ATLANTA -- The Dream left little doubt they were ready to force the WNBA Finals to the first Game 7 in league history.
The Dream had doubled up the Golden State Valkyries by the end of the first quarter Thursday, led by 20 points at halftime and went on to win Game 6 80-69.
Golden State hosts Game 7 at 8 p.m. ET Saturday at Chase Center. The Valkyries are 2-1 at Ballhalla during this best-of-seven series, winning Games 1 and 5 but losing Game 2 at home.
Thursday's Game 6 tipped off at 12:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena, but it didn't seem to bother the Dream at all. Atlanta hit six 3-pointers in the first quarter to take a 32-15 lead at the end of the first period, the first time the Valkyries have allowed 30-plus point in a first quarter in their two-year franchise history.
Atlanta's Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray combined for 59 points, and Reese had 14 rebounds for her fourth double-double in the Finals.
ESPN was courtside in Atlanta with analysis, updates and highlights.
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Postgame analysis | Relive the action
(4) Atlanta Dream 80,
(2) Golden State Valkyries 69
How the Dream won the game: If there is such a thing as winning a game in the opening minutes, this was that game. The Dream got off to a 19-5 lead six minutes into the game, and it seemed clear all the momentum and energy was on their side.
Wednesday, the Valkyries talked about being prepared to face the Dream with their backs against the wall, and also said they weren't concerned about what was a 9:30 a.m. start Pacific Time. But once the game began, Golden State didn't look ready for either of those things.
Of course, credit goes to Atlanta for that, too. The Dream looked locked in Wednesday as they talked about studying film of their mistakes from Games 4 and 5, and how they were prepared to have a significantly better performance Thursday.
That proved true as the Dream tied a franchise record with six 3-pointers in the first quarter. After shooting below 40% in four of the previous five games in this series, the Dream did what Karl Smesko most wanted from them in this game: They made shots.
The offense cooled off after the Dream's 46 points in the first half, but realistically the outcome seemed like a foregone conclusion by halftime. Atlanta finished with 13 3-pointers, tied for the most in WNBA Finals history when facing elimination.
What the win means for the series: Last season was the first time the WNBA Finals were a best-of-seven series, but it was over in four games as Las Vegas won in a sweep. Now, we will have what many people expected and predicted: a series that goes the distance. It makes sense, considering how much this series has been punch-counterpunch.
Both teams are very good defensively, but that edge for the series has gone to Golden State. And when they've been able to break free from the Valkyries' defensive clutches, the Dream have been the better offensive team. The Dream have won the three games in which they topped 70 points.
They will have to show they can do it a fourth time if they hope to win their first championship. Meanwhile, Golden State wanted to wrap up the title Thursday, but the Valkyries know they have been very good at home all season and have one more chance to delight the Ballhalla crowd in 2026.
What are the keys to a decisive Game 7? When Golden State's defense has worked well in this series, it's as if the Valkyries have the Dream trapped in a spider web: The ball doesn't move well and the Atlanta offense seems stuck. It's radically different watching that -- which we saw in Games 1, 4 and 5, compared to Atlanta's free-flowing shotmaking of the first quarter, especially, on Thursday.
The Dream have to take that confidence back west with them to San Francisco, because the Valkyries will attempt to put them in lockdown from the tip on Saturday.
The Valkyries did one of the things they most wanted to on Thursday: They stayed pretty even in rebounding. But they were not able to match the Dream's intensity, and they allowed four of the Dream's starters to score in double figures. Atlanta got too many good looks in the first quarter, and that started a freight train that Golden State couldn't slow down enough to catch.
The Valkyries played more like themselves defensively in the second half, as the Dream scored a more manageable 34 points. Golden State stayed conceivably within striking distance, even though it really never felt like the Dream were in danger of losing. So there might be some positives for Golden State to take from the second half, but not enough to erase just how devastating that first quarter was. -- Michael Voepel