Angel Reese poured in 30 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as the Atlanta Dream silenced the Golden State Valkyries and their big crowd with a 79-65 thumping on Monday in San Francisco to even the WNBA Finals at a game apiece.
Foul-plagued Rhyne Howard contributed a WNBA Finals-record six steals to a suffocating defensive effort by the Dream.
Reese, 24, set a WNBA postseason record as the youngest player to produce at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a game. The only others who have accomplished the feat are A’ja Wilson, Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, Candace Parker and Lisa Leslie.
The scene in the best-of-seven series now shifts to Atlanta, where Games 3 and 4 are scheduled for Wednesday night and Saturday afternoon.
After they overcame foul trouble to take a 39-37 halftime lead, the Dream tightened the clamps on Golden State during a 13-minute stretch of the second half, holding the hosts to a total eight points while increasing their advantage to 69-48.
After Veronica Burton gave the Valkyries a 40-39 lead on a 3-pointer in the first minute of the third quarter, the Dream took control of the game at both ends.
Reese produced nine of her 30 points in the 30-8 blitz, while Jordin Canada banked in a buzzer-beating 32-footer at the end of the third period as part of her seven-point contribution in the spree.
Meanwhile, the Valkyries, who had won the series opener 68-64 at home on Saturday, missed 16 of 20 shots and mixed in nine turnovers during their cold spell. Bonner had four steals in the run-away.
Reese shot 10-for-16 for Atlanta, which won despite hitting only 33.9% of its shots. The WNBA Defensive Player of the Year also found time for three assists, two blocks and a steal.
Canada also posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 assists, while Allisha Gray chipped in 18 points.
For the Valkyries, Gabby Williams followed up her 26-point performance in Game 1 with just 14 points on 3-for-15 shooting.
Tiffany Hayes also scored 14 for Golden State, while Burton added 11 points. Kiah Stokes went scoreless but grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked four shots, joining Britney Griner (2014) as the second player ever to have back-to-back four-block games in the WNBA Finals.
The Valkyries finished the game with 19 turnovers that Atlanta turned into 24 points.
In a first half in which there were almost as many successful free throws (21) as field goals (24), the Dream managed a two-point lead despite foul trouble for Howard (four) and Reese (three).
Reese was the game’s leading scorer (15) and rebounder (seven) in the half, during which Golden State made all 12 of its foul shots while the Dream went 9-for-11.
Neither team led by more than six in the opening 20 minutes.
–Field Level Media
