Golden State beat the Dream 64-55 in Game 5 and leads the WNBA Finals 3-2. Game 6 is 12:30 p.m. Thursday at State Farm Arena; Atlanta must win to force Game 7.

Updated Oct. 27: Golden State won Game 5 64-55 on Monday in San Francisco and leads the series 3-2. Game 6 is 12:30 p.m. Thursday at State Farm Arena, and the Dream must win to force Game 7.

Game 5: Valkyries 64, Dream 55

The Golden State Valkyries beat the Dream 64-55 on Monday night at Chase Center in San Francisco. Golden State leads the best-of-seven Finals 3-2, the Dream said in its recap.

Atlanta led 14-13 after the first quarter. Golden State led 25-22 at halftime, after the Dream made three field goals in the second quarter. The Valkyries opened the third with a 7-2 run, and Atlanta trailed 46-40 going into the fourth.

The Dream’s numbers, from the team’s recap:

  • Rhyne Howard: 20 points
  • Jordin Canada: 12 points
  • Allisha Gray: 10 points
  • Angel Reese: 7 points and 15 rebounds
  • 29.2% shooting from the field and 23.1% from 3-point range
  • 15 turnovers

The Dream said four Golden State players scored at least 12 points.

“We’ve got better shooters than that,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said, in remarks published by the team. Smesko also criticized the officiating, the team said.

“I still believe that we can win this,” Reese said.

Game 4: Valkyries 67, Dream 62

The Golden State Valkyries beat the Dream 67-62 on Saturday afternoon before a sold-out crowd at State Farm Arena. The series is tied at two games each, the Dream said in its recap.

Golden State led 16-11 after the first quarter and 42-26 at halftime. Atlanta outscored the Valkyries 17-13 in the fourth quarter but could not close the gap.

The Dream’s numbers, from the team’s recap:

  • Rhyne Howard: 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting
  • Izzy Borlase: 10 points off the bench
  • Angel Reese: 8 points on 2-of-12 shooting and nine rebounds
  • 33.3% shooting from the field and 17.4% on 23 3-point attempts
  • 17 turnovers, a playoff high

Gabby Williams scored a team-high 17 points for Golden State, the Valkyries said. Tiffany Hayes added 13, according to the Dream.

“We just need to take care of the ball better, get some better shots early,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said, in remarks published by the team.

“I think I rushed a lot of my shots,” Reese said. “I’m looking forward to the next game.”

Game 3: Dream 97, Valkyries 71

The Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 on Wednesday night to take a 2-1 lead in the WNBA Finals. The game was played before a sold-out crowd at State Farm Arena downtown, the Dream said in its game recap.

Atlanta led 23-15 after the first quarter and 46-40 at halftime. A 12-2 run to close the third quarter put the Dream up 71-57, and they outscored Golden State 26-14 in the fourth, according to the team’s recap.

The Dream shot 49% from the field and held the Valkyries to 34.8%. Atlanta forced 17 turnovers and scored 22 points off them.

The Dream’s scorers in double figures:

  • Angel Reese: 21 points and 12 rebounds
  • Rhyne Howard: 16 points
  • Naz Hillmon: 15 points
  • Izzy Borlase: 12 points
  • Jordin Canada: 10 points and eight assists

Reese has had a double-double in all three Finals games. The Dream said she is the youngest player in league history to do that in three straight Finals games. Howard became the first player with at least five steals in consecutive Finals games, the team said.

For Golden State, Gabby Williams scored 15 points with eight assists and Tiffany Hayes added 14 off the bench, the Valkyries said in their recap.

“We’re only halfway home,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said, in remarks published by the team.

“Our fans showed up in every single possession,” Reese said.

The series so far

The Finals are a best-of-seven series.

Game Date Result
1 Oct. 17, at Golden State Valkyries 68, Dream 64
2 at Golden State Dream won, the franchise’s first Finals win
3 Oct. 21, State Farm Arena Dream 97, Valkyries 71
4 Oct. 24, State Farm Arena Valkyries 67, Dream 62
5 Oct. 26, Chase Center, San Francisco Valkyries 64, Dream 55

Reese had 30 points and 16 rebounds in Game 2, according to the league’s Game 3 recap. The league said Atlanta outscored Golden State 63-35 in third quarters across the first three games.

What comes next

The remaining games, from the Dream’s playoff schedule:

Game Date and time (ET) Where
6 Thursday, Oct. 29, 12:30 p.m. State Farm Arena, Atlanta
7, if needed Saturday, Oct. 31, 8 p.m. Chase Center, San Francisco

The Dream’s schedule puts Game 6 at State Farm Arena at 12:30 p.m. ET Thursday. A loss ends Atlanta’s season; a win sends the series to Game 7.

Games 3, 4 and 6 were moved from the Dream’s usual home, Gateway Center Arena in College Park, about nine miles southwest. The Dream and the Atlanta Hawks announced the first move in a joint statement on Oct. 13. The league said Gateway Center seats 3,500.

What it means for you

  • Game 6 is a Thursday lunchtime game downtown. Tipoff is 12:30 p.m. at State Farm Arena. Expect a busy midday around the arena and allow extra time. Check road closures before you go.
  • Tickets: buy only through the arena’s event page or the team.
  • Watch parties: the Dream list official watch parties on their playoff page.
  • The title is decided by Saturday. Golden State wins the title with one more win. If the Dream win Thursday, Game 7 is Saturday night in San Francisco.

For more on the week ahead, see things to do in Atlanta.