15 points at this point, while Janelle Salaun, the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, contributed 11 for the Valkyries.

Games 1 and 2 had impressive viewership numbers, with Game 1 on NBC attracting an average of 2.1 million viewers, marking a record for the finals opener. Game 2, broadcast on USA Network, drew in 1.33 million viewers.