Atlanta, GA — The Golden State Valkyries continued their impressive inaugural season Saturday night, using a clutch fourth-quarter run to defeat the Atlanta Dream 88-83 and complete a season sweep of the Eastern Conference contender.
Golden State won its fourth consecutive game by leaning on balanced scoring, relentless defense, and timely shot-making down the stretch to improve to 14-7 on the season.
Veronica Burton led the Valkyries with 21 points, turning in one of her most efficient performances of the year. The veteran guard shot 6-for-9 from the field, knocked down two three-pointers, and converted 7 of her 8 free-throw attempts while directing Golden State’s offense throughout the night.
Gabby Williams provided the spark after halftime, scoring 14 of her 19 points in the second half. She connected on four shots from beyond the arc and repeatedly answered Atlanta’s late pushes with big baskets. Janelle Salaün added valuable production off the bench, scoring 14 points while hitting three three-pointers.
The contest featured playoff intensity from the opening tip.
Golden State raced to a quick 12-2 advantage before Atlanta answered with an 11-0 run to erase the deficit. From there, neither team could create separation as the game featured 22 lead changes and 14 ties, making it one of the most competitive contests of the WNBA season.
Atlanta appeared poised to snap its losing streak when Angel Reese scored five consecutive points to give the Dream a 77-74 lead with just over three minutes remaining.
The Valkyries responded immediately.
Williams completed a crucial three-point play to ignite Golden State’s comeback before Burton knocked down the go-ahead jumper. Moments later, Kaila Charles buried a key three-pointer as the Valkyries closed the game on an 8-0 run, taking control in the final two minutes and never surrendering the lead.
Golden State’s defense proved to be the difference.
The Valkyries forced turnovers throughout the evening and finished with a season-high 15 steals, disrupting Atlanta’s offensive rhythm and converting defensive stops into critical points during winning time.
Atlanta was paced by Allisha Gray, who scored a team-high 22 points. Angel Reese recorded another impressive double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds, marking her 14th double-double of the season. Rhyne Howard contributed 19 points, including four three-pointers, while reserve Madina Okot chipped in 11 points.
The loss was Atlanta’s fifth in a row and continued a difficult stretch that has seen the Dream struggle to close out games during their current skid.
Up Next:
Golden State continues its road trip Monday with a matchup against the Washington Mystics, while Atlanta returns home looking to end its losing streak when it hosts the Seattle Storm on Thursday.
