Angel Reese recorded 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Atlanta Dream to a 97-71 victory over the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday night, giving Atlanta a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven WNBA Finals. Rhyne Howard contributed 16 points, while Naz Hillmon added 15 as the Dream prepared to host Game 4 on Saturday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

This marked Reese’s second consecutive strong performance in the Finals, following her 30 points and 16 rebounds in Game 2, which secured the Dream’s first-ever win in the championship series. She has recorded a double-double in every game of the Finals so far. Reese reflected on the significance of the moment, noting the long season and the preparation leading up to this stage, adding that she was pleased to have helped guide her team to victory and was optimistic heading into the next game.

The game remained closely contested until early in the third quarter, when the score was tied at 49. Atlanta then surged ahead with an eight-point run, including four points from Reese. Although Golden State briefly closed the gap to 59-55 following a layup by Tiffany Hayes, they were unable to get closer as Atlanta finished the quarter strong, scoring 12 of the final 14 points. Throughout the series, the Dream have dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Valkyries 63-35 across the three games.

In the fourth quarter, with Atlanta leading by 17, a critical play occurred when Valkyries’ Jordin Canada overthrew Reese on a fast break. Reese managed to save the ball by tossing it behind her back to Howard, who was fouled and drew a crucial play. Golden State’s Gabby Williams and Tiffany Hayes led their team with 15 and 14 points, respectively, but the Valkyries were unable to recover from Atlanta’s momentum.

The game was originally scheduled at Gateway Center Arena, which seats approximately 3,500 fans, but the league arranged to move Games 3 and 4 to State Farm Arena, where capacity exceeds 17,000. Wednesday’s game was sold out, as is the upcoming Game 4, underscoring the growing interest in the Finals. Atlanta’s focus remains on protecting home court, as Howard emphasized the team's determination to give their fans a strong performance.

Game 4 is set to tip off at 1 p.m. on Saturday and will be broadcast on NBC.