Valkyries Beat The Dream 64–55 To Move One Win From A WNBA Title In Their Second Season

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Valkyries are one win from a WNBA championship in their second season of existence after beating the Atlanta Dream 64–55 in Game 5 of the Finals on Monday night at Chase Center, taking a 3–2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Blue-Collar Hoops

It was a defensive game, and Kiah Stokes was its centre. The Valkyries’ centre scored a playoff-best 13 points with eight rebounds and three blocks, and her three-pointer with about seven minutes left pushed the lead to ten and brought the home crowd — “Ballhalla” — to its loudest. Fans chanted “MVP” as she gave her on-court interview. “I’m just like head down, blue-collar hoops,” Stokes said. “A lot of my game isn’t really pretty. I do all the dirty work: rebounds, blocking shots, and defence. But that’s just what I know I can bring to the team.” Stokes has now blocked at least three shots in six straight games, tying Lisa Leslie for the longest such streak in a WNBA postseason.

Burton Makes History Of Her Own

Veronica Burton matched Stokes almost line for line: 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and four blocks. The four blocks tie Diana Taurasi’s 2009 mark for the most by a guard in a Finals game, the league noted. Cecilia Zandalasini and Tiffany Hayes added 12 points each, giving Golden State four players in double figures, and coach Natalie Nakase’s lineup change, made in Game 4, paid off for a second straight game. Golden State has won two in a row after trailing the series 2–1.

Atlanta Held To A Season Low

The Dream’s 55 points were their fewest of the season. Atlanta shot 29 per cent from the field and gave up 21 points on 17 turnovers. Rhyne Howard led the Dream with 20 points, Jordin Canada added 12 and Allisha Gray 10. Angel Reese, the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, finished with seven points, 15 rebounds and five assists on eight shot attempts — and the officiating became the story in the Atlanta locker room.

‘Ridiculous’: The Dream Answer Back

“I do want to have Angel’s back here,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said. “The contact they allow on Angel compared to everybody else is just ridiculous.” Smesko said Atlanta should have gone to the foul line six to eight more times, and criticised missed double dribbles and travels as well — comments USA Today noted are likely to draw a fine. Reese echoed him: “A lot of us are getting fouled and they’re not calling it.”

Game 6: Call In Sick

The series returns to Atlanta for Game 6 on Thursday, October 29, tipping at 12:30 p.m. Eastern — 9:30 in the morning in the Bay Area — to accommodate an NBA game in the building that evening. Burton had one message for the fans back home: “Call in sick. I recommend it.” Nakase was unbothered by the hour: “The beauty of Ballhalla, they’ll sacrifice. They’re gonna open that app, they’re gonna open their phone, they’re gonna watch.”

Sources: USA Today; the WNBA — reporting of October 26–27, 2026.