By Field Level Media
Oct 24 (Field Level Media) – ATLANTA — Discipline and defense were two of the major talking points for Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase entering Game 4 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday afternoon.
Golden State excelled in both areas and the second-seeded Valkyries earned a pivotal 67-62 victory over the fourth-seeded Atlanta Dream to pull even at two games apiece in the best-of-seven series.
Nakase’s team, led by Gabby Williams’ 17 points, forced 18 Atlanta turnovers and held the Dream to 33.3% shooting from the field. The Valkyries turned over the ball just nine times.
“In Game 2 and 3, we kept saying we didn’t recognize ourselves,” said Nakase, whose team committed 33 turnovers in the two losses. “We took accountability in our film sessions the last two days. Just credit to our players. They’re super vulnerable after losses and we get even closer after our losses because we learn from them.”
Tiffany Hayes and Veronica Burton each scored 13 points for Golden State, which won despite making just four of its 25 3-point attempts. Cecilia Zandalasini had 10 points and Kiah Stokes pulled down 16 rebounds for the Valkyries, who return to San Francisco for Game 5 on Monday.
Rhyne Howard led Atlanta with 19 points while Jordin Canada and Isobel Borlase chipped in 10 apiece. Angel Reese (eight points) and Allisha Gray (five points) shot a combined 3-for-19 from the field.
Reese averaged 25.5 points and 14 rebounds in the Dream’s two Finals wins, but was held in check on Saturday. She failed to score in double figures for the first time in this year’s playoffs and finished with just nine rebounds.
“I think I rushed a lot of my shots,” said Reese, who was 2-for-12 with six turnovers on Saturday. “I didn’t take my time and finish around the basket the way I’ve been doing the last three games. It happens. I’m just looking forward to the next game and I’ll just be better.”
Atlanta sliced its 16-point halftime deficit to 46-40 when Borlase made a 3-pointer with 4:27 left in the third quarter.
Hayes scored four straight points to extend the visitors’ lead to 11 before two Canada free throws narrowed the margin to 54-45 after the third.
Consecutive baskets by Howard and Borlase pulled the Dream within six, but Burton responded with a 3-pointer to make it 64-55 at the 4:23 mark of the fourth.
From there, two Howard foul shots and Reese’s layup cut the deficit to five with 1:36 left. Atlanta had chances to inch closer, but Gray and Borlase missed 3-point attempts before Burton hit a runner on the other end to give the Valkyries a 66-59 advantage with 34.6 seconds remaining.
Howard converted a 3-point play, but Burton split a pair of free throws to give Golden State a 67-62 lead.
Howard and Canada missed 3-point tries on the next possession to seal the Valkyries’ massive win.
Nakase trimmed the team’s primary rotation as only seven Golden State players recorded 17 minutes or more. Nakase believes her team has the right demeanor to handle changes in playing time on the fly.
“We just did what it took to win,” Nakase said. “We have ego-less players that understand we’re trying to win and we’re trying to do what’s best for the team. We’re about caring for each other, we’re about pouring into each other and I think what’s been the key is they want to see success in their teammates more than themselves.”
Borlase made a driving layup to give the Dream a 7-2 edge just over four minutes in. Golden State scored the next 12 points and grabbed a 14-7 lead on Zandalasini’s 3-pointer with 2:09 left in the opening quarter.
The Valkyries held a 16-11 advantage entering the second quarter despite missing nine of their 10 3-point attempts.
After Reese’s basket pulled the Dream within four, Golden State rattled off a 9-0 run to extend the lead to 33-20 on Burton’s bank with 2:46 left in the half.
Kayla Thornton drilled a 3-pointer to push the lead to 16. Williams closed the first half with a layup to put the Valkyries up 42-26.
Golden State attempted 40 first-half field goals to Atlanta’s 19 as the Valkyries forced the Dream into 14 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.
While Atlanta head coach Karl Smesko appreciated his group’s effort to rally, he knows digging a 16-point hole is far from sustainable at this junction of the season.
“I was really happy with the fight we showed in the second half, but we can’t put ourselves in that position, where you’re playing a great defensive team and you’re having to come back from double figures,” Smesko said. “We’re all going to be motivated to come back and have our best game of the series.”
(–Field Level Media)
