Angel Reese poured in 21 points and grabbed 12 boards as Atlanta routed Golden State 97-71, pulling a 2-1 series lead.
Rhyne Howard contributed 16 points, while Naz Hillmon added 15 for the Dream, which will host Game 4 Saturday.
It marked Reese’s second consecutive dominant outing after a 30‑point, 16‑rebound performance in Game 2, the Dream’s inaugural finals win. She’s now the first player ever to notch a double‑double in each of her first three Finals games. For my money, Reese’s consistency will define the series.
Tied at 49‑49 in the third, Atlanta exploded for eight straight points, four coming from Reese. Tiffany Hayes’ layup trimmed the gap to 59‑55, but Atlanta closed the quarter with 12 of the last 14 points.
So far, Atlanta has owned every third quarter, outscoring Golden State 63‑35 across the three contests.
Holding a 17‑point lead in the fourth, Jordin Canada stole the ball from Reese on the break, yet Reese lofted it over her head to Howard, who earned a foul.
The Valkyries never rallied; Gabby Williams added 15 and Hayes 14 points.
Originally slated for Thursday at Gateway Center Arena, the game moved to State Farm Arena thanks to cooperation with the Hawks, allowing a much larger crowd—Gateway seats 3,500 versus over 17,000 at State Farm.
Wednesday’s matchup sold out, and Game 4 on Saturday will also fill State Farm Arena.
Atlanta surged ahead 9‑1 in the opening five minutes. Golden State missed its first eight attempts before Aminata Gueye scored at 4:39 left. After a 13‑10 stretch, Hillmon hit back‑to‑back threes and Reese answered one, leaving the Dream up 23‑15 after the first quarter.
The three‑point barrage continued in the second, with Atlanta stretching the lead to 37‑26 mid‑period. Golden State stayed within striking distance, trailing 46‑40 at halftime as both squads combined for 15‑of‑31 (48%) from beyond the arc—more threes in the first 20 minutes than either Game 1 or Game 2. Can Golden State reverse the trend in Game 4?