Rhyne Howard Says Valkyries Forced Dream Into Game They 'Don't Play' in Finals Loss

Rhyne Howard went down in the Atlanta end in the fourth quarter Saturday and stayed there while play went the other way.

After the Dream's 68-64 loss to the Golden State Valkyries in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, she told Atlanta News First's Baillie Burmaster she was "as healthy as I can be."

Howard was going up for a shot and appeared to make contact with teammate Naz Hillmon on the play, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in its live coverage. A staff member helped her up, and she left for the locker room, according to the AJC.

She was back after a timeout. The AJC's next update had Atlanta ahead 60-57 with 5:47 left. The official play-by-play shows no substitution for Howard, and the box score credits her with all 10 minutes of the fourth quarter.

Every one of her fourth-quarter points came at the free-throw line. Howard went 0-of-4 from the field in the period, with 4 rebounds, a block, 2 turnovers, and 3 fouls.

Her two free throws with 3:12 left put Atlanta up 64-61. No one on the Dream scored after that.

Cecilia Zandalasini stole a Howard pass with 2:04 remaining. On the next Golden State trip, Howard blocked a Kaila Charles layup, and at 1:09 she missed a 3-pointer with Atlanta down one.

Her fifth foul was a take foul with 4.1 seconds left, and Gabby Williams made both free throws for the final margin.

For Game 2, Howard wants the Dream playing the way they have all postseason, like a team that is No. 1 in the categories that matter.

"They forced us into a version of a game of basketball that we don't play," Howard said. "We didn't punch back. We just kind of play to how they are making us play, and we're going to have to watch [the] film and go back and make some adjustments."

Howard finished with 12 points on 3-of-14 shooting, including 2-of-9 from 3-point range, and went 4-of-4 at the line.

She added 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal in 38 minutes, with 3 turnovers.

She made 1 of 5 shots in the first half. Thirty-three seconds into the third quarter, her 28-foot 3-pointer in transition tied the game at 42, and she scored 5 points in the period.

Allisha Gray scored a team-high 19 points in her first game since a finger injury kept her out of the last two games of the semifinals.

Howard said the rest of the Dream have to be better around her.

"It was great to have her back," Howard explained. "We just have to have her back. She came out. She had a team high. She showed up to play."

"And we have to come back and show her that we gave her that rest," Howard continued. "But we're also here to help her get us going. She came out hot. She came out looking like nothing even happened. And we just have to be better."

The first overall pick in the 2022 draft averaged 17.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.3 steals in 43 regular-season games this year. She shot 40.5% from the field and 35.5% from 3-point range.

DeWanna Bonner played 13 minutes off the bench Saturday, and earlier in the week Howard said the Dream consulted players before signing Bonner.

Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes also left in the final minutes after hitting her face on the floor while diving for a loose ball.

Game 2 is Monday at Chase Center, with tip-off at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network and Peacock.