The Atlanta Dream handed the Golden State Valkyries their first playoff defeat at Chase Center, taking Game 2 of the WNBA Finals 79-65 on Monday night to even the series at one game apiece and seize home-court advantage.
The Valkyries, known for their defensive identity, struggled to match the Dream’s energy and intensity. Head coach Natalie Nakase said after the game, “It’s frustrating. Our identity is defense and we hang our hats on that. They played harder.” The Dream outworked the home team in a contest that remained close through the first half before Atlanta pulled away with an 18-4 run late in the third quarter.
The crowd at Chase Center, which included stars like Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and former Warrior Chris Paul, remained loud but seemed stunned as the Valkyries failed to mount their usual late-game comeback. The fans began to leave with minutes still left on the clock, a rare sight given Golden State’s postseason resilience.
The Valkyries struggled with turnovers, committing 19 that led to 24 points for the Dream. They had no fast break points, while Atlanta scored 19 in transition. Rebounding was another weakness for Golden State, and they allowed the Dream to get to the free-throw line 35 times, converting 30 of those attempts.
“We were just a little too loose with the ball,” point guard Veronica Burton said. “They made more energy plays and that’s what we hang our hats on, so that can’t happen, especially not in the Finals. We also shot terribly; like we missed shots that we make all the time.”
Center Kiah Stokes pointed to defensive lapses as a major issue. “Too many lapses on defense,” Stokes said. “Where it’s like we knew what to do but we just weren’t executing.”
The biggest factor in the Dream’s dominant performance was Angel Reese. After a quiet Game 1 where she failed to score in the second half, Reese responded with a 30-point, 16-rebound double-double on Monday. “I let my team down last game,” Reese said. “So I was hungry … I think we let one slip away and you can’t do that especially on the road, where this is a good environment and a good team. We were pissed. We felt embarrassed and we didn’t want to let another one slip.”
Reese’s energy was infectious. Teammate Jordin Canada described her as “a generational talent. She wants it really bad. She’s such a competitor and we feed off her energy.”
The Dream’s win was their first of the season against the Valkyries, who had swept the regular season series 3-0. It was also only Golden State’s fourth loss by double digits all season.
The series now shifts to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4, with the Dream moving from a smaller gym to State Farm Arena, where capacity will increase to 17,000 for the Finals. Earlier playoff games saw parts of the upper deck tarped off, but that will not be the case this week.
Burton acknowledged the challenge ahead for the Valkyries, who must play in a hostile environment. “It takes composure,” she said. “I believe we’re a very composed team and it comes down to sticking together. It’s going to be loud, it’s going to be rowdy, but that’s exciting. This is Finals basketball. This is where we want to be.”
Chris Paul, present in the crowd and close with Nakase, shared advice for the coach. “The biggest thing Chris has been saying is to continue to instill confidence,” Nakase said. “There’s going to be some highs. There’s going to be some lows. Be there for the players for their lows. This is what the playoffs are about. It’s gonna get sticky.”
The WNBA Finals are now tied and heading to Atlanta for what promises to be a fiercely contested next chapter.
According to Yahoo Sports.