Valkyries top Dream 64-55 in WNBA Finals Game 5 to take 3-2 series lead

The Golden State Valkyries took a 3-2 lead in the WNBA Finals with a 64-55 win over the Atlanta Dream on Monday at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The result puts the Valkyries one victory away from the first league title in their two-year history, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday in Atlanta.

The Valkyries relied on a balanced offensive effort, with four players scoring in double figures. Kiah Stokes and Veronica Burton each had 13 points, while Tiffany Hayes and Cecilia Zandalasini each added 12. Atlanta's Rhyne Howard led all scorers with 20 points. Angel Reese had 7 points and 15 rebounds for the Dream, a quieter scoring night than her rebounding total suggests. The game was also described in coverage of the matchup as an incredible defensive effort by Golden State, which helped the Valkyries defend home court.

Game 6 will tip off at 9:30 a.m. Pacific time on Thursday, an early start made necessary by scheduling constraints at State Farm Arena. The Dream normally play at Gateway Center Arena, which has a capacity of only 3,500 for basketball, so they played their playoff games at State Farm Arena instead. With the NBA season now underway, that arena is busy with the Atlanta Hawks, who have a home game on Thursday night. Several other options were considered before the early time was chosen, creating what amounted to an unusual doubleheader of sorts.

Fans in the Bay Area said the scheduling was a bigger concern to them than the anthem controversy that has followed the series since Game 1. Both teams have left the floor before the national anthem and returned seconds after it ended, a practice that has drawn criticism. Fans offered mixed views. One female fan said she did not understand why the anthem is performed before games at all, and that if players want to go back into the tunnel and regroup, that is fine since the team has been doing it for two seasons. A male fan argued the walkouts did not say anything about patriotism or loyalty to the United States.

Several fans said being on the court for the anthem should be a personal choice for athletes. A female fan who attended with her husband, both dressed in Valkyries lavender, said they are both retired military and always stand, hands on hearts, to honor the flag. She added that the players are preparing for the game, and that she would be fine if they stayed and saluted the flag. Another fan said the country is already divided and that everyone has to support their own true feelings.

There is a provision in the WNBA rulebook stating that players should stand respectfully on the court while the national anthem is played, but the league has not enforced that rule since 2017. One fan said she wished players would stand, but described it as one of those to each their own situations. Another fan said that for an American, the anthem is about respect for people who gave up their lives for freedom, so that people can choose to stand, hide in the tunnel or sit down.

Fans also said they would adjust their plans for the early Game 6 start. One female fan said she would take a personal day from work on Thursday, while another said it was disappointing that more fans could not cheer for the Valkyries on the West Coast, since she brings her kids to games and must manage school drop-offs. Some retirees said they get up early anyway and would watch the road game on television, while a couple of male fans said they would follow it on laptops at work.

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Derek Weston

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Derek Weston covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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