No. 2 Golden State can smell it. The second-year expansion team topped No. 4 Atlanta 64-55 to grab a 3-2 WNBA Finals lead. The Dream vs Valkyries win also pulls Golden State within one win of the title.
Valkyries center Kiah Stokes made the difference in a tight matchup. She tied her season-high of 13 points while adding eight rebounds and three blocks.
“I always understood my value,” Stokes said. “But just to hear an arena full of 18,000 fans, it really makes me feel appreciated.”
Golden State’s win puts the Dream on the brink of elimination, as the best-of-seven series returns to Atlanta for Thursday’s win-or-go-home Game 6.
The Valkyries’ stifling defense limited forward Angel Reese to seven points on Monday — just the second time she’s been held below double-digit scoring for two straight games as a pro.
“I am still trying to figure out how to play through the physicality,” she said. “For my teammates, when they’re getting slapped to the floor or knocked off, it’s a little frustrating.”
Game 6 of the WNBA Finals tips off Thursday at 12:30 PM ET (USA).
