Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese delivered another dominant performance Wednesday night, leading her team to a 97-71 victory over the Golden State Valkyries in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. The win, secured at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, gave the Dream a 2-1 series lead as they pursue their first championship in franchise history.

Reese recorded 21 points and 12 rebounds, marking her second consecutive double-double in the finals after posting 30 points and 16 rebounds in Game 2. Her consistent presence on the court has been a key factor in Atlanta’s recent success after years without a WNBA Finals victory.

“It feels good when you’re in the finals. It’s a long season and you play against everybody and go through and push through, but when you can do it at the highest level, this is what you live for,” Reese said following the game. “I put the work in for this moment and I’m just happy I could lead the team to a win. We’re feeling good going into Saturday.”

Game 4 will also be held at State Farm Arena, a departure from the Dream’s usual home court at the smaller Gateway Center Arena. The shift allowed the WNBA to accommodate a larger crowd, as both Games 3 and 4 saw sellout attendance in the 17,000-seat venue. Gateway Center Arena typically seats only 3,500 spectators.

“Protect home court,” said Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard, who added 16 points. “Giving our fans a show. We fought for this arena so we had to protect it.”

The game remained close until the third quarter, when Atlanta closed out the period on a dominant 20-6 run, outscoring Golden State 12 of the final 14 points to take control. The Dream have consistently excelled in the third quarter throughout the series, outscoring the Valkyries 63-35 over three games.

“I’m most proud of the second half because the first few possessions were a little sloppy,” said Dream coach Karl Smesko. “I was really close to using a timeout. They pulled together on their own and got it worked out, cleaned it up themselves.”

Golden State’s leading scorers included Gabby Williams with 15 points and Tiffany Hayes, a former Dream player now with the Valkyries, who totaled 14 points. Janelle Salaun, the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year for Golden State, contributed 11 points at halftime.

The Valkyries struggled to find their rhythm early, missing their first eight shots and trailing 9-1 in the opening minutes. Aminata Gueye finally scored Golden State’s first basket midway through the first quarter, but Atlanta maintained a double-digit lead by the end of the period, bolstered by strong shooting from Naz Hillmon and Reese.

The teams combined for a robust display of three-point shooting, making 15 of 31 attempts through the first half — a higher total than in either of the previous two games.

With momentum firmly in their favor, the Dream will look to extend their series lead when Game 4 tips off Saturday at State Farm Arena.