SAN FRANCISCO – Angel Reese scored one point and did not attempt a field goal in the fourth quarter of Game 7.
asserted
Reese → score → Game
The Atlanta Dream needed more from her with a championship on the line.
asserted
Dream → need → line
The Golden State Valkyries beat Atlanta 68-63 on Saturday night at Chase Center, winning the best-of-seven WNBA Finals 4-3 to claim the franchise’s first championship.
uncertain
Valkyries → beat → championship
Reese finished with eight points on 3-for-7 shooting, 12 rebounds and four turnovers.
asserted
Reese → finish → shooting
It was her fourth consecutive game with more turnovers than made field goals.
asserted
It → make → goals
Across those four games, she shot 12-for-45 (26.7%) and committed 19 turnovers.
asserted
she → shoot → turnovers
Golden State guard Gabby Williams delivered the performance Atlanta needed from its star.
asserted
Atlanta → deliver → star
She was named Finals MVP after scoring 30 points, including 28 in the second half, and blocking four shots in the clincher.
asserted
She → name → clincher
Her 31-foot three-pointer with 2:18 remaining broke a 57-57 tie and put Golden State ahead for good.
asserted
pointer → remain → State
Reese’s only point in the final period came on a free throw with 18.6 seconds remaining.
asserted
point → come → seconds
Before tipoff, both teams again left the court for the national anthem, completing the seven-game series without appearing on the floor for any of the performances.
asserted
teams → leave → performances
Reese’s Finals had looked much different when Atlanta held a 2-1 series lead.
asserted
Atlanta → look → lead
She combined for 51 points and 28 rebounds in Games 2 and 3, then explained how she believed she was getting into Golden State’s head.
"
asserted
she → combine → head
They’re playing into my mental game where I can take their confidence and just try to do whatever to mess them up," Reese said before Game 4.
asserted
Reese → play → Game
The Valkyries won the next two games.
asserted
Valkyries → win → games
Atlanta forced Game 7 with an 80-69 victory Thursday behind Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard’s combined 44 points, but Reese continued to struggle with her shooting, making five of 18 attempts.
asserted
Reese → force → attempts
She finished the final four games with 38 points, 13 fewer than she scored in Games 2 and 3 combined.
asserted
she → finish → Games
Saturday offered a chance to finish the series differently.
asserted
Saturday → offer → series
Instead, Jordin Canada carried Atlanta’s offense for much of the night, while Reese never became a scoring factor down the stretch.
asserted
Reese → carry → stretch
The Dream went scoreless for the first 5:19 as Golden State built an 8-0 lead.
asserted
State → go → lead
Reese finally put Atlanta on the board with a basket off an offensive rebound.
asserted
Reese → put → rebound
Atlanta recovered to trail just 14-12 after one quarter, and Reese’s three-pointer early in the second gave the Dream their first lead.
asserted
pointer → recover → lead
Canada scored 11 points in the second quarter and had 13 at halftime.
asserted
Canada → score → halftime
Golden State went more than eight minutes without a field goal to begin the period, allowing Atlanta to take a 30-24 lead into the break.
asserted
Atlanta → go → break
Reese had five points, seven rebounds and three turnovers at halftime.
asserted
Reese → have → halftime
Williams had just two points.
asserted
Williams → have → points
The Dream extended their lead to 37-28 midway through the third quarter.
asserted
Dream → extend → quarter
Then Williams took over.
asserted
Williams → take → ?
She scored Golden State’s final 13 points of the period, including three three-pointers in a 56-second span.
asserted
She → score → span
Reese answered one of those threes with a hook through contact, but missed the accompanying free throw.
asserted
Reese → answer → throw
Williams’ turnaround jumper with 1:05 remaining gave the Valkyries a 45-44 lead entering the fourth.
asserted
jumper → remain → fourth
She scored 15 points in the quarter and added 13 more in the final period.
asserted
She → score → period
Allisha Gray’s two free throws tied the game at 55 with 3:15 left.
asserted
throws → tie → 3:15
Williams answered with a driving layup.
asserted
Williams → answer → layup
Howard tied it again at 57 before Williams buried the three from 31 feet.
asserted
Williams → tie → feet
After Gray missed a wide-open layup, Williams made two free throws to push Golden State’s lead to five with 1:40 remaining.
asserted
Williams → miss → 1:40
Kiah Stokes then delivered on the offensive glass.
asserted
Stokes → deliver → glass
She rebounded two consecutive Williams misses, converting the second into a putback that stretched the lead to 64-57 with 53.8 seconds left.
asserted
that → rebound → seconds
Gray’s three-pointer brought Atlanta within four, but Tiffany Hayes answered with two free throws.
asserted
Hayes → bring → throws
Reese grabbed an offensive rebound and drew a foul with 18.6 seconds remaining.
asserted
Reese → grab → seconds
…and 13 more, not listed.
The Aporia
