WNBA bailed out of scheduling disaster as Angel Reese, Dream force Game 7
The Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 80-69 to tie the WNBA Finals at 3-3 and force a deciding Game 7 in San Francisco on Saturday. The win also avoided a potential scheduling embarrassment for the league: Game 6 had been moved to a Thursday afternoon to fit around an Atlanta Hawks game, raising questions about where Golden State would celebrate a title.
Angel Reese had 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists, but shot 5-for-18 and committed six turnovers. Allisha Gray scored 23 points and Rhyne Howard added 21 as Atlanta made 13 of 30 three-pointers and led by 20 at half-time. Game 6 began at 12:30 p.m. in Atlanta, while Golden State viewers had to watch from 9:30 a.m. local time; fans also described taking time off work or pulling children out of school to attend.
In short
- Atlanta beat Golden State 80-69 to level the Finals at 3-3.
- Game 7 is set for Saturday at 8 p.m. ET in San Francisco.
- The afternoon tip-off drew criticism over the league’s scheduling.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A deciding Game 7 gives the WNBA a fitting, high-profile finish and avoids the awkward prospect of a team celebrating a title in an arena scheduled around another event. Atlanta’s win also keeps the series competitive, while the daytime start may have been a practical way to accommodate the Hawks’ calendar and arena constraints.
The case against
Moving a potential championship-clinching game to a weekday afternoon imposed real costs on fans, including an early start for viewers on the West Coast and time away from work or school for those attending. Critics can argue that a league’s biggest games should receive scheduling priority and accessible start times, rather than leaving fans to absorb the consequences of venue conflicts.
Explained simply
The WNBA is the top professional women’s basketball league in the United States. Its Finals decide the season’s champion, with teams playing a best-of-seven series: the first to win four games takes the title.
The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries are the teams in this Finals. The Valkyries are based in San Francisco and are the league’s newest team; Angel Reese is a forward for Atlanta, while Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard are among the Dream’s leading players.
Game times matter because the teams play in different time zones and share venues with other sports. Atlanta’s home arena is also used by the NBA’s Hawks, so fitting games around other events can affect when fans in both cities are able to attend or watch.