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Angel Reese Helps Dream Take 2–1 Finals Lead With 97–71 Win Over Valkyries
Reese had 21 points and 12 rebounds as Atlanta answered a third-quarter tie and moved ahead in the WNBA Finals.
Angel Reese scored 21 points and collected 12 rebounds as the Atlanta Dream defeated the Golden State Valkyries 97–71 on Wednesday, October 21, at State Farm Arena. Atlanta leads the best-of-seven WNBA Finals 2–1 after winning the first game of the series played on its home floor.
The Dream broke open a game that was tied early in the third quarter. Rhyne Howard scored 16 points and Naz Hillmon added 15 as Atlanta turned a six-point halftime lead into a 14-point advantage entering the fourth.
The game by quarter
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden State | 15 | 25 | 17 | 14 | 71 |
| Atlanta | 23 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 97 |
Atlanta answers the third-quarter challenge
Golden State had recovered from a 23–15 first-quarter deficit to trail 46–40 at halftime, then pulled level at 49–49. Atlanta answered with eight consecutive points, including four from Reese, according to the Associated Press account carried by the WNBA. After the Valkyries reduced the deficit to 59–55, the Dream closed the quarter on a 12–2 run to lead 71–57.
The official play-by-play shows how the first response developed. Howard scored on a layup, Reese made two free throws, Isobel Borlase added a layup and Reese scored again to make it 57–49. That eight-point stretch crossed a substitution, with DeWanna Bonner replacing Hillmon, so it was not the work of one unchanged five-player group.
Atlanta never trailed, according to the official game summary, but Golden State tied the score twice early in the third. The Dream won the second half 51–31. Their 26–14 fourth quarter removed the possibility of another Valkyries recovery.
Reese and Hayes assess the response
Reese identified the third quarter as a priority in the Dream’s official postgame account. “We want to be the best third quarter team coming out at halftime,” she said.
Dream coach Karl Smesko said he considered calling a timeout when Golden State tied the score, but saw his players discussing the mistakes they needed to correct. His account describes a response organized on the floor before Atlanta put together the run that restored its lead.
Smesko also kept the series situation in view: “We have two wins. We need two more.”
Tiffany Hayes, who scored 14 points for Golden State, questioned her team’s response in the AP report: “Disappointed in our fight. This game they wanted it more than us,” she said. “That’s not who we are, who we’ve been and how we got here.”
Where the scoring difference came from
Atlanta made 25 of 47 attempts inside the three-point line, a 53.2 percent rate. Golden State made 12 of 39, or 30.8 percent. The resulting 50–24 difference in points from two-point baskets matched the final 26-point margin. Golden State’s three extra three-pointers supplied a nine-point advantage from beyond the arc, while Atlanta’s nine extra made free throws offset it.
The official game summary also gives Atlanta a 44–20 advantage in points in the paint and a 22–7 edge in points off turnovers. Those categories describe scoring locations and possessions; they should not be added to the two-point and free-throw totals as extra points. Howard’s five steals and Reese’s three accounted for eight of Atlanta’s nine individual steals.
| Measure | Atlanta | Golden State |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 34–69 (49.3%) | 24–69 (34.8%) |
| Three-pointers | 9–22 (40.9%) | 12–30 (40.0%) |
| Free throws | 20–29 (69.0%) | 11–17 (64.7%) |
| Player rebounds | 37 | 34 |
| Assists | 26 | 19 |
| Player turnovers | 8 | 15 |
| Team-only turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Points in the paint | 44 | 20 |
| Points off turnovers | 22 | 7 |
| Fast-break points | 13 | 5 |
| Bench points | 27 | 38 |
Bonner and Borlase help extend the lead
One stretch isolates the contribution of Atlanta’s mixed starting and reserve personnel. Howard, Allisha Gray, Hillmon, Bonner and Borlase shared the floor from 3:31 to 1:19 remaining in the third quarter. Atlanta went from a 59–55 lead to 66–55 during those 2 minutes, 12 seconds, making three of four shots while Golden State missed all five of its attempts.
Bonner made a three-pointer and a 12-foot fadeaway, while Borlase scored on a running layup. The official substitution record bounds that 7–0 stint; the broader 12–2 finish to the quarter continued after Canada replaced Howard. This is evidence of what the five players accomplished in one short passage, rather than a rating of their season-long effectiveness.
| Personnel | Game clock | Shared time | Score change | Shooting during stint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, Naz Hillmon, DeWanna Bonner, Isobel Borlase | Third quarter, 3:31 to 1:19 remaining | 2:12 | Atlanta 59–55 to 66–55; 7–0 run | Atlanta 3-for-4; Golden State 0-for-5 |
This is the outcome of one shared lineup stint, bounded by recorded substitutions. It is not a season-long lineup rating. Source: official WNBA play-by-play.
Borlase played 26:15 and scored 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Bonner added seven points in 17 minutes, making three of four shots. Their combined 19 points accounted for most of Atlanta’s 27 bench points. Four other Dream reserves each played 1:36 late in the game and supplied the remaining eight.
Golden State actually led the bench-scoring comparison 38–27. Hayes had 14 points in 23:50 and Janelle Salaun scored 13 in 12:01; together they shot 11 of 20. The defeat therefore cannot be explained by an Atlanta reserve-scoring advantage. Gabby Williams led the Valkyries with 15 points and eight assists, but shot 5 of 18.
Atlanta’s ball distribution also outlasted some uneven shooting from its guards. Canada had eight assists in 32:41 and Gray added six in 29:08. They supplied 14 of the Dream’s 26 assists while combining for 6-of-18 shooting and 18 points. Those are their individual game totals, separate from the measured five-player stint.
Complete player statistics
Starters are marked with their listed position; remaining participants came off the bench. DND means did not dress. Scroll each table horizontally to read every column.
Golden State Valkyries
| PLAYER | MIN | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kayla Thornton (starter, F) | 13:16 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -12 |
| Cecilia Zandalasini (starter, F) | 20:32 | 4 | 8 | 50.0 | 4 | 6 | 66.7 | 1 | 2 | 50.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 | -11 |
| Kiah Stokes (starter, C) | 26:10 | 1 | 3 | 33.3 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | -7 |
| Gabby Williams (starter, G) | 34:21 | 5 | 18 | 27.8 | 3 | 8 | 37.5 | 2 | 3 | 66.7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 15 | -16 |
| Veronica Burton (starter, G) | 29:23 | 1 | 7 | 14.3 | 1 | 4 | 25.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | -7 |
| Tiffany Hayes | 23:50 | 6 | 13 | 46.2 | 1 | 4 | 25.0 | 1 | 1 | 100 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 14 | -17 |
| Kaila Charles | 14:45 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 4 | 75.0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -12 |
| Aminata Gueye | 11:07 | 1 | 5 | 20.0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 4 | 4 | 100 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | -14 |
| Kaitlyn Chen | 10:37 | 1 | 5 | 20.0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -19 |
| Janelle Salaun | 12:01 | 5 | 7 | 71.4 | 3 | 4 | 75.0 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | -7 |
| Laeticia Amihere | 1:59 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 |
| Juste Jocyte | 1:59 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 |
| TOTALS | 24 | 69 | 34.8 | 12 | 30 | 40.0 | 11 | 17 | 64.7 | 9 | 25 | 34 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 21 | 71 | -26 |
Atlanta Dream
| PLAYER | MIN | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhyne Howard (starter, F) | 27:08 | 4 | 11 | 36.4 | 1 | 2 | 50.0 | 7 | 10 | 70.0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 15 |
| Naz Hillmon (starter, F) | 26:59 | 6 | 10 | 60.0 | 3 | 5 | 60.0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 17 |
| Angel Reese (starter, C) | 34:25 | 7 | 12 | 58.3 | 2 | 2 | 100 | 5 | 5 | 100 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 12 |
| Allisha Gray (starter, G) | 29:08 | 2 | 8 | 25.0 | 0 | 4 | 0.0 | 4 | 6 | 66.7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 11 |
| Jordin Canada (starter, G) | 32:41 | 4 | 10 | 40.0 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 2 | 3 | 66.7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 13 |
| DeWanna Bonner | 17:00 | 3 | 4 | 75.0 | 1 | 2 | 50.0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Isobel Borlase | 26:15 | 5 | 10 | 50.0 | 1 | 2 | 50.0 | 1 | 2 | 50.0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 21 |
| Sika Kone | 1:36 | 2 | 2 | 100 | 1 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| Madina Okot | 1:36 | 1 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Te-Hina Paopao | 1:36 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | 1:36 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Brionna Jones | DND – Injury/Illness | |||||||||||||||||||
| TOTALS | 34 | 69 | 49.3 | 9 | 22 | 40.9 | 20 | 29 | 69.0 | 6 | 31 | 37 | 26 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 17 | 97 | 26 | |
FGM/FGA: field goals made/attempted; 3PM/3PA: three-pointers made/attempted; FTM/FTA: free throws made/attempted; OREB/DREB/REB: offensive, defensive and total individual rebounds; AST: assists; STL: steals; BLK: blocks; TO: player turnovers; PF: personal fouls; PTS: points; +/−: team scoring margin while the player was on court. Shooting percentages are the official displayed figures, including 0.0 when there were no attempts. Individual plus/minus describes each player’s full court time, not a particular five-player unit.
The official player totals list 34 rebounds and 15 turnovers for Golden State, and 37 rebounds and eight turnovers for Atlanta. The official game summary separately lists team rebound events and two team-only turnovers for each club. Team-only turnovers raise the combined totals to 17 for Golden State and 10 for Atlanta; team rebound events are a separate bookkeeping field. Brionna Jones is listed as DND, Injury/Illness.
Source: WNBA official Game 3 box score.
Game 4 is Saturday in Atlanta
Game 4 is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, at State Farm Arena, with tipoff at 11 a.m. MDT. U.S. television coverage is on NBC, with streaming on Peacock, according to the WNBA’s October 13 announcement. The league moved the start from its original 1:30 p.m. MDT slot. Atlanta leads the best-of-seven series 2–1 and needs two more wins for the championship.
Official highlights and game records
- WNBA Game 3 extended highlights, 14:01.
- WNBA Game 3 video recap, 3:18.
- Official complete player box score and game summary.
- Official gamebook PDF.
Postgame quotations are from the Dream’s edited team report and the Associated Press game account carried by the WNBA. Golden State also provides the original postgame pages for Natalie Nakase and Tiffany Hayes and Gabby Williams; those recordings were not reviewed for this report.
