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Atlanta Dream Even Series with Golden State Valkyries in Game 2
· Confirmed
In Short: The Atlanta Dream evened the WNBA Finals series with a 79-65 victory over the Golden State Valkyries in Game 2.
The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries faced off in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals on Monday night, with the Dream earning a 79-65 victory to even the series at one game apiece, according to NBC News and Al Jazeera (Qatar).
In Game 1, the Valkyries won 68-64 at Chase Center, a venue that holds 18,064 and has been sold out for every game since the Valkyries began playing last year, as reported by Atlantanewsfirst and NBC Los Angeles.
The Dream's Angel Reese had a standout performance, scoring 30 points and grabbing 16 rebounds, making her the third player in league history to achieve such a feat in a Finals game, alongside Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones, as noted by ESPN and Al Jazeera (Qatar).
Rhyne Howard set a Finals record with six steals, while Jordin Canada contributed 13 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds, according to Al Jazeera (Qatar) and NBC Sports. The Dream's defense was particularly strong, with Howard's steals and Canada's all-around play contributing to their victory.
The Valkyries' Gabby Williams, who had a strong performance in Game 1, struggled in Game 2, as reported by Presstelegram and Mercurynews. Williams was praised for her aggressive play in Game 1 but did not maintain the same level of performance in Game 2.
Both teams are seeking their first WNBA championship, and the Dream's victory in Game 2 marks a significant turnaround from their Game 1 loss, as noted by CBS Sports and Sportsnet.ca (Canada).
The Dream's coach, Walt Hopkins, acknowledged the team's defensive lapses in Game 1 but praised their effort, stating, “Unfortunately, we had kind of one bad defensive quarter where we had a few breakdowns, and then one bad offensive quarter in the fourth where we turned it over and didn’t have the kind of shot quality that we wanted, but I’m really proud of our team’s effort,” as quoted by Ajc.
The Valkyries' center, Kiah Stokes, noted the Dream's defensive intensity, saying, “You could tell that they ramped up their defense, so we've just got to stay focused, stay locked in,” as quoted by Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
The Dream's Game 2 victory was a result of their improved defensive play and aggressive offense, as highlighted by the team's performance in the second half, according to multiple sources including Al Jazeera (Qatar) and NBC Los Angeles.
The series now moves to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4, with the WNBA announcing that these games will take place at State Farm Arena, as reported by Thesource and Warpbeat.
The Dream's victory in Game 2 has set the stage for a competitive series, with both teams determined to secure their first WNBA championship, as noted by multiple outlets including ESPN and CBS Sports.
Background
The WNBA Finals begin with the Atlanta Dream's Angel Reese and the Golden State Valkyries' Gabby Williams leading their teams.
The WNBA Finals begin with the Atlanta Dream's Angel Reese and the Golden State Valkyries' Gabby Williams leading their teams.
What's confirmed
- The Dream dropped Game 1 68-64 on Saturday afternoon at Chase Center.
- “This environment is tough to play in. Shoutout to the fans. Shoutout to my team, though,” Reese said after the game.
- Rhyne Howard set a Finals record with six steals, while Jordin Canada contributed 13 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as the Dream earned the franchise’s first Finals victory after going winless in three previous trips.
- Reese became the third player with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a Finals game, joining Jonquel Jones of Connecticut in 2019 and Breanna Stewart of Seattle in 2020.
- It holds more than 17,000, as opposed to the Dream’s regular home, Gateway Center Arena, which accommodates only 3,500.
- Chase Center holds 18,064 and has sold out every game since the Valkyries began playing last year.
- “She was definitely way more aggressive, she had a great game,” Valkyries center Kiah Stokes said.
- The No. 1 Minnesota Lynx will host the No. 8 New York Liberty in a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals, the No. 2 Valkyries will host the No. 7 Dallas Wings, the No. 3 Las Vegas Aces will begin their title defense against the No. 6 Indiana Fever, and the No. 4 Atlanta Dream will welcome the No. 5 Washington Mystics to town.
What's still developing
- The Valkyries and their fans never gave the Dream any room to get comfortable.
- The 2026 WNBA season has been groundbreaking, on and off the court.
- Smesko previously noted the urgency of the moment, stating, "I just think we have to create better shots in this game."
- She started the game with a hard-fought layup after messy back-to-back turnovers on both ends of the floor and didn’t slow down.
- "I don't think they really did anything, maybe that was just on me," Reese told reporters after the defeat.
- The four-time All-Star's off-balance corner 3 for a 93-93 tie with 4.1 seconds left in Game 2 was followed by Gabby Williams getting called for an offensive foul on the inbound play after a Golden State timeout.
- But after losing to the Indiana Fever, 96-77, Minnesota backed in when the Valkyries lost to the Portland Fire later in the evening.
- The team agreed to push back the start of their regular season home opener on Oct. 24 in order to accommodate the WNBA Finals.