ATLANTA — The Golden State Valkyries leveled the WNBA Finals at two games apiece on Saturday, relying on disciplined interior defense and 17 points from Gabby Williams to secure a 67-62 victory over the Atlanta Dream.
The victory in front of a sellout crowd of more than 17,000 spectators at State Farm Arena turned the best-of-seven title clash into a three-game sprint. Golden State, aiming to become the first expansion team in league history to claim a championship in its second season, will host Game 5 on Monday night at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Lineup changes spark early momentum
Seeking a response following two consecutive double-digit losses, Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase reshuffled her opening rotation. Nakase inserted veterans Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles into the starting five in place of Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini, ESPN reported.
“I just wanted to change it up. The best thing about our team is like no one cares who starts,” Nakase said, according to Yahoo Sports. “We can do that because they’re a really selfless team, egoless team.”
The move energized Golden State after a cold opening stretch in which the team missed its first six field-goal attempts. A 12-0 burst put the Valkyries ahead in the first quarter, and an 18-6 surge to close the second frame sent Golden State into the locker room with a 42-26 advantage — the largest deficit Atlanta had faced during the 2026 postseason.
Hayes and Veronica Burton each contributed 13 points for Golden State, while Zandalasini provided 10 points off the bench, AFP reported.
Stokes anchors record-setting interior defense
Golden State’s defensive strategy centered on disrupting Atlanta forward Angel Reese, who entered the afternoon averaging 25.5 points and 14 rebounds across the previous two contests. The Valkyries held Reese to eight points on 2-of-12 shooting from the floor while forcing six turnovers, ending her streak of consecutive double-doubles, according to ESPN.
“I think I rushed a lot on my shots,” Reese said, as reported by Yahoo Sports. “I didn’t take my time and finish around the basket like I’d been doing the last three games.”
Center Kiah Stokes anchored the Valkyries’ defense with 16 rebounds — including eight on the offensive glass — and three blocked shots. Stokes raised her series block total to 14, establishing a new WNBA Finals record by eclipsing the previous mark of 12 shared by Brittney Griner and Sylvia Fowles, ESPN noted.
“She’s been the head of their snake all series,” Stokes said of Reese, according to AFP. “So for me it was just trying to make every look that she had at the basket difficult.”
Atlanta rally falls short in final minutes
Atlanta fought back behind guard Rhyne Howard, who led all scorers with 19 points. Jordin Canada and Isobel Borlase added 10 points each for the Dream, though Allisha Gray was limited to five points in 22 minutes while managing foul trouble and a hand injury, Yahoo Sports reported.
The Dream trimmed Golden State’s lead to 61-55 midway through the final quarter before Burton countered with a perimeter basket. A three-point play from Howard pulled Atlanta within four points at 66-62 with 28 seconds remaining, but Burton sank a subsequent free throw to secure the result as Atlanta finished shooting just 33.3 percent from the field and 4-for-23 from 3-point range.
What happens next
The series now shifts back to California for Game 5, scheduled for Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern time on NBC. A potential Game 6 will take place in Atlanta, though venue logistics remain unresolved because the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks have a home game scheduled at State Farm Arena on Thursday, Yahoo Sports reported.
