Atlanta Dream host Golden State Valkyries in Game 4 Saturday after taking a 2-1 series lead with a convincing 97-71 victory Wednesday.
Atlanta will attempt to move within one victory of its first WNBA championship when the Finals resume at 1 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena.
The Dream have seized control of the best-of-seven series with consecutive double-digit victories after dropping Game 1 in Golden State.
Angel Reese delivered another outstanding performance Wednesday, finishing with 21 points and 12 rebounds after recording 30 points and 16 rebounds in Game 2.
Rhyne Howard added 16 points, while Naz Hillmon contributed 15 as Atlanta placed five players in double figures.
The Dream pulled away after Golden State tied the game at 49 in the third quarter. Atlanta closed the period with a 12-2 run before extending its advantage in the fourth.
Gabby Williams scored a team-high 15 points for Golden State, with Tiffany Hayes adding 14.
The Valkyries have now lost consecutive games by 14 and 26 points. Atlanta's offense has become harder to stop with each game.
Valkyries vs. Dream betting picks and predictions
Atlanta Dream -4.5 (-115)
Atlanta has won two straight by double digits and there's little reason to abandon the Dream with the spread at 4.5 points.
Since dropping Game 1 by a 68-64 scoreline, Atlanta has outscored Golden State 176-136.
The third quarter has been particularly troublesome for the Valkyries. Atlanta has outscored them 63-35 in that period through three games, repeatedly taking control after halftime.
And Golden State still hasn't found an answer for Angel Reese. The Atlanta forward has posted a double-double in every Finals game, including back-to-back outings with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Reese is hurting the Valkyries in two ways. She's giving Atlanta second chances on the offensive glass and she's forcing Golden State to send more defenders into the paint.
That leaves room for Howard, Hillmon and Jordin Canada to do damage elsewhere.
The Dream also have the benefit of playing at home, where they cruised to a 26-point victory Wednesday before a sold-out crowd.
Golden State, meanwhile, hasn't scored more than 71 points in either of its last two games.
Williams has been the team's most reliable scorer, but the Valkyries need more from their supporting cast. Hayes scored 14 points Wednesday, although that wasn't nearly enough to keep the game close.
Atlanta has won the last two meetings by an average of 20 points. Asking the Dream to win by five Saturday doesn't seem unreasonable.
Golden State's defense could still make this competitive, but Reese has been too much to handle and Atlanta has found several other ways to score.
Take Atlanta at -4.5.
Over 153.5 points (-110)
The first two Finals games suggested another low-scoring matchup was coming.
Game 1 finished with 132 combined points and Game 2 produced 144. Then Atlanta scored 97 on Wednesday, pushing the Game 3 total to 168.
The Dream had five players score in double figures, with Reese again doing much of her damage around the basket.
Atlanta also got contributions from its outside shooters, giving Golden State more to worry about than Reese alone.
The question is whether the Valkyries can score enough to push Saturday's game over 153.5. They certainly have the players.
Williams and Hayes are capable of bigger nights, while Janelle Salaün and Cecilia Zandalasini showed Wednesday that they can knock down shots from outside.
Salaün finished with 13 points, and Zandalasini also scored 13 after connecting on her first four three-point attempts.
Those contributions were overshadowed by the final score, but they offer some hope that Golden State can improve offensively in Game 4.
The Valkyries also know that scoring in the 60s probably won't be enough to beat Atlanta.
They need to avoid the prolonged dry spells that have allowed the Dream to pull away after halftime.
There is some risk here. Golden State has been one of the league's better defensive teams, and the first two Finals games stayed comfortably under this number.
But Atlanta's offense looked much sharper Wednesday, and the Dream are getting enough scoring from Howard, Hillmon and its other contributors to take some pressure off Reese.
If Atlanta reaches the mid-80s and Golden State can score around 70, the Over has a good chance, so take it at 153.5 points.
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Valkyries vs. Dream odds
Golden State Valkyries | +165 |
Atlanta Dream | -200 |
Spread | ATL Dream -4.5 |
Total Points | O/U 153.5 |
Valkyries vs. Dream player props
Player points
Gabby Williams (GS Valkyries) | O/U 18.5 |
Tiffany Hayes (GS Valkyries) | O/U 13.5 |
Veronica Burton (GS Valkyries) | O/U 8.5 |
Angel Reese (ATL Dream) | O/U 16.5 |
Rhyne Howard (ATL Dream) | O/U 15.5 |
Allisha Gray (ATL Dream) | O/U 15.5 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
