Title Day in Atlanta: The Valkyries Can Win It All Today at 11:30 CT, and the Dream Have to Stop Giving the Ball Away

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

Hoops fans, set your lunch break early. Game 6 of the WNBA Finals tips this morning in Atlanta, and by early afternoon Central time we could have a brand-new champion, or we could be headed to a Game 7.

The facts

Game 6 tips at 11:30 a.m. Central (12:30 p.m. Eastern) today at State Farm Arena, on USA Network and Peacock, per the Valkyries. The game was moved from its original 8 p.m. Eastern slot, and the Atlanta Hawks pushed their game against Cleveland back to accommodate it. Ballislife reports the Dream announced the game is sold out.

Golden State leads the series 3-2 and can clinch the franchise's first championship in only its second season, per ESPN. If Atlanta wins, Game 7 is Saturday at Chase Center in San Francisco.

The series turned after Atlanta's 97-71 win in Game 3. Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase moved Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles into the starting lineup and tightened her rotation to seven players, and Golden State has won 67-62 and 64-55 since, per Ballislife. "Defense wins championships," Nakase said.

ESPN lays out the problem for the Dream. Atlanta had 18 turnovers leading to 16 Golden State points in Game 4 and 17 turnovers leading to 21 points in Game 5. The Dream shot 33 percent from the floor and 17 percent from three in Game 4, and 29 and 23 percent in Game 5. Angel Reese said Wednesday the answer is "playing at our pace, not getting sped up, making the extra pass." Allisha Gray, playing through an injury to her shooting hand, has dropped from 46.3 percent shooting in the regular season to 34.4 percent in eight playoff games, per ESPN.

RF Sports Radio's take (opinion)

My take: Golden State wins this today if Atlanta does not fix the turnovers. That is the whole series in one sentence. The Valkyries are not out-scoring anybody. They are suffocating teams and living on mistakes. Give them 17 extra possessions and they will take the trophy home.

I also think the early tip helps the Valkyries more than people expect. Defense does not need a warm-up. Shooting, sometimes, does. If the Dream start cold in a morning game, the crowd gets tight fast.

But do not count Atlanta out. This is the team that won Game 3 by 26. Their home floor, a sold-out building and Reese with something to prove is a dangerous combination. If the Dream get to 75 points, I think there is a Game 7.

What to watch next

First-quarter turnovers, Reese's patience against Golden State's doubles, and whether Gray can get a couple of shots to fall early. For our breakdown of Game 5, read our Oct. 28 turnovers column, and follow the Finals on our WNBA Playoffs page. Once the Finals end, this beat goes back to the Dallas Wings.

Radio question: champagne in Atlanta today, or does the Dream's home crowd drag this to a Game 7 on Saturday?

Sources: Golden State Valkyries - Game 6 to be played Thursday, Oct. 29 at 9:30 a.m. PT; ESPN - Three keys for the Valkyries and Dream in Game 6; Ballislife - Valkyries can win first WNBA title in Thursday matinee.