Not exactly an offensive showcase so far, but no shortage of intensity. Golden State lead 14-12 after a first quarter in which the teams combined to shoot 11-for-33 (33.3%) from the floor and just 1-for-14 from three-point range.
The Valkyries have been particularly disruptive defensively, recording five blocked shots, including two from Gabby Williams, who has yet to score after missing all three of her attempts. Veronica Burton has carried the offensive load with six points on 3-for-4 shooting, while Kaila Charles has added four points and three rebounds.
Atlanta, meanwhile, have shot just 29.4% from the field, with Rhyne Howard going 1-for-5 and picking up two early fouls. Allisha Gray leads the Dream with five points, including their only three-pointer.
After Golden State’s 8-0 opening burst, this has settled into a tense, physical contest. Every basket feels hard-earned.
Dream 11-10 Valkyries, 2.16, 1st quarter
Atlanta have gone on an 11-2 run to take their first lead of Game 7, with Rhyne Howard’s turnaround fadeaway putting the Dream ahead 11-10 with 2min 16sec remaining in the opening quarter.
Allisha Gray sparked the comeback with a three-pointer from 27 feet, while Jordin Canada added a driving layup before Howard’s go-ahead basket. The Dream started 0-for-10 from the floor but have made five of their last five shots.
One early concern for Atlanta: Howard has already picked up two personal fouls.
Dream 7-8 Valkyries, 3.28, 1st quarter
The Dream are finally on the board after going more than five minutes without a point. Angel Reese opened Atlanta’s account with a running reverse layup off an offensive rebound, before Allisha Gray added another basket to cut Golden State’s lead to 8-4. Gray then connects from deep to pull the Dream within one.
The Valks’ defense has been the story so far, with Gabby Williams already recording two blocks. But Atlanta have bounced back nicely after an icy opening stretch.
Dream 0-8 Valkyries, 5.43, 1st quarter
A nightmare start for Atlanta on Halloween night! The Valkyries have scored the game’s first eight points, forcing Karl Smesko to call timeout less than a minute before he’d get one for free.
Golden State have been relentless defensively, with four different players recording blocked shots already. Kiah Stokes converted a putback layup before Kaila Charles swatted away a Rhyne Howard jumper, collected the rebound and drew a foul at the other end. Charles made both free throws to bring her tally to four points.
The Dream are still searching for their first basket more than four minutes into the biggest game in franchise history.
Dream 0-4 Valkyries, 7.00, 1st quarter
A superb defensive start from Golden State, who have held Atlanta scoreless through the opening three minutes. Veronica Burton blocked Allisha Gray’s early attempt before opening the scoring with a nine-foot fadeaway jumper, while Gabby Williams and Kiah Stokes have also come up with blocks.
Kaila Charles has since added a driving layup off a Williams assist to make it 4-0 with 7min remaining in the first quarter. The Dream have yet to find their offensive rhythm, missing all six of their shots from the floor including a pair of missed threes by Rhyne Howard.
Not much longer now. They’ve just announced the starting fives for tonight’s winner-take-all Game 7 of the WNBA finals at Chase Center.
Atlanta Dream
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No 3 Jordin Canada – Guard
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No 15 Allisha Gray – Guard
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No 10 Rhyne Howard – Guard
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No 00 Naz Hillmon – Forward
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No 5 Angel Reese – Forward
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No 22 Veronica Burton – Guard
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No 15 Tiffany Hayes – Guard
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No 1 Gabby Williams – Forward
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No 6 Kaila Charles – Guard/forward
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No 41 Kiah Stokes – Center
Natalie Nakase’s Valkyries are chasing their first championship in only their second season, while Karl Smesko’s Dream are seeking the franchise’s first title in their fourth trip to the WNBA finals.
Here’s another measure of just how far the WNBA has come: tonight’s Game 7 is the most expensive ticket in US sports this weekend, according to ticketing analyst Keith Smith.
The cheapest seat at Chase Center was going for $364, comfortably ahead of Sunday’s Browns-Steelers ($265), Chiefs-Broncos ($264) and Ravens-Bills ($245) NFL games, as well as Saturday’s Florida-Georgia college football showdown ($226).
Smith notes that the winner-take-all clash between the Valkyries and Dream is on pace to become the most expensive WNBA finals game on record. Not bad for a league that, three years ago, would scarcely have figured into this conversation.
It’s Ballhallaween and these Valkyries fans understood the assignment. With Halloween falling on the night of the first Game 7 in WNBA history, supporters turned out in costumes of all kinds to celebrate outside Chase Center before tipoff. Here’s a look at some of the best outfits from a festive night in San Francisco.
A quick refresher on how we ended up here. The Valkyries entered the playoffs as the No 2 seed, looking to build on a remarkable second season in which they established themselves among the WNBA’s elite. Their postseason began with a scare against the seventh-seeded Dallas Wings, who pushed them to a deciding third game before Golden State advanced 2-1.
From there, Natalie Nakase’s team found another gear. The Valkyries swept the third-seeded Las Vegas Aces in three games in the semi-finals, completing the job with an 87-77 overtime victory to reach the championship series for the first time. They’ve since traded blows with Atlanta through six games, taking a 3-2 lead before Thursday’s defeat denied them a chance to clinch the title on the road.
Atlanta’s path was more straightforward, at least until the finals. The fourth-seeded Dream swept the fifth-seeded Washington Mystics 2-0 in the opening round before dismantling the eighth-seeded New York Liberty, who had stunned the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round, in three straight games.
That sweep sent Atlanta to their first WNBA finals since 2013, with Karl Smesko’s team chasing the franchise’s maiden championship after previous appearances in 2010, 2011 and 2013. The Dream took a 2-1 series lead before consecutive defeats left them facing elimination, only to respond with Thursday’s emphatic 80-69 victory at State Farm Arena.
Now, after 12 postseason games apiece, both teams stand one win from history.
One game, 40 minutes and one first-time champion. After six bruising contests, several thousand cross-country miles and a series that has swung back and forth without either side managing to seize total control, the WNBA finals have come down to a Halloween night showdown in San Francisco. The Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream will settle everything tonight at Chase Center in the first Game 7 in league history, with a championship neither franchise has ever won hanging in the balance.
The Valkyries return home with a chance to complete a remarkable ascent, having reached the brink of a title in only their second season. Natalie Nakase’s team will have the backing of a raucous sellout crowd at Chase Center, where the atmosphere inside the arena known as Ballhalla promises to be particularly festive on Halloween night.
But Atlanta have no intention of letting Golden State’s fairy tale have its happy ending. Facing elimination at a lunchtime tipoff on Thursday, the Dream rediscovered their offensive touch just as their title hopes were threatening to slip away, boat-racing the Valkyries 80-69 in a game where the final margin barely hinted at the scale of the hosts’ dominance.
Allisha Gray scored 23 points, Rhyne Howard added 21 and Angel Reese delivered her fourth double-double of the series as Atlanta buried six three-pointers in a blistering opening quarter and built a lead that ballooned to 25 points before half-time. Golden State, meanwhile, shot just 31.4% from the floor, wasting a 26-point performance from Gabby Williams.
The WNBA adopted a best-of-seven finals format last year, only for the inaugural edition to end in a four-game sweep. This time, the extended format has delivered the ultimate decider. After six games have left nothing to separate these teams, Halloween night will produce a new champion.
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s a look back at Thursday’s Game 6.
