Halfway Home: Atlanta Owns Another Third Quarter, Routs Golden State 97-71, and Is Two Wins From Its First WNBA Title

By Danielle "Dee" Ortiz, RF Sports Radio WNBA Playoffs voice

WNBA fans, I asked you yesterday who would win the third quarter. Atlanta answered for the third straight game, and this time the Dream did not just win it. They turned a tie game into a blowout and grabbed control of the Finals.

The facts

The Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday at State Farm Arena to take a 2-1 series lead, per the official box score and the Dream's recap. The sellout crowd was 17,099. Golden State missed its first eight shots and did not score until a free throw nearly five minutes in. Atlanta led 23-15 after one and 46-40 at half.

Golden State tied it 49-49 with 7:45 left in the third quarter. Atlanta answered with an 8-0 run and closed the quarter on a 12-2 run to lead 71-57 after three. Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase was called for a technical foul late in the quarter after a charge call. Atlanta shot 49.3%, held Golden State to 34.8%, and turned 17 turnovers into 22 points.

Angel Reese had 21 points and 12 rebounds and, per the Dream, became the youngest player with double-doubles in three straight Finals games. Rhyne Howard scored 16 with five steals, the first player with five or more steals in consecutive Finals games. Naz Hillmon added 15, Izzy Borlase 12, and Jordin Canada 10 with eight assists. Gabby Williams led Golden State with 15 on 5-of-18 shooting; Tiffany Hayes had 14, and Cecilia Zandalasini and Janelle Salaün had 13 each.

"We want to be the best third quarter team coming out at halftime because I think that takes their confidence," Reese said. Coach Karl Smesko kept it simple: "We're only halfway home. We have two wins. We need two more."

RF Sports Radio's take (opinion)

My take: this series has a personality now, and it belongs to Atlanta. Three games, three third quarters won. That is not luck. That is a coaching staff and a locker room that knows exactly what it wants to do after halftime.

The scary part for Golden State is that its bench actually played well. Salaün, Zandalasini and Hayes gave them real offense. It did not matter because Williams could not find her shot and the Valkyries turned it over 17 times. You cannot beat this Dream defense by giving it extra possessions.

I am also watching Nakase. A technical in the middle of a run tells me the frustration is real. Golden State has to keep its composure for Saturday.

My call: Atlanta wins Game 4 on Saturday for a 3-1 lead and closes it out in five. That is a prediction, not a report. If Golden State wins the third quarter Saturday, I will rethink everything.

What to watch next

Game 4 is Saturday at noon Central on NBC and Peacock in Atlanta. Game 5 is Monday at 7 p.m. Central on USA and Peacock at Chase Center. Watch Williams' shooting and the turnover count. For the Game 3 setup, read our Oct. 21 WNBA Finals Game 3 preview, and follow the WNBA Playoffs page.

Radio question: can anything stop Atlanta's third quarter, or is this series already decided?

Sources: WNBA official box score — Valkyries at Dream, Game 3; Atlanta Dream — Dream take 2-1 series lead with win over Valkyries; Golden State Valkyries — Valkyries fall to Dream in Game 3; AP News — Dream beat Valkyries 97-71 for a 2-1 lead; Basketball-Reference — 2026 WNBA Finals.