Angel Reese has moved the Atlanta Dream within two wins of their first WNBA championship, delivering another double-double as Atlanta seized control of Game 3 against Golden State.
The Dream won 97-71 at State Farm Arena on Wednesday to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Finals. Reese finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Thursday’s New York Post account of Reese’s Finals moment captured her focus on the remaining task. She described pursuing another championship with this group as something especially meaningful.
Reese shared a postgame embrace with former LSU coach Kim Mulkey, according to the report. Their exchange linked her college championship experience with Atlanta’s current opportunity in the Finals.
That opportunity still requires two victories. The size of Wednesday’s margin gives Atlanta a strong result to build upon, but does not reduce the work left in this series.
Sports Illustrated’s performance breakdown noted Reese’s seven makes in 12 field-goal attempts, including two three-pointers. She also contributed three assists and three steals as Atlanta’s advantage grew.
Those numbers show why Golden State’s defensive problem extends beyond protecting the rim. Reese’s outside makes and passing create decisions for defenders already trying to finish possessions with rebounds.
The tactical question for Game 4 is how much help Golden State sends toward her. Extra attention could limit opportunities while creating room for other Dream players to attack.
Golden State’s official recap reported five Atlanta players in double figures. The Dream’s production therefore extended beyond Reese, making it harder to solve the game through one defensive adjustment.
The Valkyries began by missing their first eight shots from the field. They did not score until a Kaila Charles free throw nearly five minutes into the contest.
That start made the opening stretch costly even though Golden State initially defended well. The team recap noted Atlanta shot seven of 22 in the first quarter of action.
For the Valkyries, a cleaner opening would help preserve choices later. Playing from behind can encourage hurried attempts and make an empty possession feel especially costly.
Golden State did find useful contributions from its reserves. Tiffany Hayes scored 14 points, while Janelle Salaun added 13 on five-of-seven shooting, according to the team’s recap.
That bench production gives coach Natalie Nakase options as she reviews combinations. The next challenge is connecting those productive stretches with enough stops to keep the game within reach.
TheScore’s game statistics showed Atlanta with 26 assists and a 51-44 rebounding advantage. Golden State recorded 19 assists while shooting 24 of 69 from the field on Wednesday.
The contrast suggests two practical priorities for Golden State: improve the quality of early possessions and complete defensive stands. Allowing Atlanta to control both areas would leave little margin.
Gabby Williams led the Valkyries with 15 points and added eight assists. Kiah Stokes supplied 11 rebounds and three blocks, giving Golden State positives amid a difficult team result.
Useful adjustments could be simple: improve spacing, protect the ball and organize the first defensive rotation. Doing those things together would give Golden State a stronger platform.
Game 4 is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, at State Farm Arena, at 1 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Game 5 returns to San Francisco Monday.
For Atlanta, the next step is repeating the execution that created this lead. Reese has supplied a foundation; the Dream now need to carry that performance into another game.
