The Atlanta Dream bounced back from a heartbreaking one-point loss to the Seattle Storm by storming past the Golden State Valkyries, 90–81, at Gateway Center Arena. The win improves Atlanta’s record to 12–7, while the Valkyries drop to 9–9. The game marked the first-ever meeting between the two franchises, giving Atlanta a 1–0 all-time advantage.
This one had all the makings of a must-win game for the Dream, who started Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Brionna Jones, and Brittney Griner. With the victory, that starting lineup improves to 7–4 on the year.
Early Struggles and Strong Response
Coming off the narrow July 3rd loss, the Dream looked sluggish early, falling behind 10–2 in the first quarter. Brittney Griner opened the scoring for Atlanta with a strong drive, but the team struggled to match Golden State’s early intensity. The drought was broken thanks to Brionna Jones battling for a board and kicking out to Allisha Gray. Gray drilled the three to cut it to 10–5, then followed with a steal and coast-to-coast layup.
Rhyne Howard knocked down her first triple shortly after, cutting deeper into the deficit. Still, the Dream trailed 26–16 after one, needing a spark.
Canada Controls the Pace in the Second
Canada delivered that spark. She scored her first bucket early in the second, then followed with a pinpoint dime to Jones for a layup. Moments later, she connected with Griner on a four-point play that helped ignite Atlanta’s comeback. The Dream ripped off an 18–5 run to take their first lead of the game. Howard and Jones kept the energy high on both ends — Jones again turning defense into offense with a steal and assist to Howard.
Gray buried another three to stretch the lead to six, and the Dream closed the half down just 45–43 after outscoring the Valkyries 27–19 in the second frame. The hustle stats were in Atlanta’s favor — they were crashing the boards, forcing turnovers, and dictating tempo.
Back-and-Forth Third Quarter
The third was a chess match. Brionna Jones opened the half with back-to-back buckets, including a strong finish through contact for an and-one. Danielle Caldwell gave the Dream a lift off the bench with a timely corner three to tie things up. Then came the beginning of a breakout performance — Naz Hillmon drilled her first three of the night off a Canada steal, followed by another from the opposite wing a minute later.
Allisha Gray answered a Valkyries push with a deep three, keeping Atlanta’s offense alive. Although Golden State responded late in the quarter to reclaim the lead, Hillmon’s emergence was becoming undeniable. The Dream trailed 68–64 heading into the fourth.
Hillmon, Howard, and Gray Seal the Deal in the Fourth
The fourth belonged to Atlanta.
Howard and Hillmon scored five points in under 30 seconds to cut the deficit to one. Howard tied it with her third three of the game — then Gray gave Atlanta the lead for good with a tough and-one finish. From there, the Dream exploded for a 12–2 run. Canada found Gray for a corner three to tie her season-high in assists — and added her ninth assist moments later, setting a new personal best.
Rhyne Howard’s steal with 2:22 left marked the team’s 11th takeaway of the night, a new season high. That energy translated into offense: Hillmon nailed back-to-back threes to blow the game wide open, giving the Dream their largest lead of the night at 90–79. She finished with a season-high 16 points, a career-high four made threes, and a team-best +21 plus-minus.
“If I hit a three — and it was a big one, too — we’re all putting the threes up,” Hillmon said postgame. “It’s not just a team manager thing anymore. It’s welcome to the new norm.”
Closing It Out with Confidence and Crowd Support
The Dream are now 12–2 when Allisha Gray scores 15 or more, and Monday’s 24-point performance was her eighth 20-point game of the season. The win also made Atlanta just the second team this year to score 90 or more against the Valkyries.
Gray, reflecting on the moment, emphasized the team’s growth:
“We’ve struggled to close fourth quarters — and tonight, we did. That helps a lot heading into the road trip and the break.”
Howard also praised the crowd energy:
“If this wasn’t a home game, we don’t feel like we could’ve come back the way we did. Our fans were the sixth man tonight.”
Final Score:
Atlanta Dream 90, Golden State Valkyries 81
Game 19 | July 7, 2025 | Gateway Center Arena (Atlanta, GA)
Dream Leaders:
- Allisha Gray – 24 PTS, 4 AST, 2 STL
- Naz Hillmon – 16 PTS (4 3PM), 1 BLK, +21
- Brionna Jones – 14 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST
- Rhyne Howard – 15 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL
- Jordin Canada – 9 AST (season high), 7 PTS
Atlanta improves to 12–7 on the season and 1–0 all-time vs. Golden State. With confidence high and chemistry clicking, the Dream now head into a crucial road trip with momentum and belief.
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