*The Atlanta Dream forced a Game 7 in the WNBA Finals on Thursday, sparing the league a potentially awkward trophy presentation.
Atlanta defeated Golden State 80-69 at home to tie the series 3-3. Had the Valkyries won, they might have been forced to celebrate their championship on a practice court instead of the main floor.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne initially reported that the celebration could move to a practice court to prepare the arena for an NBA game. She later clarified that there was “a resolve” to hold any Thursday championship celebration on the main court. OutKick characterized the update as the league scrambling to avoid an embarrassing situation.
The scheduling conflict began when the league moved the game from 8 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. because the Atlanta Hawks were hosting Cleveland that night. The change meant West Coast fans had to watch their team’s championship opportunity at 9:30 a.m.
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Atlanta took control in the opening quarter and never looked back. Allisha Gray led the Dream with 23 points, while Rhyne Howard contributed 21. Angel Reese added 15 points and 14 rebounds despite another difficult shooting performance. Gabby Williams led Golden State with 26 points.
The afternoon tipoff didn’t keep fans away, though the arena was noticeably quieter than during earlier games in the series. Getting to a Thursday matinee took real sacrifice. Fans who spoke with OutKick said attending cost them a workday, a school day for their kids or hours on the road.
Game 7 takes place Saturday at 8 p.m. ET at Chase Center in San Francisco, where one of the two franchises will claim its first WNBA championship.
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