Atlanta Dream Overcome Golden State Valkyries in 79-63 Victory

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The Atlanta Dream defeated the Golden State Valkyries 79-63 on Sunday night, showcasing a strong performance in the second half. Rhyne Howard led the Dream with 14 points, six assists, and five rebounds.

Brionna Jones contributed 13 points and nine rebounds, while Allisha Gray added another 13 points despite struggling with her shot, hitting just 3 of 13 attempts. The Dream’s decisive moment came in the second half when they outscored the Valkyries 30-8 during a run that spanned the third and fourth quarters.

Veronica Burton was the leading scorer for the Valkyries with 16 points and five assists. Unfortunately for Golden State, their four-game winning streak came to an end, marking only their third loss in the last ten games. The team struggled with shooting, making just 7 of 29 three-point attempts after topping 29 in their previous two games.

Illiana Rupert, a center for the Valkyries, left the game after sustaining a facial injury while fighting for a rebound. She has been placed in concussion protocol and did not return to play. Coach Natalie Nakase previously emphasized the need for improved defensive communication after a close victory against Atlanta in July, but the Valkyries were unable to apply that strategy in this matchup.

The Dream had a tough shooting night as well, hitting only 2 of 17 three-point attempts in the first half. However, they regrouped to shoot 9 of 35 overall for the game. Te-Hina Paopao also contributed off the bench with ten points for Atlanta, who were looking to bounce back from a loss earlier in the week.

Next, the Dream will face the Aces in Las Vegas on Tuesday, while the Valkyries will host the Phoenix Mercury in their next game.