By Basant El-Faramawy
Atlanta Dream staved off elimination in the WNBA Finals on Thursday, defeating the Golden State Valkyries 80-69 in Game 6 to force a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday night in Golden State. Both franchises are seeking their first WNBA championship.
Dream dominate early behind hot shooting
Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 23 points and Rhyne Howard added 21 as the Dream erupted for 32 points in the first quarter, hitting six of eight three-pointers. Atlanta built a 32-15 lead after the opening period and extended it to 46-26 at halftime while holding Golden State to just nine of 34 shooting. Angel Reese contributed a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds, and the Dream led by as many as 25 points.
Valkyries rally falls short
Gabby Williams paced Golden State with 26 points and Tiffany Hayes added 15. The Valkyries cut the deficit to 11 points late in the fourth quarter, but Gray and Reese answered with crucial three-pointers to restore a comfortable margin. Hayes left the game with 5:01 remaining after picking up her fifth foul.
Tipoff controversy unfounded
The 12:30 p.m. EDT tipoff had drawn criticism over potential attendance impacts, but the Dream announced a sellout crowd with only scattered empty seats in the upper level. Game 7 will tip off Saturday at Golden State.
