Angel Reese Has ‘No Doubt’ Atlanta Dream Can Force A Game 7 In WNBA Finals

Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream are hoping to force a Game 7 in the ongoing WNBA Finals. Right now, the Georgia-based team is down 3-2 in a best-of-seven series against the newly formed Golden State Valkyries. Their next contest is October 29 at 12:30 PM ET at State Farm Arena in downtown Atlanta. Before the game, several players, including Reese, Rhyne Howard, and veteran DeWanna Bonner, discussed their mindset going into the contest and vowed to fight with everything they had.

DeWanna Bonner Wants To See Her Atlanta Dream Teammates Get Back To Playing With Joy

The 2026 WNBA Finals have been quite a battle. The series opened in San Francisco at the Chase Center, where the Valks stole Game 1 by four points. The Dream punched back days later, winning Games 2 and 3.

The Valkyries returned in Game 4 with a vengeance, limiting Reese to 2-of-12 shooting, disrupting the Dream's rhythm, and stealing a road win.

Now, with their season on the line, the Dream are fighting to erase their 3-2 deficit with a stellar performance on Thursday, October 29, at State Farm Arena. If they win, the Finals return to San Francisco on October 31 for a winner-take-all celebration.

Before that, though, the Dream are focused on getting back to themselves. DeWanna Bonner told ESPN that she wants to see her teammates play with joy again.

"I feel like the last couple games, we just haven't been ourselves, and we know that," she said. "You haven't seen us smile. You haven't seen us enjoying [each other], and that's how we play."

She added, "Once you get to that moment and you get inside your head and you lose the joy of the game, it's really hard. You're playing against yourself, and you playing against the Golden State team. You can't do that."

Angel Reese Had 'Uncomfortable' Conversations About Performance With Teammates

With everything on the line in Game 6, the Dream are hoping to come out swinging at State Farm Arena.

Before that, though, Reese told the media the team needed to have "uncomfortable conversations" with each other about their performance. That talk, however, has only motivated everyone further, Reese said, adding that the team is "in a great mind space right now."

"We have no doubt," Reese said about the upcoming test. "I have no doubt that this team will come back and fight back and win this Game 6 and then move on from it."

Reese said her mind has been on the upcoming matchup since earlier this week, stating that she's been itching to get back on the hardwood.

"Just having a mindset of leaving it all out there," she said. "You're going to have to peel me off the court. I want to be so d-mn tired. I want to just be able to give everything."

The Atlanta Dream Still Believe In Themselves To Get The Job Done

It's not like the Dream aren't used to adversity. They've been battle-tested all season and through the WNBA Playoffs, defeating the Washington Mystics and the New York Liberty. They're holding on to that feeling, said Bonner.

"Our confidence is still high," she said. "There's no reason to lose confidence." Of course, Bonner has been here before, playing 17 seasons in the WNBA and winning two championships. Last year, her Phoenix Mercury made it to the finals before being swept by the Las Vegas Aces.

"We're down one game in this. We get [Game 6], and it's a series all over again," Bonner added.

Rhyne Howard Breaks Her Silence On The Dream's 3-2 Deficit

Bonner and Reese aren't alone in their feelings, according to ESPN. Rhyne Howard told the media she felt the same way about herself and her teammates.

"We don't want to just be like the world is ending because our backs are against the wall," she said. "We had them against the wall [after Game 3] and they showed up and they punched. So I think it's just our turn to come out and do the same thing."

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Reese Called Out 'Frustrating' WNBA Referees

This is the second time this season a ref has told Angel it is not their job to call fouls. What is going on? — DPOY IS IN ATLANTA (@4YCthinker) October 24, 2026

This is the second time this season a ref has told Angel it is not their job to call fouls. What is going on?

DPOY IS IN ATLANTA (@4YCthinker) October 24, 2026

As the series continues to play out, fans will also be watching to see how the referees handle calls. According to a previous report from The Blast , Reese and her head coach, Karl Smesko, criticized the WNBA's officials for inconsistent calls.

"I mean, a lot of us are getting fouled, and they're not calling it, or we're talking to the [referee] after, and they're saying, 'Oh, we'll get you next time.' So, it is a little frustrating, especially in the moment of it," Reese said.

In Game 5, Valkyries player Veronica Burton was allowed to keep playing after committing a hard foul to Dream player Allisha Gray's face. Unfortunately, Dream had already used their coach's challenge earlier in the contest, so they couldn't review the call for a potential upgrade to a Flagrant 1 or 2.

"But honestly, for my teammates, when they're getting slapped to the ground or goggles knocked off, like it is frustrating and trying to keep them in and keep them confident. But yeah, we'll figure it out. We're gonna have to just continue to push through the physicality, and hopefully, it goes our way next game," Reese added.