Angel Reese has 30 points, 16
rebounds as Dream beat Valkyries 79-65 to even WNBA Finals at 1-1
[October 20, 2026]
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Angel Reese sent the message loud and
clear to her teammates: “I need the ball! I need the ball!”
In front of the Golden State Valkyries' raucous home crowd, the
Atlanta star had no choice but to raise her voice — and Reese knew
she had to raise her game, too.
She delivered with 30 points and 16 rebounds in Game 2 of the WNBA
Finals after she struggled down the stretch in the series opener,
and the Dream stymied Golden State on both ends in the second half
to beat the Valkyries 79-65 on Monday night and even the
best-of-seven matchup at one game apiece.
“For me, I think I let my team down last game not really
contributing as much as I could in the second half,” Reese said.
“Not even just about scoring, my screen quality, me hustling and
running to get rebounds, just doing the things that they know me to
do. So I just wanted to make sure I came out tonight and left my
mark and did whatever I could to get the win, and I think I did that
tonight.”
Rhyne Howard set a Finals record with six steals, Allisha Gray added
18 points, and Jordin Canada contributed 13 points, 10 assists and
seven rebounds as the Dream earned the franchise's first Finals
victory after going winless in three previous trips — 0-10 overall.
They now head home having salvaged a split in front of the
boisterous “Ballhalla” crowd at Chase Center.
“It's just the next step of who Atlanta is,” Reese said.
Reese became the third player with at least 30 points and 15
rebounds in a Finals game, joining Jonquel Jones for Connecticut in
2019 and Breanna Stewart for Seattle in 2020.
Atlanta coach Karl Smesko could see the focus in his superstar's
face before the game, and Reese's teammates also saw it.
“She was definitely way more aggressive, she had a great game,”
Valkyries center Kiah Stokes said. “We let everyone kind of have
their way.”
Game 3 is Wednesday in Atlanta, where the next two matchups were
moved to the NBA Hawks’ State Farm Arena so more fans could attend.
It holds more than 17,000, as opposed to the Dream’s regular home,
Gateway Center Arena, which accommodates only 3,500.
[to top of second column] |
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) reacts during the first half
of Game 2 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Golden State
Valkyries, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP
Photo/Justine Willard)
Chase Center holds 18,064 and has sold out every
game since the Valkyries began playing last year.
Gabby Williams finished with 14 points on 3-for-15 shooting after
she was the only Golden State player to score in double figures with
26 points in Saturday’s 68-64 Game 1 win. The Valkyries shot 34.4%
and went 7 for 24 from 3-point range.
“We shot terribly,” point guard Veronica Burton said. “We missed
shots that we make all the time.”
Foul trouble almost did in the Dream this time — but Reese simply
wouldn’t have it. She went scoreless in the second half of the
opener but delivered the big baskets and key defensive stops two
days later, finishing 10 for 16 from the floor while dishing out
three assists and blocking two shots.
“We watched film and saw the things that we messed up on. When I
said that they didn’t do anything to mess us up, it was literally
just us,” Reese said. “And we can see that tonight. And we’re gonna
carry that over in Atlanta. Atlanta, y’all better pull up and pop
out, I’m looking forward to it.”
Atlanta scored 24 points off Golden State's 19 turnovers to hand the
Valkyries their first loss in regulation since a 73-70 defeat at
Chicago on Aug. 21. The Dream had just eight points off turnovers in
Game 1 but returned to the defensive formula that advanced Atlanta
this far.
“We just got back to our identity about who we are and kept our foot
on the pedal,” Reese said. “We didn’t let up and everybody was just
on the same page, we had each other’s back. That’s just Atlanta
basketball.”
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