Valkyries take lead in Finals, set up Thursday finale

The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 64-55 on Monday night to take a three-games-to-two lead in the WNBA Finals.

Kiah Stokes recorded 13 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks. Veronica Burton matched that scoring total while adding eight rebounds and four blocked shots. The combination of their interior defense limited the Dream's offensive flow. Angel Reese finished with seven points, 15 rebounds, and five assists. That performance was far below her output in the first two games at Chase Center.

Coach Natalie Nakase started Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles again, a change she made for the Game 4 victory. Hayes scored 12 points in her return to the lineup after coming out of retirement two years ago. Nakase has stated she wants to win the championship for the veteran guard. Gabby Williams struggled with her shooting, going 2 for 11 from the field. She missed all four of her three-point attempts but hit a three-point play with 9:08 remaining to put Golden State ahead 49-42. She finished with nine points and six rebounds.

The first half combined for a low total score, marking the lowest scoring first half in WNBA Finals history. Neither team found range from deep, combining for just 5 of 29 three-pointers. Golden State led 25-22 at the break. Rhyne Howard's three-point play with 4:59 left in the third quarter pulled Atlanta within 34-31. After that sequence, the Valkyries controlled both ends of the floor. Stokes hit key three-pointers with 2:46 left in the third quarter and 7:21 left in the game. The crowd of 18,000 at Chase Center chanted her name during those moments.

The Dream committed 17 turnovers that led to 21 points for Golden State. Stokes has now recorded at least three blocks in six straight games. That ties Lisa Leslie's 2003 record for the longest such streak in a single postseason. Burton's four blocks tied the record for most by a guard in a Finals game, set by Diana Taurasi in 2009. Owners Joe Lacob had promised a title within five years of the franchise's arrival. The current run has exceeded that timeline.

The league scheduled Game 6 for 12:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday. The game will be held at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, a venue with a capacity of 17,000. That start time falls in the middle of the workday for many fans on both coasts. Dream coach Karl Smesko noted that many fans have jobs and may not be able to attend. He expressed hope that as many people as possible will find a way to watch. The Dream will attempt to avoid elimination in that game. A win would force a deciding Game 7 back at Chase Center on Saturday.