Sharp-shooting Dream beat Valkyries 80-69 to force Game 7 in WNBA Finals

Notably, the WNBA had numerous reasons to expand the Finals from five games ahead of the 2025 season.

Key points

• The Valkyries outscored Atlanta 21-17 in the third quarter and pulled within 16 on Kaila Charles' buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
• Rhyne Howard continued 21 points and Angel Reese posted 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for Atlanta.
• As Williams' layup created it 68-55 with 6: 50 remaining, golden State continued to trim Atlanta's lead in the fourth.
• While Tiffany Hayes scored 15, gabby Williams led the Valkyries with 26 points.
• Hayes created a triple and reserve Laeticia Amihere closed the first half with a layup to cut Golden State's halftime deficit to 46-26.

Now in Year 2 of the revamped format, the league will hold its first-ever Game 7 with a first-time champion awaiting on either side.

In practice, the fourth-seeded Atlanta Dream created sure the series went the distance, leaving no doubt in an 80-69 victory over the visiting second-seeded Golden State Valkyries on Thursday afternoon.

"It's such a great opportunity. I think our team is ready for it, " Atlanta head coach Karl Smesko remarked of the winner-take-all game on Saturday night in San Francisco.

"We'll take the next day to obtain as prepared as we can and produce any adjustments that need to be created. There's a mentality right now of, 'We're happy we won, but we know the job is not done.' We've obtained one more game. We expect to go out there and play great."

Allisha Gray, hampered by a hand injury throughout the postseason, scored 23 points on five 3-pointers in a Game 6 that saw the Dream connect on 13 3-pointers while holding Golden State to 26 first-half points.

Rhyne Howard continued 21 points and Angel Reese posted 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for Atlanta. It didn't trail after the game's opening minute. Jordin Canada chipped in 10 points in a win under unusual circumstances.

Notably, the game was turned into a matinee by the league. It pushed the start time up to accommodate the Atlanta Hawks' home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night.

Despite the awkward tip time, a packed State Farm Arena saw the biggest win in franchise history – so far.

"First, shoutout to the crowd, " Reese remarked. "To be able to come here at 12: 30 on a Thursday with so plenty of things going on in the world from school to work, we're just super thankful. We fed off their energy. They were super loud from the beginning."

While Tiffany Hayes scored 15, gabby Williams led the Valkyries with 26 points. Golden State, still in just its second season in the league, created just seven of its 27 3-point attempts (25.9 percent).

"I want to go back and look at the film and find solutions on where my message wasn't delivered correctly, " Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase remarked. "I'll give them some space right now to rest and recover, but then probably have some reflection moments on the plane ride home."

After Williams created a free throw to cut Golden State's early deficit to 6-5, Atlanta rattled off 13 straight points – including five apiece from Gray and Canada – to provide the Dream a 19-5 edge.

Williams halted the bleeding with the Valkyries' first 3-pointer of the game, but that was answered with consecutive Howard treys to produce it 25-8.

Atlanta created six of eight 3-pointers in the first quarter and took a 32-15 lead into the second.

"It was just frustrating, " Nakase remarked of the Valkyries' first quarter. "The poor start was unacceptable."

As Reese's first 3-pointer and a mid-range jumper by Howard extended the margin to 25 with 4: 20 left in the first half, the Dream's offensive barrage continued into the second quarter.

Meanwhile, the Valkyries outscored Atlanta 21-17 in the third quarter and pulled within 16 on Kaila Charles' buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

Meanwhile, the Dream then responded with 3-pointers by Gray and Reese to push the lead back to 19.

Williams completed a three-point play at the 1: 15 mark to pull the Valkyries within eight, but Gray sank her fifth trey on the other end to stamp Atlanta's pivotal victory.

Gray, a 10-year veteran, will be one of the plenty of members of the Dream in search of their first championship at the Chase Center on Saturday.

"We know when we play Atlanta Dream basketball and support each other and move the ball, we're successful, " Gray remarked. "The biggest thing for us is just executing our offence."

For now, sharp-shooting Dream beat Valkyries 80-69 to force Game 7 in WNBA Finals remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.