COLLEGE PARK, GA ― The Golden State Valkyries are one win away from a title, but the confidence of the Atlanta Dream to even the WNBA Finals remains high.
"We get another opportunity to be able to come back home (and) be able to play in front of our fans again. This is the moment that we need to come and maximize. We're not just here just to mess around. We here to (play) Atlanta Dream basketball, get to our identity," Dream forward Angel Reese said on Wednesday, Oct. 28, ahead of Thursday's Game 6 (12:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, Peacock).
"We've watched a lot of positive things and a lot of feel goods, which is what we needed coming back home. So, I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
The Valkyries took control of the Finals with a 64-55 homecourt victory
over the Dream on Monday, Oct. 26, at the Chase Center. They now hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Golden State had four players in double figures.
Center Kiah Stokes was masterful, putting up had 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocks to lead the team. Veronica Burton had a near identical line with 13 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Cecilia Zandalasini and Tiffany Hayes added 12 points each.
Stokes now has six consecutive games with three-plus blocks, tied with Lisa Leslie for the longest streak in a WNBA postseason. Burton’s four blocks tied Diana Taurasi for the most blocks by a guard in a WNBA Finals game.
In the defensive battle with Atlanta, the Valkyries held the Dream to a season-low 55 points. Atlanta also shot 29% from the field and gave up 21 points on 17 turnovers. It was the second consecutive game in which Golden State forced the Dream into double digit giveaways.
"Just breathe. It wasn't the end of the world. It's still not the end of the world. We know that there's a possibility that we can overcome this. We're trying out best to make sure that it comes to fruition," Dream guard Rhyne Howard said of what the team did after their Game 5 loss.
On Wednesday, multiple Atlanta players told the media at Gateway Center Arena that they wanted to find their joy again and play with more happiness. The Dream, just as Golden State said following its Game 2 and 3 losses, said they "didn't look like ourselves" following losses in Games 4 and Game 5 and wanted to get back to the team euphoria it leaned on all season that got the team to the Finals.
For the Dream, they want to focus on celebrating the small things like deflections, stops, a big basket. You name it. Atlanta wants to find the good things and make sure they're celebrated properly. That includes words of affirmation, high fives and the Dream's signature chest bumps.
"We know what we feed off of. We know we didn't bring the type of energy that we (can use to) usually get rolling. So, we just buy into each other and support each other, and be with each other," Atlanta forward DeWanna Bonner said. "We kind of talked about it as a team. Our confidence is still high. It didn't change at all. We lost two games. That's just basketball. You lose some. You win some. You just gotta figure it out how to get it to a Game 7."
Atlanta will play Golden State again on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 12:30 p.m. ET (USA Network, Peacock) at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The Dream look to even the series so it can return to San Francisco for a decisive Game 7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Valkyries squelched Dream's surge but Atlanta's confidence is unshaken
