Golden State held Angel Reese to 8 points, led by 16 at the half and hung on in Atlanta, 67-62. The WNBA Finals are tied 2-2, and Game 5 is Monday at Chase Center.
ATLANTA — Seventeen thousand people came to watch Atlanta take a 3-1 lead. They went home quiet.
The Valkyries beat the Dream 67-62 Saturday morning in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals. The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2. It comes back to San Francisco on Monday.
Three days ago Golden State got run out of this building by 26. Saturday it ran the other way.
They took away Reese
Angel Reese had averaged 25.5 points and 14 rebounds in Atlanta’s two wins, according to ABC7. Saturday she made 2 of 12 shots and finished with 8 points and 6 turnovers.
That was the plan. Make her work for every touch. Send help. Live with whatever comes next.
What came next didn’t go in. Atlanta shot 33 percent and made 4 of 23 threes.
Kiah Stokes owned the glass
Kiah Stokes didn’t score much. She didn’t have to. She pulled down 16 rebounds, eight of them on the offensive end, and blocked three shots. That gave her 14 blocks in four Finals games, a WNBA Finals record, according to ESPN. Brittney Griner and Sylvia Fowles had shared the old mark at 12.
The fast start, then the hold
Coach Natalie Nakase changed the lineup, starting Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles. The Valkyries jumped out early, closed the first half on an 18-6 run and led 42-26 at the break. ESPN reported it was the biggest halftime hole Atlanta had faced all postseason.
Gabby Williams led Golden State with 17 points. Veronica Burton and Hayes each scored 13. And the turnovers that killed them in Games 2 and 3? Nine, total.
Atlanta came back anyway. The Dream cut it to 61-55 midway through the fourth and the building came to its feet. Burton hit a three and sat it back down.
Rhyne Howard, who led Atlanta with 19, made it 66-62 on a three-point play with 28 seconds left. Burton made a free throw. Atlanta came down and didn’t score.
Ballgame.
What’s next
- Game 5: Monday, Oct. 26, 5 p.m. PT, Chase Center.
- Game 6: Thursday, Oct. 29, 5 p.m. PT, at Atlanta.
- Game 7 (if needed): Saturday, Oct. 31, 5 p.m. PT, Chase Center.
Best of three now. Two at home.
Read our preview: Valkyries Need Game 4. Here’s What Has to Change.
Photo: The Valkyries in their road uniforms during a game at Indiana in May. Photo by Sarah Stierch via Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
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