Editorial illustration. This image does not depict the actual game.

Atlanta is still in the title race. The Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 80-69 in Game 6 on Thursday, tying the WNBA Finals at 3-3 and sending the championship series to a winner-take-all Game 7. Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard and Angel Reese powered the Atlanta win, while Reese set a new Finals rebounding mark.

Game 6 result

  • Final: Atlanta Dream 80, Golden State Valkyries 69
  • Game: WNBA Finals, Game 6
  • Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
  • Venue: State Farm Arena, Atlanta
  • Series: Tied 3-3

The Associated Press recap published by the WNBA and ESPN's game report both record the 80-69 result. Atlanta answered a Game 5 loss with a strong opening and held off Golden State's late push to keep its championship hopes alive.

The Dream set the tone early. They took a 32-15 lead in the first quarter and went into halftime up 46-26. Atlanta’s largest advantage reached 25 points, according to the AP recap. The Valkyries chipped away late, but the Dream maintained enough separation to close out the win.

Golden State narrowed the gap to eight points in the final stretch. Gray then delivered a key three-pointer to help Atlanta steady the game. The final margin was 11, and the series was level once more.

Gray, Howard and Reese lead Atlanta

Gray led the Dream with 23 points. Howard added 21, giving Atlanta two 20-point scorers in a game with the season on the line. Their totals are reported by the AP and ESPN.

Reese contributed 15 points and 14 rebounds, according to ClutchPoints' Game 6 report. Her work on the boards also lifted her series total to 78 rebounds.

ClutchPoints reports that Reese’s 78 rebounds surpassed Sylvia Fowles’ previous WNBA Finals record of 75, set in 2017. That milestone gives Game 6 an added place in the series record book. Reese reached it while Atlanta faced elimination and needed a win to extend its season.

ClutchPoints' Game 6 total of 14 rebounds is the figure reported here, alongside her 15 points and her new series mark of 78 rebounds. Atlanta's lead scorers and Reese's series record helped define a decisive result in front of a home crowd.

A first Game 7 for the Dream

Saturday will be the first Game 7 in Atlanta Dream franchise history. The team’s last WNBA Finals appearance came in 2013. Now Atlanta has another opportunity to compete for a championship, with the season coming down to one game.

The series has swung between both teams. Golden State opened with a 68-64 win. Atlanta responded with a 79-65 victory in Game 2 and a 97-71 win in Game 3. The Valkyries took Game 4, 67-62, and Game 5, 64-55, before the Dream’s 80-69 result in Game 6 restored the tie.

That back-and-forth makes the final game a clear test of execution. Each side has won three times. The winner on Saturday takes the championship.

Daytime tip and a sold-out arena

Game 6 tipped at 12:30 p.m. ET, rather than its original evening slot, because the Atlanta Hawks were scheduled to host the Cleveland Cavaliers at State Farm Arena later Thursday. The schedule drew attention from fans and team leadership ahead of the game.

Dream ownership published an open letter saying it had raised scheduling concerns two months earlier. Mayor Andre Dickens shared a mock excuse note for fans, while Flavor Flav posted a mock permission slip calling for a paid holiday to watch the game.

The daytime start did not prevent a sellout. More than 10,000 tickets sold in 90 minutes Monday, and State Farm Arena was sold out for Game 6. Atlanta then earned the 80-69 win in front of its home crowd.

The game aired on USA Network and Peacock. The scheduling discussion is part of the week's context, but the result on court was straightforward: Atlanta won, tied the series and earned one more game.

Game 7 details

The championship will be decided Saturday, October 31, at 8 p.m. ET at Chase Center in San Francisco. The Dream and Valkyries enter the game tied 3-3. The winner takes the championship.

For fans following this breaking news story, the setting shifts from Atlanta to Golden State. The WNBA schedule lists the Game 7 date and time, and game coverage is listed on USA Network and Peacock.

Atlanta has extended its season with a Game 6 response led by Gray, Howard and Reese. Saturday brings one final opportunity for either team to finish the series with a title.

How are you planning to follow Game 7? Share your plans, and visit the Atlanta Wave TV newsroom for more sports news and updates.

Based on published reporting from the Associated Press, ESPN, ClutchPoints and WNBA.com. Atlanta Wave TV is not credentialed and is not attending. Information current as of October 29, 2026.