Kiah Stokes Powers Valkyries to 3-2 WNBA Finals Lead — SkimNews
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- Kiah Stokes led Golden State to the 64-55 Game 5 win over Atlanta, posting 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocks on 5-for-6 shooting with three 3-pointers.
- Golden State Valkyries took a 3-2 WNBA Finals lead, putting the second-season expansion franchise one victory from its first championship.
- Atlanta Dream shot 1-for-7 when Stokes contested the attempt and 19-for-65 overall despite a 44-33 rebounding edge; Stokes was 3-for-3 on open shots, including 2-for-2 from three.
- Kiah Stokes has blocked at least three shots in six consecutive postseason games, matching Lisa Leslie’s 2003 record for the longest streak in a single WNBA postseason.
- Golden State Valkyries won all three series games in which both teams scored under 70 and are the only WNBA team this season to hold an opponent below 50, holding the Mystics to 49 on July 6.
- Angel Reese scored 30 points in Game 2 and 21 in Game 3 but totaled only 15 in Games 4 and 5; Atlanta must match that earlier production to stay alive.
- DeWanna Bonner took only two shots and scored zero in Game 5, while starting forwards Angel Reese and Naz Hillmon combined for nine points on 3-for-13 shooting.
Why it matters: Golden State has a concrete defensive edge: it won all three series games when both teams scored under 70, while Atlanta fell to a season-low 55 on 19-of-65 shooting. The 3-2 lead leaves the expansion Valkyries one victory from their first title, while Reese supplied only 15 combined points in Atlanta’s last two games.
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