The Atlanta Dream have imposed their will defensively on Golden State in the WNBA Finals so far, using their size and strength to dominate the Valkyries.
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Dream → impose → Valkyries
That’s helped them take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series after Wednesday night’s 97-71 victory.
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them → help → victory
Golden State has averaged only 68 points in the Finals — 14 below their regular season mark.
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State → average → mark
After only forcing 10 turnovers in the Game 1 loss, Atlanta has turned up its pressure and that’s led to easy points off its opponents miscues.
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that → force → miscues
Rhyne Howard, who has had back-to-back games with at least five steals, knew it just took a little bit for the team to get ready to play on the big stage of the championship series.
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team → have → series
“I think just settling in.
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I → think → ?
I think just obviously taking in that this was a big moment for not just me, but for everybody,” she said after the Game 3 win.
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she → think → win
“At their place, jitters subconsciously or consciously, but I think just locking in and realizing that we can get what we want.
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we → think → what
We’re No. 1 in a lot of categories, and that first game we didn’t show why.
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we → ’re → categories
So I think Game 2 and Game 3 we showed why we were No. 1 in those categories not only in the postseason, but in the games leading up.”
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we → think → games
When the Atlanta defense is going, it helps spur the offense with layups off the steals.
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it → go → steals
It’s also helped them control the paint.
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them → help → paint
The Dream held the Valkyries without a basket for the first 5-plus minutes of the game and then came up with big blocks by Howard and Isobel Borlase in the third quarter that helped keep Golden State at bay.
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that → hold → bay
Atlanta has averaged 20 points better than Golden State in its two wins.
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Atlanta → average → wins
The Dream had only a plus-two margin in the loss.
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Dream → have → loss
“Defense wins championships and we understand that,” Dream forward DeWanna Bonner said.
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Bonner → win → that
“I feel like that’s something that we’ve taken very serious since the FIBA break — since I’ve been there.
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I → feel → break
But, when your shot’s not falling, you got to rely on something, and that’s always been my defense.”
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that → fall → something
Bonner went on to say that the first thing the Dream watch on video after games is their defense.
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Dream → go → games
While Atlanta’s defense has been in sync the last two games, Golden State admitted they have been uncharacteristically undisciplined.
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they → admit → sync
All season long the Valkyries have been able to set the tone defensively in their games.
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Valkyries → set → games
They held teams well below their average and hadn’t given up more than 90 points in regulation since late July until Wednesday night.
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They → hold → night
Golden State coach Natalie Nakase shouldered the blame for the defensive issues.
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Nakase → shoulder → issues
“If something is being a little bit unclear, then that’s all on me,” she said.
uncertain
she → ’ → me
We weren’t communicating.
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We → communicate → ?
Both teams know the series isn’t done yet as the WNBA has a best-of-seven format for the second year.
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WNBA → know → year
If Golden State can solve its defensive and offensive issues on Saturday, the team can head back home with the series tied.
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series → solve → Saturday
“I think we’re still very positive,” said Valkyries forward Kiah Stokes, who won three WNBA titles with Las Vegas.
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who → think → Vegas
“We know we can fix (it).
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we → know → it
A lot of it is dealing with ourselves.
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lot → deal → ourselves
So we just got to look in the mirror first and then move forward.
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we → got → mirror
I think positivity and energy is still high and we got another chance to steal one on Saturday, and then the series is evened up and then it’s best of three.”
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it → think → three
The Aporia
