Turnovers Cost Valkyries as Dream Level the WNBA Finals

Costly Mistakes in Game 2

Golden State struggled to protect the basketball on Monday night, and Atlanta made them pay. The Dream turned 19 Valkyries turnovers into 24 points, rolling to a 79-65 win in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals.

The loss evened the best of seven series at 1-1. Four of Golden State's five starters recorded at least two turnovers. Kayla Thornton was the only starter to avoid giving the ball away. Point guard Veronica Burton committed three turnovers herself and took responsibility after the defeat.

"I think we were just a little too loose with the ball," Burton said. She added that the team looked hesitant and rushed at times on the fast break.

Atlanta Defense Sets the Tone

Atlanta dialed up the pressure from the opening minutes. Rhyne Howard set a WNBA Finals single game record with six steals, while DeWanna Bonner added four more off the bench.

Angel Reese dominated inside for the Dream. She finished the night with 30 points and 16 rebounds. One sequence captured the mood when Reese stole the ball from Kaila Charles and drew a foul from Tiffany Hayes, before slapping the floor repeatedly to fire up her teammates.

The performance was a clear shift from Game 1, when Atlanta managed only eight points off turnovers in a 68-64 defeat.

Searching for Answers

Golden State coach Natalie Nakase credited Atlanta for outworking her team in San Francisco. She pointed out that the Dream sprinted back on defense, raised their hands, and clogged the driving lanes.

Center Kiah Stokes stressed the need to stay locked in as the series shifts to Atlanta for Game 3 on Wednesday night. Nakase also wants the team to stick to its game plan and play with more structure on offense.

Burton stated that she needs to set the standard for better ball control moving forward. "It starts with me. I've got to clean that up," she said, "and that's what we'll do."

What it means for the next game

Golden State Valkyries at Atlanta Dream (WNBA, Thu, 22 Oct): Atlanta Dream win 53%, Golden State Valkyries win 47%; projected score Atlanta Dream 76, Golden State Valkyries 74. Our safest pick: Valkyries +10.5.

Golden State Valkyries at Atlanta Dream (WNBA, Sat, 24 Oct): Atlanta Dream win 46%, Golden State Valkyries win 54%; projected score Atlanta Dream 83, Golden State Valkyries 84. Our safest pick: Dream +8.5.