Angel Reese’s 30-point, 16-rebound performance has sent the Atlanta Dream home with the WNBA Finals tied 1–1 after a 79–65 victory over Golden State.
SFGate’s October 20 coverage highlighted Reese’s production in front of the Valkyries’ home crowd. Game 3 shifts to Atlanta’s State Farm Arena on October 21.
The San Francisco report captured the atmosphere at Chase Center, where the Dream’s response prevented Golden State from taking a 2–0 series lead.
Atlanta’s win was its first in a WNBA Finals game. The franchise had lost its previous 10 championship-series games, including this season’s opener.
The result changes the immediate task for both teams. Atlanta can move ahead on its home floor, while Golden State needs a road win to regain the lead.
Reese was not Atlanta’s only source of offense. Allisha Gray added 18 points, while Jordin Canada finished with 13 points and 10 assists, Field Level Media reported.
Canada also collected seven rebounds, according to the WNBA’s recap, giving the Dream production beyond its leading scorer in the series-leveling win.
Golden State’s Gabby Williams scored 14 points on 3-for-15 shooting. She had led the Valkyries with 26 points in their 68–64 Game 1 victory.
That contrast was a significant part of Atlanta’s response: Williams’ scoring fell by 12 points from the opener as the Dream won by 14.
Atlanta built a 60–46 lead through three quarters in Game 2, according to the team’s account. Golden State entered the final period needing a substantial comeback.
Canada and DeWanna Bonner then made free throws during the opening minute of the fourth quarter to extend the Dream’s advantage to 64–46.
Reese’s scoring and rebounding also put her alongside Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart as players with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a Finals game.
The WNBA’s recap identifies Jones’ performance with Connecticut in 2019 and Stewart’s with Seattle in 2020 as the previous examples of that Finals combination.
The next game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern on October 21. USA Network and CNBC will televise it, with streaming on Peacock.
The league’s venue announcement confirmed that Game 3 moved from October 22 to October 21 so Atlanta could host at State Farm Arena.
Game 4 will also be played there, at 1 p.m. Eastern on October 24. These are the Dream’s first two home games of the best-of-seven Finals.
The series uses a 2–2–1–1–1 format. With one victory each, both teams still need three more wins to claim the championship.
