The Atlanta Dream have fought hard to keep their championship hopes alive. After falling behind in the series, they bounced back in Game 6 with 13 three-pointers and a 17-point first-quarter lead to force a historic Game 7 against the Golden State Valkyries. But with just one game left to decide their season, the pressure is only going to get bigger. And head coach Karl Smesko knows exactly what awaits his team at the finish line.

“I think you just stay in the moment,” Smesko said in his pregame press conference, reflecting on the emotions surrounding Game 7. “You know, obviously it’s been, you know, from training camp to the very last day, it’s not as long as it can go. And at the end of this, you know, we’re either gonna be celebrating or devastated. And the only way to go about it is be in the present moment,” he added.

Easier said than done, though. The stakes could hardly be higher for either team. Game 7 is the first in WNBA Finals history, as the Finals only became a best-of-seven series last year. The winner will claim the first championship in franchise history. 

But if Atlanta wants to turn Smesko’s message into a championship celebration, it will need to solve one problem that has followed it throughout the series.

The series has followed one simple pattern. Golden State won Games 1, 4 and 5 by holding Atlanta to 64, 62 and 55 points. Atlanta won Games 2, 3 and 6 by scoring 79, 97 and 80.

And that makes Atlanta’s shooting particularly important heading into Game 7. The Dream made 13 of their 30 three-point attempts in Game 6, shooting 44% from beyond the arc. It was only the second time in the series they topped 40%. In their three losses, they shot worse than 34%  each time and made just 14 of 74 threes combined.

Allisha Gray is the key. She scored 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting in Game 6, including five threes, after shooting 28.1% from the field coming into the game. She is also playing through a hand injury. The Dream need her to fight through it one more time while the whole team puts together its best shooting performance of the year.

Shooting won’t be Atlanta’s only concern, though. Analysts also pointed to fouls and turnovers as areas the Dream must clean up. They need to stay locked in even if calls go against them in a hostile building. In each of their three wins, they forced at least 10 Valkyries turnovers, including 15 in Game 6.

Beyond shooting and turnovers, the Dream will also need to bring the same energy that helped them win Game 6. Both sides know the first punch could matter. Reese said the Dream have won every game they punched first, and Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said coming out with physicality is a non-negotiable.

With so much riding on the final game, even the historic opportunity comes with mixed feelings. Dream guard Rhyne Howard said she was torn about reaching the league’s first Game 7, wondering if the team could have finished the series faster.

“Obviously it is a history point, but as far as the league is growing, I am excited to be one of the first to do it [and] hopefully one of the first to win in a Game 7,” Howard said.

And if there is one player Smesko will be counting on to help Atlanta handle the pressure, it is Reese.

Smesko Trusts Reese In The Biggest Game Of Her Career

“I think everybody in here would choose to have Angel on their team for a Game 7. I know I would,” Smesko said.

He has reason to say it. Reese had 15 points, 14 rebounds and a series-high six assists in Game 6, her fourth double-double of the Finals. She shot just 5-of-18 from the field and committed six turnovers for the second time in the series. But she also hit two threes, and Atlanta is 16-0 when she makes one.

Reese has been the hinge of the Dream’s offense. When she plays passively, the whole team slows down, and when she is aggressive, the team follows faster. In Game 6, Atlanta put the ball in her hands to start the game, and her passes helped Jordin Canada, Gray, and Howard hit four threes in five possessions.

Reese already has an NCAA title, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and three All-Star nods. But a WNBA championship, especially one accompanied by a Finals MVP award, could add another major achievement to her resume. That would put her in rare company with Candace Parker and A’ja Wilson. 

Soon, Reese and the Dream will find out whether they are celebrating or devastated.