Oct. 29: Atlanta forces Game 7
The Atlanta Dream have one game left to win their first WNBA championship.
Atlanta beat the Golden State Valkyries 80–69 Thursday afternoon at State Farm Arena, tying the Finals at three games apiece and sending the series back to San Francisco for a deciding Game 7.
The championship game is Saturday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m. Eastern at Chase Center. It will be the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history, with both franchises seeking their first title.
Allisha Gray scored 23 points and Rhyne Howard added 21. Angel Reese finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists, helping Atlanta recover from consecutive losses that had put its season on the brink.
A fast start in an afternoon elimination game
The Dream took control in the opening quarter, making six of eight shots from 3-point range and building a 32–15 lead. By halftime, Atlanta was ahead 46–26.
Golden State cut into the deficit after the break, but the Dream still led 63–47 entering the fourth quarter. Their early shooting gave them enough room to withstand the Valkyries’ late push.
The victory came before a sellout crowd despite an unusual 12:30 p.m. tipoff. The league moved the game from its original evening slot so State Farm Arena could host both the Finals and the Hawks’ game against Cleveland on Thursday. The Hawks agreed to an 8 p.m. start as part of that arrangement.
Atlanta had taken a 2–1 series lead with its 97–71 victory in Game 3. Golden State answered by winning Games 4 and 5, leaving the Dream needing Thursday’s win to stay alive.
How to watch Game 7
Saturday’s game will air on USA Network and stream on Peacock, with a CNBC simulcast also included in the league’s broadcast schedule. Tipoff is 8 p.m. Eastern, or 5 p.m. in San Francisco.
Thursday was Atlanta’s final home game of the season. Its next trip onto the court will end with either the franchise’s first championship or Golden State’s.
