Reese leads Atlanta past Golden State to take WNBA Finals lead
Angel Reese's 21 points and 12 rebounds led Atlanta to a 97–71 win over Golden State and a 2–1 lead in the WNBA Finals. The Dream made the difference after the break.
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Atlanta have taken control of the WNBA Finals. The Dream beat Golden State 97–71 at State Farm Arena on Wednesday 21 October and now lead the series two wins to one. Angel Reese posted 21 points and 12 rebounds in a game that was still competitive after the interval, before Karl Smesko's side won the second half 51–31.
Golden State come back, Atlanta respond
The Valkyries began by missing their first eight shots. Atlanta took advantage to settle into their game and finished the first quarter ahead, 23–15. Golden State did not let the game slip away immediately, though: their shooting from outside helped them cut the deficit to six points at the break, 46–40.
Their return to 49–49 in the third quarter gave the visitors fresh hope. Atlanta immediately answered with eight straight points. Golden State closed again to 59–55, but the Dream ended the period on a 12–2 run to stretch their lead to 71–57. The final quarter, won 26–14, then confirmed the break.
Reese sets the tone, Howard makes her presence felt
Reese hit seven of her twelve shots, including both of her three-point attempts, and all five of her free throws. Alongside her 21 points and 12 rebounds she added three assists and three steals. Her ability to finish while keeping possession secure gave Atlanta a solid foundation whenever Golden State threatened to gain the upper hand.
Rhyne Howard contributed 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and five steals. Naz Hillmon added 15 points, with three three-pointers from five attempts, while Jordin Canada handed out eight assists to go with her 10 points. Off the bench, Isobel Borlase scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds.
Williams and Salaün not enough
Gabby Williams finished with 15 points and eight assists, but made only five of eighteen shots. Tiffany Hayes scored 14 points. Janelle Salaün and Cecilia Zandalasini each contributed 13 points; Salaün hit three of her four attempts from behind the arc.
Golden State finished with 24 of 69 shooting, against 34 of 69 for Atlanta. The Valkyries made more three-pointers, twelve to nine, but could not make up for the gap in overall efficiency. They also committed 17 turnovers in total, against ten for the Dream.
Koné and Okot help close it out
In the closing minutes, Sika Koné scored five points, going two for two from the field including a three-pointer, and pulled down two rebounds. Madina Okot added three points and a block. Their arrival came as Atlanta saw out the game in control in front of 17,099 spectators.
The series is best of seven, so Atlanta still need two more wins to claim the title. Game four is scheduled for Saturday 24 October, again at State Farm Arena. Golden State will be looking for a response there to avoid heading home with a bigger deficit.