The most consequential 40 minutes of the WNBA season arrive Saturday (1 p.m. ET) as the Atlanta Dream host the Golden State Valkyries in Game 4 of the Finals. The Dream lead the series 2-1, and a victory would heavily tip the scales in their favor, putting them one win away from the first championship in franchise history. A Valkyries win sends the series back to San Francisco all tied up, in a scenario where anything could happen.
Golden State coach Natalie Nakase has remained upbeat despite her team struggling in areas that have been a strength all season. Dream coach Karl Smesko, meanwhile, pointed to the stakes. "You want to finish the job," Smesko said. "These are two great teams going at it, competing at a high level, and only one of us get to be champions."
ESPN analysts Kendra Andrews and Kareem Copeland agree the game is essentially a must-win for Golden State. No team in WNBA history has come back from multiple games down, and only one NBA team, the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, has overcome a 3-1 Finals deficit. The Valkyries have also averaged just 68 points per game and have yet to shoot 35% from the field in any Finals contest.
The biggest adjustment Golden State must make is cutting down on turnovers. The Valkyries committed 19 turnovers in Game 2 and 17 in Game 3, and Atlanta scored 24 and 22 points off them, respectively. Guard Veronica Burton said the team must avoid overreacting while still recognizing the urgency of the moment.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing