Defense decides Game 5
The Golden State Valkyries won Game 5 of the WNBA Finals 64-55 on Monday night at Chase Center, taking a 3-2 series lead in only their second season. Neither team shot well. Golden State made 39% of its field goals and 25% of its three-pointers. Atlanta was worse: 29% from the field, 23% from deep, and 15 turnovers against seven for the home side.
The teams combined for their lowest-scoring half of the season, and Golden State led 25-22 at the break. Rhyne Howard scored 20 points for Atlanta, but the Dream never found a second reliable option.
Stokes takes over the third
Kiah Stokes swung the game after halftime. She made a corner three, then answered a Dream three from the top of the key, and on defense blocked a layup attempt and then a floater before it reached its high point. She finished with 13 points, and the crowd chanted MVP as she left the floor.
Golden State broke the game open with a 10-2 run to start the fourth quarter, started by a Gabby Williams three-point play and followed by a Stokes three. The lead reached 12 and Atlanta never cut it below seven. Stokes is already the all-time leader in blocks in a WNBA Finals series and keeps adding to the total.
One game left, in Atlanta
Atlanta had won Games 2 and 3 and looked to have the momentum. Golden State answered in Game 4 and again on Monday, and now needs one more win. Game 6 is Thursday, October 29, in Atlanta, with the tip moved to 9:30 a.m. Pacific time, an unusual morning start for a finals game.
For the Valkyries, the run is ahead of schedule. The franchise began play in 2025 and reached the Finals in its second year, built on defense and rebounding rather than star scoring. A win on Thursday would deliver a title before the team has had a single losing season.