Yesterday, Beckett Harrison considered how the early start time of Game 6 of the 2026 WNBA Finals, which will tip off at 12:30 p.m. ET in State Farm Arena in Atlanta, could impact players (USA Network/E!/SYFY).
He recognized that the untraditional hour could result in a continuation—or even exacerbation—of the poor shooting that has characterized the fight for a first championship between the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream. That players will also have to alter their pregame preparations,
including rising at an earlier hour, could be an additional contributing factor to some brutal basketball.
Well, among the players who will suit up for Golden State and Atlanta on Thursday afternoon, one might have extensive experience with unexpected and inconvenient changes to one’s schedule and plans.
One who, famously, had twins!
DeWanna Bonner, it’s your time!
Can DB, who signed with the Dream late in the season in hopes of closing out her career with a championship, keep Atlanta alive with a clutch Game 6? Could her 39 years, 17 seasons and 108 playoff games, plus raising twin girls, emerge as a sneaky advantage, as she has tons of experience adapting to less-than-ideal circumstances?
Dream fans, reeling after a pair of dispiriting losses have to hope that DB can turn back the clock at least one more time.
After two rounds of the playoffs, Bonner’s expressed intention of ending her career with another title was on track. Dating back to the end of the regular season, the Dream were undefeated with DB in the lineup, sweeping the Washington Mystics and New York Liberty to advance to 10-0 with Bonner.
Bonner’s rejuvenated play was crucial to Atlanta’s ascendance into a legitimate title contender. Overextended for much of the season on a thin Phoenix Mercury team, the Dream judiciously managed Bonner’s minutes, ensuring she, in turn, would have the juice to contribute to winning basketball.
While the sample size was incredibly small with Atlanta, she shot 50 percent from the field and almost 47 percent from 3 in about 21 minutes per game in her five regular-season appearances; in Phoenix, she was at almost 28 minutes per night, shooting under 40 percent from the field and barely 26 percent from 3. Her rebounding rate also increased with Atlanta.
Those numbers largely held through the Dream’s two first-round victories over Washington.
Then, with Allisha Gray sidelined in Game 1 of the semifinals with a hand injury, Bonner was called on to assume a larger role. Against the Liberty, she played with a fire and ferocity reminiscent of the younger DB, albeit aided by her more than 100 games of playoff experience.
She starred in Game 1, scoring 23 points, tied for her second-most all season, as she shot better than 55 percent from the field and went 3-for-6 from 3. Her activity extended to nine rebounds and two steals. While her shot didn’t fall in Game 2, Bonner still found a way to be impactful earning six free throws as she scored 10 points. In Game 3, DB was all over the glass, using her elite length and underrated strength to haul in 13 boards to go with her 13 points.
However, Bonner logged at least 30 minutes in all three games.
Those extra minutes appeared to have caught up with Bonner, as her effectiveness has waned as the Finals have progressed. She’s yet to score in double figures, or grab more than four boards, through five Finals games.
Golden State, of course, presents a tougher matchup than inexperienced Washington or disorganized New York. With the Valkyries’ athleticism, physicality and execution, plus the accumulated wear and tear, it makes sense that DB’s rejuvenation hit a road block.
But, have her championship Dreams hit a dead end? Or, can DB rev it up one more time, powering through adversity to ensure that Atlanta can force a Game 7?
Even with the challenges posed by a dialed in Golden State squad, Bonner still can create advantages. The activity she demonstrated against New York, with all her length and savvy, can work against Golden State, from disrupting passing lanes to grabbing contested rebounds to getting to 50-50 balls. Atlanta needs every, little marginal edge.
And they also could really use a DB 3-point outburst.
In the Finals, she’s just 2-for-12 from 3. Like the rest of the Dream, she’s got to keep shooting. Bonner, certainly, has the ability to fire off some awful misses. Yet, she also has a tendency to hit shots that look improbable, with absurd attempts finding the bottom of the net when she gets on a heater.
Then, after a few 3s fall, Bonner will demand quicker close outs, creating opportunities for her to show off her still elite step-through game. A Bonner that can at least resemble the peak version of herself can help the Dream crack a Valkyrie defense that has appeared impenetrable these past two games.
DB, in short, is my Game 6 X factor.
Who’s yours? What Valkyrie or Dreamer do you hope steps up to end the series or send things back to San Francisco for Game 7 on Saturday night? Share it all in the comments.
