The Atlanta Dream forced the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history with an 80-69 home victory over the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday afternoon. The fourth-seeded Dream and second-seeded Valkyries will settle the series Saturday night at Chase Center in San Francisco, with both teams seeking their first championship. The deciding matchup comes in the second season since the league expanded the Finals from five games ahead of 2025.
Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 23 points, including five 3-pointers, despite a hand injury that has troubled her throughout the postseason. Rhyne Howard scored 21 points, while Angel Reese contributed 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Jordin Canada added 10 points. Atlanta finished with 13 3-pointers and never fell behind after the opening minute.
The game began at 12:30 p.m. after the league moved the tipoff earlier to accommodate the Atlanta Hawks’ home matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers that evening. State Farm Arena was packed despite the weekday afternoon schedule. Reese thanked supporters for attending around school and work commitments, saying the team drew energy from a crowd that was loud from the outset.
Atlanta established control with a 13-0 run after a Gabby Williams free throw brought Golden State within 6-5. Gray and Canada each supplied five points during that stretch, which put the Dream ahead 19-5. Williams answered with the Valkyries’ first 3-pointer, but Howard followed with two consecutive shots from beyond the arc. Atlanta converted six of its eight 3-point attempts in the opening quarter and led 32-15.
The advantage reached 25 points with 4:20 remaining before halftime following Reese’s first 3-pointer and a Howard mid-range basket. Tiffany Hayes hit a 3-pointer and reserve Laeticia Amihere added a late layup, but Golden State still entered the break trailing 46-26. Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase expressed frustration with her team’s opening quarter, calling the poor start unacceptable.
Golden State won the third quarter 21-17, with Kaila Charles beating the buzzer from 3-point range to reduce the deficit to 16. Williams then brought the Valkyries within 68-55 on a layup with 6:50 left in the fourth. Atlanta answered through 3-pointers from Gray and Reese, restoring a 19-point cushion. A Williams three-point play cut the gap to eight with 1:15 remaining, before Gray’s fifth 3-pointer secured the result.
Williams finished with 26 points to lead Golden State, and Hayes scored 15. The Valkyries, playing in only their second WNBA season, made seven of 27 attempts from beyond the arc, a 25.9 percent rate. Nakase said she planned to review the film and examine how her message had been communicated, while giving her players time to rest and recover before reflecting on the flight home.
Atlanta coach Karl Smesko said his team would use the next day to prepare and make adjustments for the deciding game. “We’re happy we won, but we know the job is not done,” he said. Gray, a 10-year veteran pursuing her first title alongside many of her teammates, pointed to mutual support, ball movement and offensive execution as the priorities for Saturday.
