5 Takeaways From Valkyries’ 67-62 Game 4 Win Over Dream

The WNBA Finals are tied 2-2 after the Golden State Valkyries won Game 4 over the Atlanta Dream, 67-62, on Saturday at State Farm Arena.

Gabby Williams scored 17 points for Golden State. Rhyne Howard had a game-high 19 for Atlanta.

Atlanta turned the ball over 14 times in the first half. That tied the Finals record for turnovers in any half, according to the league’s postgame notes, and the Dream became only the second team in Finals history to score under 30 points with 14 turnovers in a half.

Golden State scored 16 points off Atlanta’s 18 turnovers for the game. The Valkyries gave it away 9 times and allowed 8 points.

The numbers ran the other way earlier in the series. Golden State committed a season-high 19 turnovers in Game 2 and 17 more in Game 3, which Atlanta turned into 22 points.

Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase was not certain what swung the second quarter, which Golden State won 26-15.

“I think we created more turnovers,” Nakase said. “I’m not really sure, but I think we were really aggressive in terms of our coverage. We’re mixing things up. And so when you mix things up and stay connected, that really kind of messes up the opponent. That’s just what we’re trying to do is keep them off rhythm. And so just credit to the players for picking things up, looking at each other, having each other’s back.”

Nakase also credited Cecilia Zandalasini for getting to her spots, Janelle Salaün for the spacing she provides in limited minutes, and Kayla Thornton for her physicality at the five.

Nakase started Kaila Charles and Tiffany Hayes alongside Williams, Veronica Burton, and Kiah Stokes. Zandalasini, who started Game 3, and Thornton came off the bench.

Zandalasini finished plus-20 in 18:16 with 10 points and 3 steals. The steals tied her playoff career high.

Nakase said her players want to see their teammates succeed more than themselves.

“We just wanted to change it up,” Nakase explained. “The best thing about our team is, like, no one cares who starts. No one cares. People coming off the bench, it doesn’t matter. We can do that because we have a really good team. Selfless team, [egoless] team. So I just wanted to change it.”

“And you definitely saw some energy, a better fight,” Nakase continued. “But it literally is also with the people like Chechi and KT coming off the bench. Like you saw another punch too. So just credit to our players. [Egoless] players is really vital.”

Charles was plus-14 with 5 points and 5 rebounds in 28:53. She had 10 rebounds off the bench in Game 1.

Hayes, who made a blunt admission after the Game 3 loss, scored all 13 of her points in the second half and went 3-of-3 at the free-throw line. Atlanta drafted Hayes in 2012, and she is the only player from the Dream’s 2013 Finals team in this series.

Nakase said Charles’ rise started when Golden State had a couple of players away for worlds.

“I think what Kai was doing even early on in the Finals was just bringing that energy,” Nakase said. “KT is excellent at energy. Chechi is great at energy. Everyone does their part to their best ability. It’s just I decided to change it up.”

“I don’t think that many teams can do that and have everyone still fight the way they do and still play together,” Nakase added. “And like, the best thing is we didn’t even miss a beat. And so credit [to] Kai for stepping up. It actually started when we had a couple of people go away for worlds. So it’s kind of what we do.”

Seven Valkyries played at least 17 minutes. Salaün, the league’s Sixth Woman of the Year, played 2:34, and Kaitlyn Chen played 1:52.

Burton went 4-of-17 from the field for 13 points. She added 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks and played a game-high 38:08.

Her late baskets came after Atlanta cut a 16-point halftime deficit to 61-55. Burton hit a step-back 3-pointer that pushed the lead back to nine, then scored on a turnaround over Jordin Canada with 35 seconds left.

Nakase said Burton was knocked to the floor about 10 times.

“I think she’s our heart and soul of the team,” Nakase said. “She was getting punched in the face and just checking her. Like, it was amazing. At times I was like, I was getting her in the eyes, like, you need one? She just kept saying, I’m good, I’m good. And probably like 10 times she probably got knocked down. That girl is resilient. She’s literally our leader in terms of like never quit, fall down, get back up.”

“Things are not going our way. It’s all right,” Nakase continued. “And I think what was really key tonight is she finished with that shot. She said, I got it. I got the isolation and she just attacked her matchup and closed it and really calmed us down. So just credit to her resilience in her fight.”

In the semifinal clincher at Las Vegas, Burton’s basket with 1:12 left in regulation put Golden State ahead 71-69. The Valkyries won 87-77 in overtime.

Atlanta went 22-of-31 at the line. It lost by five.

Howard went 5-of-7, and Angel Reese and Canada each went 4-of-6. Golden State made 11 of 13.

Atlanta shot 18-of-54 from the field and 4-of-23 from 3-point range. Its 62 points were its fewest of the season.

The Dream’s three lowest-scoring games this season have all come against the Valkyries, per the league’s notes: 62 on Saturday, 64 in Game 1, and 66 on June 24.

Teams have shot under 37% from the field in seven of eight chances this series. Golden State is at 34.3% for the Finals, and Atlanta is at 37.8%.

The series will produce the first Game 6 in WNBA Finals history. Las Vegas swept Phoenix in four games last year, the first season of the best-of-seven format.

Game 6 is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 29, in Atlanta. An hour earlier, the Hawks are scheduled to tip off against Cleveland at State Farm Arena.

As of Sunday, the game was slated for the Dream’s regular-season home, the 3,500-seat Gateway Center Arena, according to Sports Illustrated. Hawks CEO Steve Koonin told 92.9 The Game that State Farm Arena has offered multiple dates and that rescheduling is the league’s decision.

Games 3 and 4 each drew sellout crowds of 17,099 at State Farm Arena. The league moved Game 3 up a day so it could be played there, and Game 4 moved to a 1 p.m. ET tip.

Monday’s Game 5 in San Francisco tips at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network and Peacock. A Game 7, if necessary, would be Saturday, Oct. 31, at Chase Center.