ATLANTA — Just like that, the WNBA Finals is a best-of-three series.
The Golden State Valkyries evened the Finals with a 67-62 victory over the Atlanta Dream in Game 4 at State Farm Arena on Saturday, Oct. 24. The series is tied 2-2 as it heads back to San Francisco for Game 5 on Monday, Oct. 26.
"The one thing that I had told the team after the last game is the goal, when we play on the road, especially when it’s 2-2, just steal one on the road," Golden State center Kiah Stokes, who set a record for blocks in the Finals, said. "So yeah, we lost on what was that Wednesday? But to me, that doesn’t mean we’re out of anything because our goal could still be accomplished if we won today."
"It was just shake it off and learn from it and then just get
ready because nothing was won or lost in Game 3."
Gabby Williams led the Valkyries with 17 points. Tiffany Hayes and Veronica Burton added 13 points each. Cecilia Zandalasini added 10 points off the bench after being moved out of the starting lineup.
Angel Reese, who became the youngest player to record three straight double-doubles in the finals in Game 3, was limited to eight points on 2-of-12 shooting from the field. She added nine rebounds and had six turnovers.
Here are the winners and losers from Game 4 of the WNBA Finals:
Winners
Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase making adjustments
Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase reminded everyone why there's a Coach of the Year on her resume. Simple and plain, the Valkyries were bullied in Games 2 and 3 and Golden State had enough of it.
Nakase made a lineup adjustment that doubled-down on their defensive identity bringing Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles into the fold, as Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini were reserves.
With Kiah Stokes as the backline help, the front court changed the tone with their physicality, tenacity and grit. It was an area Golden State lacked in last game. It was evident in Gabby Williams' spirited postgame huddle on the court after their Game 3 loss. That frustration, that fire showed on the court and it resonated.
Hayes really got it going in the second half where she scored all 13 points, including seven in the fourth quarter. She let the Dream know she was cooking every chance she could breathing life into the Valkyries.
Charles and Stokes made things difficult for Dream forward Angel Reese holding her to eight points, nine rebounds and six turnovers. Reese shot 2-for-12 from the field.
Stokes was Stokes, grabbing 16 rebounds, including eight offensive rebounds and three blocks. Charles was a +14 in her 29 minutes. She didn't allow her team to be pushed around. All game she was in Atlanta's head, even drawing a technical foul on Naz Hillmon.
Valkyries forward Tiffany Hayes
Tiffany Hayes, who was drafted by the Atlanta Dream in 2012, took over in the fourth quarter as the Valkyries stole one on her former team’s home court.
She scored seven of her 13 points in the final quarter but also provided an energy shift that clearly made a difference as Golden State bounced back from a blowout loss in Game 2.
“Just to give all I had, which is what I always do,” Hayes said of her mindset in the must-win game. “Of course, you gotta give a little more. Instead of 110%, you gotta give 120%. We’re all fighting, battling. But at the end of the day, we’re here for each other and we do it for each other, so I think we showed that today.”
In a mic drop moment, Hayes threw some shade on the Dream’s sellout audience at State Farm Arena when asked about returning to Balhalla in front of Valkyries fans.
“Get loud and get ready,” she said. “Show ‘em what the crowd really do.”
Valkyries center Kiah Stokes
Golden State Valkyries center Kiah Stokes came out of Game 4 with four points, 16 rebounds and three blocks. She also had three blocks in Game 3, making her the first player in WNBA Finals history to record more than two blocks in four consecutive games. Stokes also passes Sylvia Fowles and Brittney Griner for the most blocks in a WNBA Finals.
“Honestly, that’s kinda cool to hear, but I just hang my head on defense. I like to block shots,” Stokes said about her new place in the league’s record books. “I’m trying to be the last line of defense for our team that allows my guards to bring the pressure a little more. I know they have confidence that I have their backs. So just trying to do what I can do.”
Valkyries guard Veronica Burton
Atlanta cut its deficit to six points with 4:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, when Veronica Burton stepped up and knocked down a huge 3-pointer to extend the Valkyries’ lead back to nine points. Burton scored Golden State's last six points as it held on to defeat the Dream and even the series, 2-2.
Valkyries head coach called Burton the team's "heart and soul."
"She's literally our leader in terms of never quit, fall down, get back up," Nakase said. "Things are not going our way. It's all right. And I think what was really key tonight is I think she finished with that shot. She said, 'I got it. I got the isolation.' And she just attacked her match up and closed it and really calmed us down.
"Credit to her resilience and her fight."
Burton finished with 13 points , five assists and three rebounds in the win.
Losers
Dream foul trouble
When the Atlanta Dream have been able to play physical, they've been at their best. Whether its bully ball offensively or point-of-attack defense on ballhandlers, the Dream dominate when they impose their will on their opponent. There were moments when they tried, but had players in foul trouble which changed the level of aggressiveness.
Allisha Gray had five fouls, as did Isobel Borlase. Gray was hit with her fifth foul early in the final period. The Valkyries were able to go right at her knowing one more and she'd be out. Angel Reese had a rough first half, helping Golden State set the tone. She had three fouls by halftime, but finished with four. Jordin Canada also had four.
Dream ball security
The Atlanta Dream gave up 18 turnovers, which is the same amount of field goals they finished with for the game. Angel Reese had a game-high six of those turnovers.
Gabby Williams, who led the Valkyries in scoring with 17 points, emphasized defense was the driver behind the Valkyries’ turnaround performance in Game 4.
“I’m sorry if I sound redundant, but we just picked up our ball pressure,” Williams said. “I think we’re a bit more connected today and that gives us our energy.”
Dream forward Angel Reese’s historic tear
Angel Reese racked up plenty of history through the first three games of the Finals. Game 3 marked her third straight double-double of the series. She’s the youngest player to accomplish such a feat.
That streak ended Saturday as she shot 2-of-12 from the field for eight points and nine rebounds.
“I think it was me, I think I rushed a lot of my shots,” Reese said. “I didn’t take my time and finish around the basket like I’ve been doing the last three games. It happens and I’m just looking forward to the next game and I’ll just be better.”
As much as Reese took accountability, Stokes’ defense likely played a role.
“She’s been the head of their snake all series. So for me, it was just trying to make every look that she had at the basket difficult,” Stokes said. “It’s a tough job, but I think being our best defensive big, I gotta own up to that challenge.”
Dream free throws
The Dream made it to the free-throw line early and often on Saturday, but weren’t able to capitalize. Atlanta shot 22-of-31 (71%) from the free-throw line in Game 4, well below their 83.8% average in the 2026 postseason.
It marked the difference in the game.
“(If) we make all our free throws, we win the game,” said Angel Reese, who finished 4-of-6 from the free throw line. “So just small things like that. Obviously turnovers as well, but just getting back to who we are defensively and then offensively, it’ll come.”
Meanwhile, the Valkyries made the most of their trips to the free throw line, shooting 11-of-13 in Game 4.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA Finals Game 4 winners and losers include Valkyries' Kiah Stokes, Dream's Angel Reese
