Gabby Williams scored 17 points and the Golden State Valkyries mounted a strong defensive effort to defeat the Atlanta Dream 67-62 on Saturday, leveling the WNBA Finals series at 2-2. The best-of-seven championship series now shifts back to California for Game 5 on Monday.
Golden State effectively contained Atlanta star Angel Reese, limiting her to just eight points after she had dominated the previous two games with averages of 25.5 points and 14 rebounds. Reese struggled in Game 4, missing 10 of 12 shots, including several layups in the fourth quarter; this marked a notable drop-off following her double-doubles in the first three contests.
Tiffany Hayes was inserted into the starting lineup for Atlanta and responded with a strong second-half performance, scoring all 13 of her points as the Dream sought to regain momentum. Postgame, Hayes emphasized the need for increased grit and effort, noting that despite mistakes, the team played hard but fell short.
The Dream faced a 16-point deficit at halftime, the largest they encountered during the playoffs, trailing 42-26. Yet Atlanta rallied in the fourth quarter, narrowing the gap to 61-55 midway through the period, which energized the sellout crowd of over 17,000. Golden State’s Veronica Burton responded with a timely three-pointer to quell the surge, and after Atlanta briefly edged closer with a three-point play by Rhyne Howard with 28 seconds remaining, Burton sealed the victory at the free-throw line.
Atlanta struggled offensively overall, shooting just 33.3 percent from the field and hitting only 4 of 23 three-point attempts. Howard led the Dream with 19 points.
Golden State players had expressed confidence following their 26-point loss in Game 3, focusing on physicality and effort as keys to turning the series around. Defensively, Kiah Stokes was pivotal, recording 16 rebounds and three blocks in the game, bringing her total to 14 blocks in the series—a new WNBA Finals record, surpassing previous marks by Brittney Griner and Sylvia Fowles.
Reese acknowledged her struggles after the game, attributing the loss in part to her own play. “I think it was me, I think I rushed a lot on my shots and I didn’t take my time and finish around the basket like I’ve been doing the last three games,” she said. “It happens and I’m just looking forward to the next game and just do it.”
The series remains tightly contested as the teams prepare for the crucial Game 5, with momentum swinging back toward the Valkyries after their first win since the opening game of the finals.