Atlanta routs Golden State to take 2-1 lead in WNBA Finals — The Guardian

In Atlanta, United States, the Atlanta Dream defeated the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 in the third game of the WNBA Finals series to take a 2-1 lead. Dream forward Angel Reese scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, recording a double-double in each of the three Finals games, The Guardian reports.

Third-quarter surge

Rhyne Howard added 16 points for Atlanta, while Naz Hillmon had 15. In the second game of the series, Reese posted 30 points and 16 rebounds, helping the team earn its first Finals victory.

With the score tied at 49-49 in the third quarter, the Dream went on an 8-0 run, with Reese scoring four points during it. Golden State cut the deficit to four points at 59-55, but Atlanta scored 12 of the final 14 points of the quarter. Over three Finals games, the Atlanta team has outscored its opponents 63-35 in third quarters.

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For the Valkyries, Gabby Williams scored 15 points and Tiffany Hayes had 14. In the first half, the teams made 15 of 31 three-point attempts, or 48%. The Dream led 23-15 after the opening quarter and 46-40 at halftime.

Sellout crowds for games in Atlanta

The game was played at State Farm Arena in front of 17,099 spectators. It was initially planned for Gateway Center Arena, where the Dream usually play their home games, but the league and the Atlanta Hawks arranged for two Finals games to be held at the larger arena. Gateway Center Arena seats 3,500 spectators, while State Farm Arena has a capacity of more than 17,000.

The game was sold out, as is the fourth game of the series, which will take place in Atlanta on Saturday. Golden State won the first Finals game 68-64, while Atlanta prevailed 79-65 in the second. The first game of the series on NBC averaged 2.1 million viewers, a record figure for an opening WNBA Finals game. The second game, broadcast on USA Network, averaged 1.33 million viewers.