Valkyries beat Dream 67-62 to level WNBA Finals at 2-2

The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 67-62 at State Farm Arena on Saturday to tie the WNBA Finals at two wins apiece. Gabby Williams led Golden State with 17 points as the visitors protected a lead built before halftime and ended Atlanta's two-game winning run in the best-of-seven series.

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According to the Valkyries' official game report, Cecilia Zandalasini and Kaila Charles each contributed five points during a 14-4 first-quarter run. Golden State finished the opening period ahead 16-11, then outscored Atlanta 26-15 in the second. The resulting 42-26 halftime advantage gave the Valkyries a cushion that proved sufficient despite Atlanta's second-half recovery.

Tiffany Hayes and Veronica Burton supported Williams with 13 points apiece, while Zandalasini scored 10 off the bench, AFP reported. All of Hayes' points came after halftime, according to Golden State's recap. Those contributions gave the visitors four double-figure scorers as they sought to withstand a rally that continued into the final minute.

Atlanta's own report identified shooting difficulties as a central problem. The Dream made 33.3% of their field-goal attempts and 17.4% of their three-pointers. Rhyne Howard scored 19 points, but Angel Reese finished with eight points on 2-of-12 shooting and nine rebounds, ending her run of double-doubles in the first three games of the Finals.

The WNBA's game summary also recorded a clear difference in points generated from turnovers. Golden State scored 16 from Atlanta's mistakes, compared with eight for the Dream, and committed only nine turnovers itself. The Valkyries also finished with a 38-28 advantage in points scored in the paint, providing another important source of scoring in a low-scoring contest.

Howard's three-point play brought Atlanta within 66-62 with 28.7 seconds remaining, the Dream reported. Burton then made one of two free throws, and Atlanta missed its final two three-point attempts. Neither shot cut the deficit, leaving Golden State with a five-point victory. Game 5 is scheduled for Monday in San Francisco, with Game 6 set for Thursday in Atlanta.