The Golden State Valkyries forced a decisive Game 5 by defeating the Atlanta Dream 67-62, tying the WNBA Finals series at 2-2. After a demoralizing 20-point loss in Game 3, the Valkyries regrouped following an impassioned halftime talk from Gabby Williams, who challenged the team to play with more fight. Williams delivered a career-high 17 points, leading Golden State with aggressive play.
The Dream, seeking to close out the series, struggled with focus as Rhyne Howard led with 19 points, but Angel Reese shot poorly, finishing 8-of-16 and committing a career-low in single-digit points. Kiah Stokes dominated the paint with 16 rebounds and four blocks, extending her consecutive Finals games with three-plus blocks record. Golden State built early leads with 9-0 and 12-4 runs, weathering a third-quarter Dream rally that cut the deficit to single digits.
Natalie Nakase's lineup changes stabilized the defense, and the Valkyries stood their ground to force a winner-take-all Game 5.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing