Rhyne Howard Adds 5 Steals as the Dream Rout the Valkyries 97-71 for a 2-1 WNBA Finals Lead

Photo: WNBA.com. Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream guard.

Rhyne Howard had 16 points and five steals Wednesday night, and the Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals in front of a sellout crowd of 17,099 at State Farm Arena. Atlanta leads the series 2-1 after a game in which Golden State never held the lead, and the Dream's 26-point final margin was also their biggest of the night.

Eleven steals in two nights

Howard set the Finals record with six steals in Game 2. She added five more in Game 3, so that is 11 in two games, and she did it while playing 27 minutes with five fouls. The Dream had nine steals as a team, and Howard owned more than half of them.

The turnovers are where this game got away from the Valkyries. Golden State gave it away 17 times, and Atlanta scored 22 points off those giveaways. The Dream turned it over 10 times and gave up seven. That 15-point swing covers more than half of the final margin. Atlanta also won the fast-break column 13-5.

Howard got her points at the line. She went 7-of-10 on free throws and 4-of-11 from the field, and finished plus-15.

The paint was not close

Both teams took 69 shots. Atlanta made 34 of them and Golden State made 24. The difference lived near the basket: the Dream scored 44 points in the paint on 22-of-41 shooting, and the Valkyries scored 20 on 10-of-32. Kiah Stokes blocked three shots and pulled 11 rebounds.

Angel Reese had 21 points and 12 rebounds on 7-of-12 shooting, plus 5-of-5 at the line and three steals. That came two nights after her 30 and 16 in Game 2. In the third quarter, after Golden State tied it, Atlanta went on an 8-0 run that Reese finished by taking a rebound coast to coast, per WNBA.com's live blog. Natalie Nakase picked up a technical foul with 48 seconds left in the period. The Dream led 71-57 after three and won the fourth 26-14.

Where the Valkyries' starters went

Golden State's starting five scored 33 points on 11-of-37 shooting. Kayla Thornton went scoreless in 13 minutes. Veronica Burton made one of seven shots. Gabby Williams, who scored 26 to win Game 1, finished with 15 points on 5-of-18 with eight assists and four turnovers.

The Valkyries' bench actually outscored Atlanta's, 38 to 27. Tiffany Hayes had 14 and Janelle Salaün hit three 3-pointers for 13.

Atlanta's starters went the other way. Naz Hillmon scored 15 and made 3-of-5 from three for a plus-17. Jordin Canada had 10 points and eight assists. Allisha Gray added eight points and six assists. Off the bench, Isobel Borlase scored 12 in 26 minutes and finished plus-21, the best mark on the floor. The Dream had 26 assists on 34 baskets.

Without Brionna Jones

Atlanta did this with Brionna Jones out with a left leg injury, listed as did not dress on the official box. The Dream still outrebounded Golden State 37-34.

What Game 4 asks

In Game 3, Atlanta scored 22 points off 17 Golden State turnovers and outscored the Valkyries 44-20 in the paint. The Dream has now won two straight by a combined 40 points after dropping the opener 68-64, and the Valkyries have scored 65 and 71 in those two losses.

Game 4 is Saturday, again at State Farm Arena. The Dream are two wins from the franchise's first title.

Sources

• WNBA official box score, Game 3 final (97-71, quarter scores 23-23-25-26 and 15-25-17-14, attendance 17,099 sellout, Howard 16 points, 5 steals, 7-of-10 FT, 4-of-11 FG, 5 fouls, plus-15, Reese 21 and 12, 7-of-12, 5-of-5 FT, 3 steals, Hillmon 15, 3-of-5 from three, plus-17, Canada 10 and 8 assists, Gray 8 and 6 assists, Borlase 12, plus-21, Williams 15 on 5-of-18, 8 assists, 4 turnovers, Thornton 0, Burton 1-of-7, Stokes 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, Hayes 14, Salaün 13, 34-of-69 vs 24-of-69, paint 44-20, fast break 13-5, turnovers 17 for 22 points and 10 for 7, 26 assists, rebounds 37-34, biggest lead 26, lead changes 0, Nakase technical 0:48 third, Brionna Jones DND left leg, series 2-1). Oct. 21, 2026.
• WNBA.com: Game 3 live blog (Valkyries tied it in the third, Atlanta's 8-0 run capped by Reese coast to coast, 14-point lead entering the fourth, Reese 15 and 7 at halftime, Hillmon back-to-back threes). Oct. 21, 2026.
• AP via WNBA.com: Game 2 recap (79-65, Reese 30 and 16, Howard Finals-record six steals). Oct. 19, 2026.
• The Dyme: Gabby Williams scores 26 in Game 1 (68-64 Valkyries win). Oct. 18, 2026.