Golden State Valkyries 67, Atlanta Dream 62
Saturday, October 24
State Farm Arena, Atlanta
Series tied 2–2.
The Golden State Valkyries answered their heavy Game 3 defeat with a determined defensive performance, defeating the Atlanta Dream 67–62 on the road to even the 2026 WNBA Finals.
Gabby Williams led Golden State with 17 points, while the Valkyries limited Atlanta’s offence and held star forward Angel Reese to just eight points.
The victory shifts home-court advantage back to Golden State, with the best-of-seven championship series returning to California for Game 5.
Game Breakdown
First Quarter — Golden State establishes control
The Valkyries came out with renewed urgency after losing the previous two games.
Cecilia Zandalasini and Kaila Charles provided an early spark, helping Golden State put together a 14–4 scoring run.
Atlanta struggled to find its rhythm, and the Valkyries’ defensive pressure limited Reese’s early opportunities.
Golden State carried a 16–11 lead into the second quarter.
Second Quarter — Valkyries create separation
Golden State continued to dictate the tempo, forcing turnovers and generating additional possessions.
Veronica Burton helped extend the advantage as the visitors capitalized on Atlanta’s offensive struggles.
The Valkyries closed the half with a 42–26 lead, their largest halftime advantage of the Finals.
Their defensive intensity and control of the ball marked a major improvement from the previous two games.
Third Quarter — Dream begin their comeback
Atlanta emerged from halftime with greater urgency, gradually chipping away at the deficit.
Rhyne Howard and her teammates worked to generate better scoring opportunities, while Golden State focused on protecting its lead.
The Dream made progress but entered the fourth quarter still facing a significant challenge.
Fourth Quarter — Golden State holds firm
Atlanta mounted a late rally, cutting the deficit to 61–55 midway through the period.
The home crowd sensed an opportunity to turn the game around.
Burton responded with a crucial three-pointer to restore breathing room.
Howard later converted a three-point play with 28 seconds remaining, bringing Atlanta within 66–62.
Golden State remained composed at the free-throw line, and Atlanta missed its final three-point attempts.
The Valkyries secured a vital five-point victory and levelled the championship series.
Top Performers
Gabby Williams — Golden State
17 points
Williams led all Valkyries scorers, providing the offensive production Golden State needed to bounce back.
Rhyne Howard — Atlanta
19 points
Howard led the Dream and helped fuel their fourth-quarter comeback, but Atlanta could not complete the rally.
Tiffany Hayes — Golden State
13 points
Hayes scored all her points in the second half, giving the Valkyries a timely offensive boost.
Veronica Burton — Golden State
13 points
Burton delivered a key three-pointer during Atlanta’s comeback attempt and helped preserve the lead late.
Individual scoring figures are based on the reported game statistics.
Turning Point
The decisive stretch came in the second quarter, when Golden State built its lead to 16 points.
The Valkyries forced Atlanta into costly turnovers, limited second-chance opportunities and established the cushion that ultimately survived the Dream’s late charge.
Golden State finished with only nine turnovers compared with Atlanta’s 18, a dramatic improvement after committing 33 turnovers across Games 2 and 3 combined.
Defensive Milestone — Kiah Stokes makes history
Kiah Stokes delivered another important performance protecting the paint.
She recorded four blocks and established a new WNBA Finals series record with 14 blocks through the first four games, surpassing the previous mark of 12.
Stokes also collected 16 rebounds, including eight offensive boards, giving Golden State valuable extra possessions and limiting Atlanta’s opportunities around the basket.
What’s Next — Game 5
Monday, October 26, 2026
Atlanta Dream at Golden State Valkyries
Final Verdict
The Golden State Valkyries delivered the response they desperately needed.
After being outplayed in Games 2 and 3, they tightened their defensive execution, reduced turnovers and found timely scoring from Williams, Hayes and Burton.
Atlanta’s second-half rally demonstrated its resilience, but the Dream’s slow start and inefficient shooting proved too costly.
Reese’s eight-point performance was particularly significant after her dominant outings in the previous two victories.
Series outlook: With the Finals tied at two games apiece, Game 5 becomes a pivotal contest.
Golden State has regained momentum and home-court advantage, while Atlanta must find a way to restore its offensive rhythm and avoid another early deficit.
