From the HERE City National Desk
ATLANTA, Ga. — The Atlanta Dream get a chance Saturday afternoon to put the Golden State Valkyries on the brink of elimination when the WNBA Finals resume with Game 4 at State Farm Arena. Atlanta holds a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, and national coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. Eastern.
The Dream rolled to a 26-point win in Game 3 on Wednesday night in front of a sellout home crowd, and the pattern was familiar. For the second straight game Atlanta took over late in the third quarter, closing that period on a 12-2 spurt after closing Game 2’s third with a 13-2 run.
Golden State briefly pulled even at 49 midway through the third before Atlanta answered with eight straight points. Dream coach Karl Smesko said he nearly called timeout there but held off after seeing his players sort out the problems among themselves.
Angel Reese, the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, has been the centerpiece. She put up 21 points and 12 rebounds in Game 3 and is the youngest player ever with double-doubles in three consecutive Finals games. Rhyne Howard added 16 points and became the first player in league history with at least five steals in back-to-back Finals games.
Atlanta also got 15 points from Naz Hillmon, 12 off the bench from Isobel Borlase and 10 points with eight assists from Jordin Canada. Smesko cautioned afterward that his team is only halfway to the title.
Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes acknowledged Atlanta played with more urgency in Game 3, and Golden State coach Natalie Nakase drew a technical foul late in the third while protesting a charge call. The Valkyries need a win Saturday to avoid falling behind 3-1.
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