Atlanta's Fast Start Sets the Tone
Facing elimination at State Farm Arena, the Atlanta Dream opened with a burst that Golden State never fully answered. Atlanta put up 32 points in the first quarter while holding the Valkyries to 15, connecting on six of eight attempts from beyond the arc. The cushion grew to 20 by halftime, a margin matched by only a handful of halftime leads in Finals history, and reached 25 at one stage in the third period.[S1][S2]
The Dream's ball movement stood out against a Golden State side that had controlled the series' tempo. Atlanta recorded 19 assists on 27 made baskets, and its 13 three-pointers set a record for a team playing to avoid elimination in the Finals. Allisha Gray went 3-for-3 from deep in the opening quarter, and every Atlanta starter had at least seven points by the break.[S2]
Golden State's Late Push Falls Short
Gabby Williams kept the Valkyries alive with 26 points, 22 of them after halftime, and she scored ten consecutive Golden State points in the fourth quarter. The visitors trimmed the gap to eight with a little over a minute remaining, but Gray answered with her fifth three-pointer of the night from the corner to close it out. Tiffany Hayes, facing her former club, finished with 15 points.[S1][S2]
Golden State's shooting numbers told the story of the afternoon: 22-of-70 from the floor, 31 percent, and seven-of-27 from three-point range, 26 percent. The Valkyries managed only four made field goals in the second quarter while Atlanta pulled away. A late three-point play by Williams brought the deficit under ten with 1:15 left, but the comeback ran out of time.[S1][S2]
A Historic Decider Awaits in San Francisco
The Finals conclude Saturday at 8 p.m. ET at Chase Center in San Francisco, marking the first Game 7 since the WNBA adopted a best-of-seven format in 2025. Thursday's game was moved to a 12:30 p.m. ET start because of a scheduling conflict at State Farm Arena with the Atlanta Hawks, whose meeting with the Cleveland Cavaliers had been set for the same evening.[S1]
Atlanta's record when Angel Reese connects from long range has become a talking point in the series, though the two outlets covering the game reported it differently: one put the mark at 19-0 across the regular season and playoffs, the other at 16-0 for the season. Reese, the Defensive Player of the Year, finished Game 6 with 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists.[S1][S2]
