Angel Reese led the Atlanta Dream to a 79-65 victory over the Golden State Valkyries on Monday night in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, leveling the best-of-seven series at one game apiece. The game, held at Golden State’s Chase Center in San Francisco, featured a dominant performance from Reese, who scored 30 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, marking one of the few instances in Finals history of a player reaching at least 30 points and 15 rebounds.
Reese’s performance was a clear response to her struggles in the opening game of the series, during which she went scoreless in the second half. Her aggressive play on both ends was complemented by Allisha Gray’s 18 points and Jordin Canada’s near triple-double with 13 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds. Rhyne Howard also contributed defensively, setting a Finals record with six steals. The Dream’s defense intensified in the second half, holding the Valkyries to 34.4% shooting and limiting their three-point attempts to seven made from 24 attempts.
Golden State, which won Game 1 by a narrow 68-64 margin, faced significant challenges, including uncharacteristic turnover issues. The Valkyries committed 19 turnovers in Game 2, which Atlanta converted into 24 points. This was a stark contrast to Game 1, where Atlanta managed just eight points off Golden State’s turnovers. Golden State’s leading scorer in Game 1, Gabby Williams, was limited to 14 points on 3-for-15 shooting in Game 2, as the Dream focused defensive efforts on containing her impact.
The two teams represent contrasting playing styles. Golden State thrived during the regular season by controlling pace and limiting possessions, whereas Atlanta’s success has largely come from generating a higher number of shot attempts, capitalizing on offensive rebounds, and scoring off turnovers and fast breaks. In Game 2, the Dream leveraged these strengths by scoring 17 second-chance points and 19 transition points, exploiting Golden State’s mistakes.
Atlanta’s victory snapped a franchise-record 10-game losing streak in WNBA Finals appearances, dating back to 2010 across four unsuccessful finals runs. The team now returns home to Atlanta for Game 3 and Game 4, which have been moved to the State Farm Arena to accommodate larger crowds, given their usual home venue’s limited seating capacity.
Golden State faces the challenge of adjusting its strategy to limit Atlanta’s opportunities from offensive rebounds and turnovers. Point guard Veronica Burton acknowledged that ball security was an issue and will be a focus moving forward. Meanwhile, Atlanta coach Karl Smesko highlighted the team’s adjustments after reviewing Game 1 film, emphasizing the importance of aggressive defense and capitalizing on Golden State’s errors.
The series continues Wednesday in Atlanta, as both teams pursue their first WNBA championship. The Valkyries, an expansion team that remarkably reached the playoffs in their inaugural season last year, seek to make further history by clinching the title in only their second season, while the Dream aim to end a finals drought that has spanned multiple attempts over more than a decade.