The WNBA will crown a first-time champion after Golden State and Atlanta completed semifinal sweeps on Friday night in the United States. The Valkyries needed overtime to beat Las Vegas 87-77; the Dream survived a two-point finish in New York, winning 85-83 to reach their first Finals since 2013.
Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday 17 October at Chase Center, tipping off at 8.30pm BST. Golden State, the second seed, have home-court advantage against fourth-seeded Atlanta in a best-of-seven series. Four wins now separate either club from its first championship.
The identical 3-0 series scores conceal very different closing assignments. Golden State had to recover from a nine-point half-time deficit against the defending champions. Atlanta had to protect a narrow lead through the final possessions at Barclays Center. Neither finalist simply coasted through the last night of the semifinals.
Golden State find another way through
The Valkyries trailed Las Vegas 45-36 at the interval. Their third quarter changed the game: 17 points scored, seven conceded, and a 53-52 advantage entering the fourth. The official boxscore records a 17-point unanswered scoring run, enough to reverse the direction of a night that had belonged to the hosts.
That did not finish the contest. Las Vegas matched Golden State at 71-71 after regulation, forcing an additional five minutes. The visitors then won overtime 16-6. The ten-point final margin was therefore entirely accounted for by the extra period, not an indication of comfortable control across the preceding four quarters.
Kayla Thornton led Golden State with 18 points and nine rebounds. Gabby Williams added 16 points, while Kiah Stokes supplied 11 points, ten rebounds and three assists. Tiffany Hayes contributed another 11 from the bench. The scoring was spread across ten players rather than resting on one overwhelming individual total.
There is a useful distinction between Golden State's field shooting and their ability to finish possessions. They made 30 of 74 field-goal attempts, including seven of 24 three-pointers. Those are not figures that suggest a team winning through exceptional outside accuracy. They also made 20 of 22 free throws, collected ten individual offensive rebounds and received 27 points from their reserves.
The boxscore provides a straightforward check on the total: 23 two-point baskets supplied 46 points, seven threes supplied 21, and 20 free throws completed the 87. Las Vegas finished with 77. Golden State's advantage was assembled from several routes to the basket and the line, not a single shooting streak that can safely be assumed to repeat.
Our earlier account of Burton's late three in Game 2 explained how close the previous finish had been. This time the Valkyries survived regulation and imposed the decisive separation afterwards. Two wins can belong to the same sweep without offering the same tactical lesson.
Atlanta close the door in Brooklyn
Atlanta's clincher was tighter on the scoreboard and more concentrated in its scoring. Angel Reese had 22 points and nine rebounds, Rhyne Howard scored 21, and Jordin Canada combined 19 points with 11 assists. DeWanna Bonner finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds; Isobel Borlase added ten from the bench.
Those five players accounted for all 85 Dream points. That calculation matters because it distinguishes Atlanta's closing-game profile from Golden State's wider spread. It does not establish that one approach is better. It identifies a question for the Finals: how each defence will respond to the opponents who carried the scoring in the clinchers.
The Dream led 44-39 at half-time but entered the fourth quarter trailing 68-66. They won the final period 19-15. Their official account records Bonner collecting a late defensive rebound and making both subsequent free throws, taking the lead to 85-81 before Breanna Stewart's final put-back reduced the margin.
Atlanta also did important work at the foul line, making 22 of 24 free throws. Their field-goal tally was 28 from 69 attempts, with seven three-pointers. The scoring arithmetic again reconciles: 21 twos, seven threes and 22 free throws make 85. A two-point win leaves little room to treat any of those successful possessions as incidental.
New York had reached this stage after sweeping top-seeded Minnesota. Atlanta's subsequent sweep removes the Liberty from the bracket entirely. Seedings describe the route and decide home-court arrangements; they do not preserve a place in the championship series once the games are played.
The Finals change the assignment
| Finalist | Semifinal clincher | Series result | Game 1 role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden State Valkyries | 87-77 at Las Vegas, overtime | Won 3-0 | Home team |
| Atlanta Dream | 85-83 at New York | Won 3-0 | Away team |
Golden State will host Games 1 and 2, with Atlanta hosting Games 3 and 4. If required, the series returns to Golden State for Game 5, Atlanta for Game 6 and Golden State for Game 7. The longer format creates more opportunities for adjustment than the best-of-five semifinals, but also requires an additional victory to finish the job.
Both teams have earned a break before the opener. Neither sweep, by itself, tells us who will make better use of it. Golden State have shown they can win a close regulation finish and an overtime game. Atlanta have shown they can survive a fourth-quarter deficit and secure the final defensive rebound that protects a narrow lead.
The relevant next evidence will be the confirmed availability reports and how those strengths transfer to a different opponent. Until then, the settled facts are substantial enough: two sweeps, two clubs seeking a first title, and a championship series beginning in San Francisco.
Follow further basketball coverage in US Sports. This is sporting analysis, not a betting recommendation. For readers aged 18 or over who choose to bet, a sweep is no guarantee of another win; set affordable limits and consult our responsible gambling guidance.