We Speak Sports

Dream Wins Its First-Ever Finals Game with Victory over Golden State

Angel Reese scored 30 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as the Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 79-65 for the first WNBA Finals win in franchise history, evening the series at 1-1.

Published

1 day ago

October 21, 2026

Royal Jones

Angel Reese scored 30 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as the Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 79-65 for the first WNBA Finals win in franchise history, evening the series at 1-1.

The Atlanta Dream won its first game in a WNBA Finals, and it took home-court advantage from Golden State with a 79-65 victory on Monday at Chase Center.

Atlanta improved to 1-10 in the Finals behind Angel Reese’s 30 points and 16 rebounds, making her the youngest player (24 years, 166 days) in league history to post a double-double in the championship.

“I let my team down last game, not really contributing as much as I could in the second half,” Reese said. “I wanted to make sure that I came out tonight and left my mark and do what I could to win, and I think I did that tonight.”

Atlanta Head Coach Karl Smesko said he made eye contact with Reese going into the locker room before the game and told her, “I like this look. She was fantastic on both ends of the floor; just a superior performance.”

Angel Reese drives for the Atlanta Dream in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals

The Dream’s defense was also a star. It produced 19 fast-break points while holding the Valkyries to 34.4% shooting. Rhyne Howard set a Finals record with six steals that helped Atlanta produce 24 points off turnovers. Atlanta’s defense worked hard on getting into the passing lanes, which forced the Valkyries to make different decisions than it did in Game 1.

Game 3 will be at a sold-out State Farm Arena on Wednesday. Atlanta will have a chance to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Dream built a 39-37 halftime lead despite Howard picking up four fouls, and Reese playing with three. Reese finished with 15 points; Howard finished with three.

“We feed off her energy,” Jordin Canada said of Reese. “She was talking to us the whole game, keeping us confident.”

Canada finished with 13 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. She said she felt could have played better.

Atlanta increased its lead to 60-46 through the third quarter despite hitting just 4-of-16 shots. Most of its points came from going 12-for-12 from the free-throw line. The Dream played smart defense in the period, forcing Golden State to miss 11-of-15 and didn’t commit a foul that sent any players to the free-throw line. Neither Howard nor Reese, who reached 24 points and 11 rebounds, picked up another foul.

“Her rebound, her fight, were at a high level tonight,” Golden State Head Coach Natalie Nakase said of Reese.

Atlanta didn’t want to let up in the fourth, sparked by the recent memories of Game 1 when it took a five-point lead into the deciding quarter but was held to just eight points.

Two free throws by Canada and Bonner pushed the Dream’s lead to 64-46 in the opening minute of the fourth.

The Dream’s lead never fell to less than 14 points in the fourth quarter.

“It’s just a start,” Reese said. “We have the city behind us. It’s just the first toward who Atlanta is and who Atlanta is going to be the next couple of years.”

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Royal Jones

We Speak Sports

Angel Reese’s Historic Night Powers Dream Past Valkyries 97-71 for 2-1 Finals Lead

Angel Reese had 21 points and 12 rebounds to become the first player in WNBA history with a double-double in each of her first three Finals games, and the Atlanta Dream routed the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the WNBA Finals.

Published

3 hours ago

October 22, 2026

Royal Jones

Angel Reese high-fives Jordin Canada during WNBA Finals Game 3

The Atlanta Dream turned their first home game of the WNBA Finals into a statement. Behind another commanding performance from Angel Reese, Atlanta blew out the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 on Wednesday night in front of a sold-out crowd of 17,099 at State Farm Arena, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and setting a franchise record for points in a Finals game.

Watch the official Game 3 highlights:

Atlanta’s defense set the tone from the opening tip. The Dream held Golden State scoreless for the first five minutes, and the Valkyries did not make a field goal until Aminata Gueye’s hook shot with 4:38 left in the first quarter. Atlanta led 23-15 after one and 46-40 at halftime.

Golden State made its push early in the third quarter, tying the game at 49. Reese answered personally, fueling an 8-0 run and capping it with a coast-to-coast driving layup. After the Valkyries trimmed the margin to 59-55, the Dream closed the quarter by scoring 12 of the final 14 points to carry a 71-57 lead into the fourth, then outscored Golden State 26-14 the rest of the way. Atlanta has now outscored Golden State 63-35 in third quarters across the series.

Angel Reese celebrates with Rhyne Howard during Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena. (AP Photo)

Reese finished with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals. She is the first player in WNBA history to record a double-double in each of her first three Finals games, the youngest player ever with three straight double-doubles in the Finals, and she joined A’ja Wilson as the only players to post 20 points and 10 rebounds in consecutive Finals games. She also went 2-for-2 from three-point range; Atlanta is 14-0 this season when Reese makes a three.

“Time to take over. Do whatever it takes to win,” Reese said. “Everybody was just playing together. It’s fun when you win and you play with a great group. So it makes my job super easy.”

Rhyne Howard added 16 points and five steals, becoming the first player in league history with five steals in consecutive Finals games. Naz Hillmon scored 15, Isobel Borlase added 12 off the bench, and Jordin Canada finished with 10 points and eight assists. Atlanta shot 49.3 percent from the field, hit nine three-pointers and owned the paint, 44-20.

Gabby Williams led Golden State with 15 points, Tiffany Hayes scored 14, and Janelle Salaün and Cecilia Zandalasini added 13 apiece. But the Valkyries shot just 34.8 percent and committed 17 turnovers, which Atlanta converted into 22 points. “Sometimes, promises aren’t kept,” Golden State coach Natalie Nakase said.

Game 4 is Saturday, October 24 at 1 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena, televised on NBC and streaming on Peacock. Atlanta, playing in its first Finals since 2013, is now two wins away from the first championship in franchise history.