Stokes posts 13 points as Valkyries take 3-2 series lead

Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase led her team to a 64-55 victory over the Atlanta Dream at Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday night. The win puts the Valkyries in control of the WNBA Finals with a three games to two lead in the best-of-seven series.

Kiah Stokes recorded 13 points, eight rebounds, and three blocked shots in the decisive contest. Veronica Burton matched the scoring output with 13 points and eight rebounds while adding four blocks. The defensive effort stifled Atlanta's offensive flow, particularly limiting star forward Angel Reese to seven points on the night.

The Valkyries relied on a balanced attack after starting player Gabby Williams struggled offensively. Williams finished with nine points on three of 14 shooting attempts. Tiffany Hayes contributed 12 points after being inserted into the starting lineup for the previous game. The team combined for 21 points off 17 turnovers by the Dream.

Stokes has recorded at least three blocks in six consecutive games. This streak ties her with Lisa Leslie for the longest such run in a single WNBA postseason. Burton also reached a postseason milestone with her four blocks, tying a record set by Diana Taurasi in 2009 for most blocks by a guard in a Finals game.

Dream coach Karl Smesko expressed frustration with the officiating, specifically regarding fouls called on Reese. The Dream held a 130-78 advantage in free throw attempts across the series. Smesko stated that the contact allowed on Reese was excessive and that missed calls on double dribbles and travels contributed to Golden State's scoring opportunities.

Reese acknowledged the physicality of the series but remained confident in her team's ability to respond. She noted that teammates were being knocked down and that the team must continue to push through the physical play to force a decisive seventh game.

Game 6 is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time on Thursday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The early matinee start was arranged due to scheduling conflicts with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, who are playing the Cleveland Cavaliers that night. More than 10,000 tickets were sold within the first 90 minutes of the sale for the 17,000-seat venue.