The Golden State Valkyries needed answers as the team headed to State Farm Arena to attempt to take the lead in the 2026 WNBA Finals. However, frustration was evident in the 97-71 loss to the Atlanta Dream, with one moment involving Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase standing out, leaving the team with yet another setback during a game the team could not afford to lose.
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“Valkyries unwinding a bit here, Natalie Nakase gets called for a tech after the Gabby Williams offensive foul, that latter of which was very unhappy with that call, seemed to signal to the bench to challenge it, which did not happen,” Valkyries reporter Kenzo Fukuda noted on X.
The sequence occurred with 48 seconds left in the third quarter. Williams, who was attempting to manufacture anything on offense for a Valkyries team down 68-57, ran into Dream guard Jordin Canada and was called for an offensive foul. She wasn’t happy with the call, and neither was Nakase, who was called for a technical foul for arguing with the referees. Unfortunately, the Valkyries did not challenge the call, and Canada converted the technical free throw.
This marks the first technical foul for Nakase this postseason, which means that she will have to pay a $500 fine. The WNBA increased its technical foul penalties this season, and under the new structure, each player and coach is allowed two technical fouls costing $500 each, a third costing $1,000, and the fourth coming with $1,500 in fines and a one-game suspension. Following this, every other technical will result in a one-game suspension.
This came in the middle of the second consecutive loss in the Finals for the Valkyries, who are now down 2-1 in their first Finals appearance against the Dream. Williams was the leading scorer for her team, but struggled to score, logging 15 points on just 5-for-18 from the field and turning the ball over four times.
Angel Reese led the effort for the Dream, who was firing on all cylinders tonight. Reese finished with a 21-point, 12-rebound double-double, with the Dream converting on 49% of their shots, making 10 more than the Valkyries while shooting 12 more free throws than their opponents.
This was the first time the Dream had ever won a Finals game at home, with the team being swept in each of their previous three appearances in 2010, 2011, and 2013
Now, the Valkyries will look to even up the series as they prepare for the fourth game of what has been an electric Finals. Only time will tell which team will take the advantage on October 24.