Atlanta Dream force first WNBA Finals Game 7 with decisive win over Valkyries

The Atlanta Dream forced a decisive WNBA Finals Game 7 by beating the Golden State Valkyries 80-69 in Game 6, according to The Guardian and ABC News Australia. The best-of-seven series is level at 3-3, with the championship decider scheduled for Saturday night at Golden State’s Chase Center. Atlanta took control immediately, scoring 32 points in the first quarter and shooting 73.3% from the floor during the opening period, The Guardian reported.

The Dream made 11 of their first 15 attempts and built a lead that reached 25 points before half-time. The victory came after Atlanta had lost Games 4 and 5, scoring 62 and 55 points in those defeats. The Dream’s latest performance restored their offensive rhythm and ensured that the series would become the first WNBA Finals to reach a Game 7.

Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 23 points, including five three-pointers, while Rhyne Howard added 21. Angel Reese recorded 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for her fourth double-double of the series. The ABC said Australian rookie Izzy Borlase played 12 minutes in a supporting role as Atlanta relied heavily on its starting five.

Golden State’s Gabby Williams scored a game-high 26 points, including a stronger second half after being held to four points before the interval. Tiffany Hayes contributed 15, but the Valkyries shot 31.4% from the field and 25.9% from three-point range. Veronica Burton made two of 13 field-goal attempts and missed all six of her three-point efforts.

The Valkyries reduced the deficit to 13 early in the fourth quarter and later moved within eight points. With 1 minute 15 seconds remaining, Williams completed a three-point play to make it 77-69. Gray, despite an injury to her shooting hand during the postseason, responded with her fifth three-pointer, assisted by Reese, with 56 seconds left.

The game was played at lunchtime after being moved to State Farm Arena to accommodate a regular-season Atlanta Hawks game. The change prompted criticism because the Dream’s decisive home fixture had originally been scheduled for their smaller regular-season venue. The new arrangement allowed a reported sellout crowd of 17,099, but required a 12.30pm local start.

Atlanta players had described the scheduling as an irritation, yet the Dream began with the urgency of an elimination game. Howard said the team had to be aggressive from the opening, while Reese said a players-only meeting before a film session had helped restore confidence. Golden State coach Natalie Nakase rejected the suggestion that the unusual start caused the defeat.

She said her team knew Atlanta would play as though its season depended on the result, but failed to match that intensity. Both teams are seeking their first WNBA championship, and the winner in San Francisco will claim the title.