26 points. That’s how big the margin of victory was for the Atlanta Dream in Game 3. The Dream are now just two wins away from their first-ever WNBA title. But even after winning 97-71 and seizing control of the series with this second straight victory over the Golden State Valkyries, celebration was absent inside the Atlanta locker room. Instead, Dream head coach Karl Smesko delivered an emphatic, grounded reality check to his squad.

“That was one fantastic second half. I like the energy you played with. Even after getting off to a little slow start in the second half, you guys on your own regrouped, figured it out, and made all the plays,” said Smesko in the locker room after the game, per USA Today Sports.

“We should be happy with the way we competed today, but we also should be cognizant that it’s only halfway done. The job is only halfway done. There is more work to be done, and we are going to do it.”

Atlanta took advantage of a sluggish start from Golden State, building an early 9–1 lead as the Valkyries went 0-for-8 at the start. Kaila Charles free throw with 5:07 left in the first quarter finally got them on the board, registering as the second-longest game-opening scoring drought in WNBA Finals history, per Elias Sports Bureau. Aminata Gueye finally scored Golden State’s first basket at the 4:39 mark. But the Dream regained firm control from distance, as Naz Hillmon drilled consecutive three-pointers before Reese added one of her own to give Atlanta a 23–15 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Angel Reese delivered another historical performance in front of the 17000+ strong crowd at the State Farm Arena.

Finishing with a game-high 21 points on seven-for-12 from the floor, Reese filled the box score with 12 rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Her dominant first half made her just the second player in Finals history—alongside Nneka Ogwumike (in 2016)—to reach 15-plus points, seven-plus rebounds, and two-plus steals before the halftime break. Furthermore, Reese became the youngest player in WNBA history to notch consecutive 20-and-10 games on the championship stage, standing alongside A’ja Wilson in exclusive company.

This is certainly a turnaround on Reese’s part. From being “pissed” and “disappointed” after the 68-64 Game 1 loss to now leading 2-1 in the series, Atlanta has really turned it around. And Reese is certainly not disappointed anymore. Instead, she is focused on lifting everyone around her.

“I think it’s contagious when you have a mentality where I’m hype all the time, and I’m bringing the confidence to everybody,” Reese said after the game. “‘Y’all aren’t taking this from us. In my heart, I’m not letting you take this from us.’ I think it becomes contagious through the whole team, just being able to want it more than anybody else.”

Deadlocked at 49 midway through the third, Atlanta broke open the game with eight unanswered points—four courtesy of Reese. Golden State momentarily stemmed the tide to make it 59–55 on a Tiffany Hayes layup, but the Dream responded decisively, putting together a 12–2 surge to blow the game open heading into the fourth.

And for the Valkyries, this was a problem not just limited to this game. Atlanta’s halftime adjustments have been devastating: across the three games played so far, the Dream have throttled the Valkyries in the third quarter, compiling a 63–35 scoring advantage.

Tiffany Hayes reflected on the Valkyries’ shortcomings after the game.

“Our discipline and our fight,” said Hayes. “This game, they wanted it more than us. That’s not who we are, that’s not who we’ve been and that’s not how we got here.”

The Valkyries conceded 22 costly points off 15 turnovers. Natalie Nakase will surely keep errors and tactical gaps like these in mind approaching Game 4, which is again at the State Farm Arena and becomes a must-win for Golden State.