The WNBA Finals kicked off with a bang. The match remained close until the final seconds as the Golden State Valkyries claimed the 68-64 victory over the Atlanta Dream. Tonight, expect another tough defensive battle as Atlanta tries to avoid a larger series deficit.
For the Dream to claim a win in Ballhalla, several things have to happen. Their offense fell apart in the fourth quarter; they made only two field goals. Atlanta also failed to capitalize on forced turnovers in the way we've seen them do in the past. Because the Valkyries bench runs so deep, there is a lot of pressure on the Dream starters to carry out efficient performances — here are three that will need to step up in Game 2.
Rhyne Howard
Howard finished Game 1 putting up only 12 points, shooting just above 20 percent from the field. This type of shooting slump simply cannot happen tonight. While she recorded 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks, she also committed 3 turnovers — Howard struggled to combat the way the Valkyries were defending her.
If Atlanta can find a way to lean into some aggressiveness and force Howard in the paint and to the basket, we could see a version of her that we all know exists. When she heats up, it's hard for even the best of defenses to stop her. But in Game 1, the Valkyries were able to eliminate any possibility of Howard finding efficiency by taking away any space she'd be able to create or work with. Tonight, I'd expect the Dream to do their best to get Howard going as early as possible.
Angel Reese
Reese played a phenomenal first half in Game 1. Unfortunately, she couldn't keep up in the second half. She recorded 11 points in the first quarter, heading into the second half with 14 points. She failed to rack up any more points for the remainder of the game.
There's a good chance that tonight's matchup runs through how well the Defensive Player of the Year performs. She'll need to be the primary attacker and play to the pace that Atlanta thrives in. The Dream's aggressive defense lets Reese thrive in transition — expect Atlanta to set that precedent early. In addition, Reese has to be more forceful in getting her preferred shots. And finally, she must stay out of foul trouble and better handle the basketball. She finished Game 1 with 5 fouls and a team-high 4 turnovers.
Allisha Gray
While Gray finished with a team-high 19 points, her efficiency will need to improve tonight. She finished Game 1 shooting 26 percent from the field; she shot only 1-of-8 from the 3-point line. She was unable to drain a single shot in the fourth quarter. With just less than 8 seconds left in the game, Gray missed the 3-pointer that would've given the lead back to the Dream. Gray did succeed in getting to the line in Game 1. She shot 8-of-8 from the charity stripe — more than any of her teammates.
Gray missed the majority of the semifinal series due to a finger injury. She had minor surgery between then and the Finals and is now good to go. Although a couple of fingers on her shooting hand are taped up — perhaps this is something she will need to get used to as the series progresses.
The moral of the story is that if the Dream want to even out this series before heading back to Atlanta, they have to keep their momentum going through the second half. It's easier said than done, as the Valkyries' defense is frustrating and draining. But they will have to fight fire with fire — all while shooting better.
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