The Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 80-69 on Thursday afternoon in Game 6 of the WNBA Finals, forcing the first Game 7 in league history. The game was played at 12:30 p.m. ET in a sold-out State Farm Arena. Game 7 will be played Saturday at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
Allisha Gray led the Dream with a team-high 23 points. Angel Reese had 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Gray hit a 3-pointer that sealed the win with about a minute left.
The Dream shot 73.3% from the field in the first quarter and 75% from outside, after shooting 35% or lower for most of the series, according to the report. The Dream led by as many as 25 before halftime. The Valkyries outscored Atlanta in the second half and cut the margin to nine with just over a minute remaining.
Reese credited the crowd. "We fed off their energy. They were loud from the beginning," she said. She also said the team has more work to do. "Job's not done," Reese said. "We definitely can be happy about it for now, but we have more work to do."
DeWanna Bonner, speaking to reporters before the game, said the Dream would be "crazy to lose confidence" offensively.