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Valkyries Beat Dream 64-55 in Game 5 to Move One Win From First WNBA Title

Kiah Stokes scored 13 points with eight rebounds and three blocks as Golden State took a 3-2 Finals lead at Chase Center, setting up a Game 6 closeout chance Thursday in Atlanta.

By admin Oct. 27, 2026 · 9:45 PM ET 2 min read

Wide view of a basketball arena full of fans waving purple and gold rally towels above a court
Wide view of a basketball arena full of fans waving purple and gold rally towels above a court

Kiah Stokes scored 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots as the Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 64-55 in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Monday night at Chase Center in San Francisco.

The win gave Golden State a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Valkyries, in their second season in the league, can win the first championship in franchise history in Game 6 on Thursday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

A basketball player with arms raised contesting a shot near the basket during a women's game
A basketball player with arms raised contesting a shot near the basket during a women’s game

Stokes sets the tone on both ends

Stokes hit a three-pointer with 2:46 left in the third quarter and another with 7:21 left in the game, and the home crowd chanted her first name as the final buzzer sounded. “We appreciate you,” Stokes said on the floor after the game. “We got one more.”

She has now blocked at least three shots in six straight games, tying Lisa Leslie in 2003 for the longest such streak in a single WNBA postseason, according to CNN. Golden State led 25-22 at halftime, the lowest-scoring combined first half in WNBA Finals history.

Veronica Burton matched Stokes with 13 points and eight rebounds. Tiffany Hayes, who played 10 seasons for Atlanta and came out of retirement two years ago, scored 12 points. Coach Natalie Nakase kept the starting lineup she used in a 67-62 Game 4 win, with Hayes and Kaila Charles in the starting five.

Fans in arena seats waving white rally towels with a basketball court in the background
Fans in arena seats waving white rally towels with a basketball court in the background

Leading scorer Gabby Williams shot 3 for 14 and finished with nine points, but her three-point play with 9:08 left put Golden State ahead 49-42. For Atlanta, Angel Reese finished with seven points, 15 rebounds and five assists after two strong games to open the series at Chase Center.

Atlanta gets its chance at home

Atlanta hurt itself with 17 turnovers that led to 21 Golden State points. Rhyne Howard’s three-point play with 4:59 left in the third quarter cut the deficit to 34-31, but Golden State pulled away from there.

A basketball resting on a polished wooden court in an empty arena
A basketball resting on a polished wooden court in an empty arena

Game 6 is set for 12:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday in Atlanta. If Atlanta wins, Game 7 will be played Saturday back at Chase Center. Dream coach Karl Smesko said he was disappointed by the early start time but hoped as many people as possible would watch. “I hope everybody gets to see it somehow,” Smesko said.

Reporting based on coverage by CNN.

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