Atlanta\u2019s hot start was not an accident. It was very much by design. They knew they would have to take control of the game early or risk having to watch the Valkyries celebrate their first championship in Atlanta.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just really proud of this group, the punch first that we emphasized,\u201d Angel Reese said in the postgame media availability, per a video<\/a> on the WNBA\u2019s YouTube channel. \u201cIf we can punch first, we\u2019ve won every single game.\u201d<\/p>\n The Dream\u2019s ability to replicate that punch-first mentality could very well decide who wins the championship. Punching first and not allowing the Valkyries to turn the game into a slow, low-scoring match played primarily in the halfcourt has been the Dream\u2019s recipe for success all series long.\u00a0<\/p>\n Angel Reese Will Be Key to a Good Start for the Dream<\/p>\n Angel Reese may only be in her third WNBA season and her first season with the Dream, but she is one of the team\u2019s emotional leaders. If she comes into Game 7 ready to punch first and set the tone with her physicality, defense, and swagger, the rest of the team will follow suit.\u00a0<\/p>\n Reese didn\u2019t play her most efficient game\u2014she shot 5-of-18 from the field in Game 6\u2013but she was confident, attacking the rim off the dribble, letting 3-pointers fly, and finding her teammates in the right spots. She basically neutralized Kiah Stokes, who had been a real problem for the Dream in previous games, with her drives. Even though she was frustrated by her misses, she never truly let that change her energy.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Valkyries have one of the best crowds in the WNBA. With the championship on the line, the atmosphere in Ballhalla promises to be absolutely electric. In such a hostile environment, the Dream will have to fabricate their own positive energy. Reese can do that, and she has played incredibly well on the Valkyries\u2019 home court before, putting up 30 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks in a historic Game 2<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The one thing Reese must be mindful of is not letting the sense of urgency and desperation that comes with playing a Game 7 in the finals make her rush her shots. When Reese rushes her shots, she struggles to score around the rim, and the Dream cannot afford that to happen with the championship on the line.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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