10/24/2026 09:38:00
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10/24 09:36 CDT Golden State Valkyries trail Atlanta Dream 2-1 heading into
pivotal WNBA Finals Game 4
Golden State Valkyries trail Atlanta Dream 2-1 heading into pivotal WNBA Finals
Game 4
By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer
ATLANTA (AP) --- The Golden State Valkyries are still confident.
Trailing 2-1 in the best-of-seven WNBA Finals against Atlanta, they know a win
on Saturday will give them back home-court advantage with a trip to "Ballhalla"
awaiting.
"It would be silly to overreact right now," Valkyries guard Veronica Burton
said. "We continue to point out the things where we lack discipline and where
we lack maybe paying attention to their personnel. We address that and not
overreact but also understand that there is a major sense of urgency, and we
can't necessarily wait for anything to change."
Still, the Valkyries can ill afford to lose Game 4 after getting routed in Game
3. While it's only the second year that the WNBA has played a best-of-seven
championship series, history in the NBA isn't on the side of teams trailing
3-1. Only the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers were able to come back from a 3-1
deficit in the Finals.
For the Valkyries to have any chance, they'll need to find a way to contain
Angel Reese.
Reese, who was traded to Atlanta from Chicago in the offseason, has made the
most of her first postseason appearance since coming into the league three
years ago. She became only the second player in finals history with at least 20
points and 10 rebounds in consecutive games, joining A'ja Wilson.
At 24 years old, she also became the youngest with three straight
double-doubles in the finals.
Reese has a really talented group around her in Jordin Canada, Rhyne Howard and
Allisha Gray, who has been dealing with a hand injury suffered in the
semifinals.
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