Atlanta Dream v Golden State Valkyries: WNBA finals 2026 Game 1 – stay buildup

Angel Reese insists the event received’t overwhelm Atlanta because the Dream put together for his or her first WNBA finals look in 13 years – even when the ambiance inside Golden State’s famously raucous Chase Center guarantees to be one thing particular.

“Not actually,” Reese mentioned Friday when requested whether or not the finals felt totally different from earlier playoff video games. “I feel all of us have been in a stage the place we performed for some sort of championship or performed for one thing at a excessive stake.”

The WNBA’s defensive participant of the yr did, nonetheless, acknowledge the problem of taking part in in entrance of the Valkyries’ passionate house crowd.

“I do know the surroundings in Ballhalla is nice. The vitality is nice. They have nice fan help. They love girls’s basketball right here and what they’ve been capable of do in a yr and a half, two years is de facto cool to see.”

Veteran DeWanna Bonner, a two-time WNBA champion, has been urging her youthful teammates to savor the expertise with out altering their method.

“Don’t change something. Do what bought you right here,” Bonner mentioned. “You by no means know while you’re going to get again right here once more. It’s actually onerous to get again right here once more, so additionally be sure you’re having enjoyable on the market and soaking all of it in.”

For Rhyne Howard, the second is a measure of simply how far Atlanta have come.

“Nobody thought that we’d make it to the finals, and we’re doing that, we’re reaching that,” she mentioned. “We set out targets lengthy earlier than this yr, and it’s lastly coming to fruition.”