The energy is shifting in these WNBA Finals. In Game 1, the Golden State Valkyries defended home court with a massive defensive effort, holding the Atlanta Dream to 64 points. Then Angel Reese and the Dream flipped the script. Through Reese’s two-way dominance, Atlanta controlled Games 2 and 3, took home-court advantage, and took a series lead. One more win puts the Dream on the brink of the franchise’s first championship. Will Atlanta defend home court, or will Golden State take back the momentum?
The Dream enter as 4.5-point home favorites with the game total set at 153.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Valkyries vs. Dream Preview
The Valkyries have many questions to answer in this Finals. In the first two rounds of the playoffs, Golden State paired its elite defense with strong offensive production. Time and again, they found answers offensively, while their defense and rebounding gave them plenty of chances.
However, over the last two games, they ran out of answers. Angel Reese single-handedly won the paint and rebounding battles on both ends of the floor. Atlanta got comfortable pushing Golden State’s ball handlers further up the court, taking away the three-pointer and daring them to drive into the paint. With the Dream taking care of the ball well, transition hoops have been a non-starter for the Valkyries.
It starts with the stars to turn this thing around. Gabby Williams has been brutal the last two games, scoring a combined 29 points on 8-of-33 shooting. A far cry from her 26 points in their opening win. Offensively, Veronica Burton has been a shell of herself, totaling 19 points over three games after averaging 12.2 PPG in the regular season. Perhaps it’s time for head coach Natalie Nakase to lean more on Janelle Salaün. After being benched for most of the postseason, Salaün was a needed spark in Game 3 — scoring 13 points in 12 minutes of action.
This Finals has been a crowning of Angel Reese through three games. In her debut season with the Dream, Reese earned another All-Star nod and the DPOY award, cementing her status as one of the game’s best. Her performance in the Finals has silenced the haters: she’s averaging 21.7 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks while shooting 56.4% from the field. These types of numbers put Reese in rarefied air, and she’ll join the company of WNBA legends if she keeps this up.
As usual for the Dream, it’s been a team effort. In their 97-71 dismantling of the Valkyries in Game 3, five different scorers finished in double figures, and every player who stepped on the floor posted a positive plus-minus. Golden State is struggling to consistently stop Naz Hillmon, Jordin Canada and DeWanna Bonner, in addition to Reese. If the Dream can maintain the two-way intensity from Games 2 and 3, this series is theirs for the taking.
Valkyries vs. Dream Pick, Best Bet
The last two games didn’t just feel like wins for the Dream; they felt like announcements. It was a declaration that Reese and the Dream know they can beat anyone on any night as long as their effort and execution are consistent. I don’t see the Valkyries coming back from the haymakers they have been hit with, and Atlanta will defend home court once again to go up 3-1 in this series.
