SAN FRANCISCO – It was ugly. It was muddy. And it felt like the backboard might shatter from all the bricks being chucked its way. But that's exactly where the Golden State Valkyries like to live. Because when rocks are flying, and bodies are falling, all the Valkyries are thinking about is how to make their opponents even more miserable– how to ratchet up their suffocating defense even further.
And as they've done all season, Golden State manifested their will into reality, holding the Atlanta Dream to just X shooting on their way to a pivotal 64-55 Game 5 victory to take a 3-2 series lead, putting themselves one game away from a WNBA championship. Led by defensive fortress Kiah Stokes' 13 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks, and point guard Veronica Burton's 13 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks, the Valkyries defense stymied the Dream's stars.
“Defense wins championships,” Natalie Nakase said. “We just talk about leveling up in the playoffs, especially in the Finals. It's just like from Dallas to Vegas. It's like, ‘How can we go (up) one more?' That's just ball pressure, as boring maybe as that sounds. But when you just put all your energy and all your fight into our defensive schemes, it's going to be really hard to get into your first action or any of your sets if you're being pressured, and we can do that one through five.
Atlanta forward Angel Reese was held in check for the second game in a row, finishing with just seven points on 2-of-8 shooting, despite collecting 15 rebounds. Dream guard Allisha Gray couldn't find the bottom of the net, scoring 10 points on 4-of-12 from the field. And though Rhyne Howard led all scorers with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, it wasn't enough to crack the sturdy Valkyries' defense, as they racked up nine steals and nine blocks.
How the 2026 WNBA Finals Game 5 was won
And like many of Golden State's victories this season, their defense grinded the Dream into dust, chipping at Atlanta's resolve over the course of the game. Because while the Dream's defense did their thing and kept the Valkyries offense clunky and inaccurate, you could just see all the little things Golden State was doing to wear them down.
Whether it was making life hard for Reese by pushing her off her spots on the catch, Burton and Williams hounding Gray and Howard at the point-of-attack, or Stokes, Kaila Charles, and Kayla Thornton crashing the glass with reckless abandon, Golden State amped up their physicality.
Then, when the time came, with the broadcast fittingly catching a mic'd up Nakase telling her team, “They're not ready for a run,” the Valkyries pounced. First came Charles, who surprised the Dream with an unconventional stepback jumper. Then rained down a Stokes 3-pointer from the corner. And to cap it off, a Hayes lighting bolt dash to the rim. One small, third-quarter 7-0 run that gave Golden State some breathing room in a game where a bucket felt like a miracle.
And once one Valkyrie starts to feel it, they all do– a contagious fever that only seems to heat up when the team smells blood in the water. Cecilia Zandalasini began collecting steals and nailing jumpers, finishing with 12 points. Gabby Williams began shaking herself out of a funk, lurking in the passing lanes and hawking down the ball to collect nine points and three steals. Not to mention Burton doing Burton things, from stuffing Atlanta's layup attempts to stringing together big shot after big shot.
The nail in the coffin? Stokes' third 3-pointer from the corner, falling to the ground as the ball found the bottom of the net, and stumbling to her feet with the biggest smile you'll ever see on her face, with the crowd going wild.
“The fact that we have such a deep team and that we can go five in and five out, and that we can, once we step in, it's not like there's a drop off; it's another level because we have fresh bodies,” Charles told ClutchPoints, pointing to how Nakase kept them fresh and conditioned through her season-long management plan. “She's done a great job throughout the whole year. Now, instead of us being tired, we're able to push to another level.”
Must win mindset heading into Game 6
With Golden State up 3-2, they now turn their attention to Game 6 in Atlanta, where they'll have the opportunity to close out the Dream and hoist the trophy on their floor. And while the joy was alive in the air of Ballhalla, from the presence of Zendaya in the building to the “M-V-KIAH” chants from the fans, the Valkyries know they can't dwell on the highs of Game 5.
“It's do or die. Every game right now is this was a must win. The next game is a must win, but staying humble,” Burton said.
“Now it's about getting our rest and recovery because we have to level up,” Nakase said. “That's going to be a very ruthless Atlanta team that really wants it just as much. You can never count them out. They're well coached. They're well-balanced. They have dogs. They have great leadership. So, we got to go in that mindset of being mentally tough and being more connected than ever. We have to fight. Like, I gotta keep my words right. We gotta fight to our best ability coming next game in Atlanta.”
The Valkyries know they can't afford to squander this opportunity. They have two games to get it done, but will treat it like they only have one. Nakase and her squad know how quickly a series can flip on its head– their own season almost died after falling behind by 16 in Game 3 versus the Dallas Wings, a series in which they won the first game decisively. But given how Golden State only knows how to slam their foot on the gas pedal, they seem prepared to lay it all on the line in Atlanta come Thursday, 12:30 pm EST.
“Doesn't matter what time it is. At the end of the day, we just need 94 feet, two hoops, and each other,” Stokes said. “And like she said, it's a closed-out game. Atlanta is a great team, and we don't want to give them basically any life. So, as much as we love Ballhalla, we don't want to come back here. So we need to go in with the mentality that like we have to win. It's do or die.”