The Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream have been facing off in the WNBA Finals. The series is tied 2-2, meaning games five and six are confirmed. It’s structured as a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with Golden State hosting the first two games as the No. 2 seed and the next two in Atlanta as the No. 4 seed.
Golden State is in its second-ever season as a team, setting history as one of the most successful expansion teams. In contrast, Atlanta hasn’t reached the finals since 2013 and has yet to ever win a finals game in their three prior appearances.
Both teams have been breaking records throughout the playoffs, and eventually, one team will secure its first-ever WNBA Championship!
Leading up to the finals
Throughout the first two rounds of playoffs, the Valkyries faced off against the Dallas Wings and the Las Vegas Aces. Dallas forced them into a third game, following an overtime victory in game two at 108-100. Golden State then swept Las Vegas in the semifinals before advancing to the finals.
Before the finals, Atlanta had yet to lose a playoff game. They swept both the Washington Mystics in the first round and the New York Liberty in the semifinals. This allowed the team to have extra recovery time before the finals without the stress, travel, and energy that come with each playoff game.
The First Game Sets The Tone
The series started with a close victory for the Valkyries, ending 68-64. The Dream had the lead 79% of the game, with their largest lead being just nine points, while the largest lead the Valkyries had was only five.
This game made history as the second time in WNBA Finals history that both teams shot below 33%. Gabby Williams led the Valkyries with 26 points, while being the only player on her team to reach above 10 points. Angel Reese achieved a double-double, meaning she reached double digits in at least two of the main five categories, with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
When it comes to the WNBA Finals, the team that wins the first game of the series wins the championship over 70% of the time. With the second game also being in San Francisco, Golden State seemed to have the advantage after winning game one.
They Came to Play
Despite how close the first game of the series was, the Dream took game two with the final score of 79-65. This win marked their first-ever game won in the WNBA Finals, ruining the Valkyries’ record of not having lost at home during the playoffs this season.
Reese led her team with another double-double, this time with 30 points and 16 rebounds. Jordin Canada scored 13 points, 7 assists, and 10 rebounds, nearing triple-double territory. Atlanta stepped up as a team, notably getting to the free-throw line significantly more and forcing more turnovers.
Back On Their Home Court
Playing back home brought a competitive fire for the Dream, carrying on the momentum from their win away to take victory at 97-71. Reese once again scored a double-double, becoming the youngest player in WNBA finals history to record three consecutively. The entire team had a field goal percentage of 49% compared to the Valkyries at just 35%.
The Valkyries continued to struggle in this game against the Dream’s dominance. They didn’t lead once, whereas the Dream’s largest lead was 26 points. Both teams attempted 69 field goals, but ultimately, the Dream was more successful. A third straight win for the Dream would seal the deal, meaning the Valkyries needed a major change to put themselves back into the series.
After losing two games in a row, coach Natalie Nakase decided to switch the starting lineup. In both of their losses, Golden State’s bench players combined for more points than their starters. Tiffany Hayes scored 13 points in 25 minutes in this game as a starter.
This change proved to be successful in Golden State’s 67-62 victory over Atlanta, putting the series back in a tie. They held the lead 85% of the game and were ahead by 16 after the first half. Atlanta did manage to close that gap in the second half, out-scoring Golden State in both the third and fourth quarters, but not enough to win this game.
Back in Ballhalla
The Valkyries share the same arena as the Golden State Warriors: the Chase Center, better known as Ballhalla. From personal experience, I can attest that it truly gives the Valkyries home-court advantage. For the Dream to win the championship, they’d have to win again in Ballhalla. With the Valkyries’ win on the road, they need to continue that upward momentum as they head back home.
Games five and six are both confirmed on Oct. 26 and Oct. 29 at 8:00 p.m. EST. Both teams will head back to Atlanta for game six and, if necessary, go right back to Golden State for game seven on Oct. 31 at 8:00 p.m. EST. If each team wins one of the next two games, they’ll need that seventh game to serve as a tiebreaker for who is crowned the winner.
Each round of the WNBA Playoffs has been full of chaos, challenges, and triumphs. Both the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream have fought to get to the finals, and neither one is going to lose the championship without a fight. It might be unclear as to which team will be crowned the champions, but it certainly will be entertaining to watch.
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