Dream beat Valkyries 97-71 to take 2-1 Finals lead

The Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Angel Reese led Atlanta with 21 points, 12 rebounds and three steals as the Dream won their first home Finals game in 13 years. Reese said her approach to leadership throughout the season has been to show up consistently, bring energy and confidence, and support her teammates. She said she aims to keep that energy up whether or not her shots are falling, and believes confidence can spread across the team. Atlanta pulled away after halftime, outscoring Golden State 51-31 in the second half. The Dream shot 7-for-12 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, according to the game report, while Golden State shot 34.7 percent. The result gave Atlanta consecutive wins after losing the series opener. In Game 2, Atlanta won 79-65 to level the series, with Reese recording 30 points and 16 rebounds. She said afterward that the team had been disappointed and embarrassed by its Game 1 loss and did not want to let another opportunity slip away. The Game 2 performance made Reese the youngest player in Finals history to post a 20-point...