WNBA Finals Reaches First-Ever Game 7 as Valkyries Host Dream at Chase Center
Written by AI from espn.com's report. Not checked by a person.
The WNBA Finals goes to a seventh and deciding game for the first time as the Golden State Valkyries host the Atlanta Dream at Chase Center on Halloween night, with both franchises chasing their first championship.
The 2026 WNBA Finals makes history on October 31, reaching a seventh and deciding game for the first time since the league introduced a best-of-seven format. The No. 2 seed Golden State Valkyries host the No. 4 seed Atlanta Dream at Chase Center, with tipoff set for 8 p.m. ET. Atlanta forced the decider by winning Game 6 80–69 to level the series at 3–3, fueled by a dominant 32-point first quarter. Allisha Gray delivered 23 points, while Rhyne Howard — the 2022 No. 1 draft pick and Rookie of the Year — has combined for 41 points across Games 5 and 6 on 50% shooting. Angel Reese finished Game 6 with 15 points and six assists, stepping up as a playmaker even as she struggled from the field on 5-for-18 shooting. Neither franchise has ever won a WNBA title: the Valkyries are only in their second season, while the Dream were swept in each of their three previous Finals appearances. The best-of-seven format debuted last season but did not go the distance; this is the first time the Finals will be settled in Game 7. Historical precedent from the prior best-of-five era offers some encouragement for the home side — after the WNBA moved to that format in 2005, the Finals went the full five games eight times, with the host team winning six of those winner-take-all games. The Valkyries' famous Ballhalla atmosphere on a Halloween night with a championship at stake promises to be unlike anything either franchise has experienced.
