The Atlanta Dream evened the WNBA Finals at 1-1 on Monday with a 79-65 win over the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center, and as the Valkyries walked off, cameras caught Steph Curry shouting “Here we go, Gabby!” at Gabby Williams, as first reported by ClutchPoints.
Williams needed it. After dropping 26 points in the Game 1 win, she went 3-of-15 from the field in Game 2, finishing with 14 points, four steals and four turnovers in 27 minutes. Tiffany Hayes gave Golden State 14 off the bench and Veronica Burton added 11 points and seven rebounds, but Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini combined for just seven points on 2-of-11 shooting. The Valkyries fell behind by 21 before a fourth-quarter push that came up short.
The IAHHM Take
Curry has been in the Valkyries’ corner since day one, and this moment says a lot about what this franchise has built in the Bay in such a short time. A team that just finished its second season is playing for a ring, and the face of the Warriors is courtside acting like a hype man. That’s culture.
Williams also came into this series with a chip on her shoulder. Before the Finals, the two-time All-Star and three-time All-Defense pick said, “The media’s never respected me. I’ve never expected them to.” One bad shooting night doesn’t change who she is. She still had four steals and made Atlanta work.
Now the series heads to Atlanta. The WNBA moved Game 3 up a day to Wednesday, Oct. 21 so the Dream could host at State Farm Arena, which holds more than 17,000 fans, instead of their usual 3,500-seat Gateway Center Arena, per NBC. Game 4 is Saturday, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. ET in the same building. An A-Town crowd that size for a WNBA Final is a big deal for the league, and it’s a tough place for a shooter trying to find her rhythm.
So here’s the question: does Gabby bounce back in Game 3, or does Atlanta’s defense have her number now? While you’re here, catch up on our Week in Review.
Source: ClutchPoints
