Natalie Nakase Is Preparing Valkyries for 'Ruthless Atlanta Team' in Must-Win Game 6
Story by
Natalie Nakase Is Preparing Valkyries for 'Ruthless Atlanta Team' in Must-Win Game 6
Oct 21, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase on the sideline against the Atlanta Dream in the fourth quarter during game three of the 2026 WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Elaine Blum
·
3 min read
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Game 5 of the WNBA Finals was the Atlanta Dream's worst showing of the season. They scored a season-low 55 points, shot just 29% from the field, and turned the ball over 17 times, which led to 21 points for the Golden State Valkyries. It wasanother tough gamefor Angel Reese and Allisha Gray, and the bench contributed just four points.
The Dream have no time to stew over this loss, though. They will have to play Game 6early on Thursday. If they don't come out ready to play a better game, it will be the end of their championship dreams. The Valkyries can close out the series with one more win, but the Dream can force a Game 7 if they bounce back and take Game 6.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Natalie Nakase expects the Dream to come out ready to fight and get revenge for two brutal losses.
"We did our job here, but now it's about getting our rest and recovery because we have to level up," Nakase said after Game 5,per a videoon the Valkyries' YouTube channel. "That's going to be a very ruthless Atlanta team that really wants it just as much. You can never count them out."
The Dream cannot afford to be anything other than "ruthless" with the championship on the line. They dictated the energy and effort in Games 2 and 3 and must figure out how to do that again.
The Valkyries Are on the Brink of WNBA History-Again
Oct 26, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes (15) celebrates with guard Veronica Burton (22) after scoring a basket against the Atlanta Dream during the third quarter of game five of the 2026 WNBA Finals at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Last year, the Valkyries became the fastest expansion team to make the playoffs, punching a ticket to the postseason in their first year. Just a year later, they are one win away from also becoming the fastest expansion team to win a championship.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
The Seattle Storm currently hold the record. They won a championship in 2004, their fifth season since joining the WNBA for the 2000 campaign. The Detroit Shock were also pretty fast, winning a title in their sixth season. Other teams, took much, much longer. The Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever didn't win a title until their thirteenth season in the W, and the Chicago Sky needed 16 seasons to reach the top. The Washington Mystics, one of the first expansion teams in 1998, didn't win a title until 2019.
Atlanta is still chasing its first title, and three other expansion teams-the Miami Sol, Orlando Miracle, and the original Portland Fire-never won a title before they folded.
Winning a championship in year two-without a single player who made an All-WNBA team this year-would be a massive accomplishment for the Valkyries.
