SAN FRANCISCO — Six games. Three wins apiece. One night left.
The Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream play Game 7 of the WNBA Finals tonight at 5 p.m. at Chase Center. Win, and the Valkyries are champions. Lose, and the Dream celebrate on our floor.
It is Halloween. Nobody in Ballhalla is coming as anything but a fan.
More than a trophy
This is a second-year franchise. The Valkyries sold out all 22 home games this season, and they did it in a region that has never had a WNBA champion. A win tonight would be the first in Bay Area history.
It would mean something to every girl in Hunters Point and East Oakland shooting on a rusty rim. It would mean the women’s game has a home here, and the home is full.
How we got here
The home team has won when it mattered. Golden State is 2-1 at Chase Center in this series, and on Monday it held Atlanta to 55 points in Game 5.
Thursday in Atlanta was a different story. The Dream scored 32 in the first quarter, led by as many as 25 and won 80-69. Allisha Gray made five threes and scored 23. Rhyne Howard added 21. Angel Reese had 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists.
The Valkyries still won the second half, 43-34. Gabby Williams scored 26 and carried the comeback. Tiffany Hayes added 15.
What decides it
- The first quarter. Atlanta built Game 6 in the first 10 minutes, going up 32-15. The Valkyries can’t spot them 17 again.
- The three-point line. Atlanta made 13 of 30 threes Thursday. Golden State made 7 of 27. That gap is the game.
- Veronica Burton. She went 2 for 13 in Game 6. When the point guard gets going, the whole offense breathes.
- The building. A home crowd in gold, at a reasonable hour, on Halloween. That’s worth something.
One game. Everything on it. Wear gold.
Game 7: Atlanta Dream at Golden State Valkyries, tonight, Saturday, Oct. 31, 5 p.m. Pacific, Chase Center, San Francisco.
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