at 
The Atlanta Dream have taken the WNBA championship race to a final game. Led by Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, Atlanta beat the Golden State Valkyries 80 to 69 on October 29, leveling the Finals at three wins apiece and forcing the first Game 7 in league history.
Gray scored 23 points and Howard added 21 as Atlanta rediscovered its perimeter shooting after consecutive defeats. Angel Reese contributed 15 points and 14 rebounds, helping the Dream keep their season alive in front of a sellout crowd at State Farm Arena.
The championship will now be decided at Chase Center in San Francisco on October 31. Both teams are pursuing their first WNBA title, with Golden State attempting to win the championship in only its second season.
Gray and Howard give Atlanta room to breathe
Atlanta’s response began immediately. A run of 13 unanswered points helped the Dream establish a 32 to 15 lead after the opening quarter, giving them control of a game they had to win.
The Dream made six 3-pointers in that quarter, matching their total from the whole of Game 5. That early accuracy changed the demands on Golden State’s defense, which had been so effective in the previous two meetings.
Allisha Gray finished with five makes from seven attempts beyond the arc. Howard connected on four of six, giving Atlanta nine 3-pointers from its two leading scorers alone.
That production made defending Atlanta more complicated. Golden State had to account for threats well beyond the basket while also containing Angel Reese, who added two 3-pointers of her own.
Dream coach Karl Smesko credited improved spacing, fundamentals and a return to the pace his team wanted. His assessment pointed to the quality of Atlanta’s possessions as well as the shots that went in.
Golden State’s recovery comes too late
Atlanta reached halftime ahead 46 to 26. For the Valkyries, that created a difficult combination of tasks, slowing an opponent whose shooters were already confident while generating enough offense to close a substantial gap.
Gabby Williams led the response. She scored 21 of her 26 points after halftime, and Golden State outscored Atlanta 43 to 34 across the final two quarters.
The comeback eventually brought the deficit down to eight points with just over a minute remaining. Gray answered with her fifth 3-pointer, restoring an 11 point advantage and ending Golden State’s strongest chance of completing the recovery.
Tiffany Hayes added 15 points for the Valkyries. There was enough second half improvement to give Golden State something useful to review, although the damage from the opening quarter ultimately proved decisive.
Coach Natalie Nakase criticized her team’s start afterward. Both Nakase and Williams rejected the unusual afternoon tipoff as an explanation for the performance, keeping the focus on how Golden State played.
A first Game 7 under the expanded Finals format
The historical significance needs some context. The WNBA Finals expanded from a maximum of five games to seven beginning in 2025. Atlanta and Golden State are the first finalists to take that longer format all the way.
Under the current arrangement, the higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, 5 and 7. Golden State therefore gets the deciding game at home after missing its first opportunity to secure the championship in Atlanta.
For the Valkyries, a victory would complete an exceptionally quick rise from expansion franchise to champion. The club began play in 2025 and now stands one home win away from the title.
Atlanta has a longer history of pursuing that breakthrough. This is the Dream’s first Finals appearance since 2013, and Thursday’s victory preserved the opportunity to finish the series with the franchise’s first championship.
One final test of Atlanta’s renewed offense
The Dream’s immediate challenge is to carry their improved spacing and shooting into San Francisco. Gray, Howard and Reese combined for 59 of Atlanta’s 80 points, demonstrating how much pressure their three leading players can create together.
Golden State’s priority is a more competitive opening period. Its second half showed the ability to reduce Atlanta’s scoring and build a comeback, but another early deficit would again leave little room for mistakes.
Game 7 tips off on Saturday, October 31, at 8 p.m. Eastern and 5 p.m. Pacific. The winner will leave Chase Center with its first championship and the distinction of winning the first seven game Finals in WNBA history.
