Valkyries survive fourth-quarter wilting to win on jumper with 3.2 seconds to go
In a 77-75 defeat of the Dream on Tuesday night, Golden State blew a 13-point fourth-quarter lead only to have Cecilia Zandalasini make a steal with 19.4 seconds to play and then rattle in an 11-foot jumper left with 3.2 to go for the victory.
The Valkyries (12-13) won for only the fourth time in 13 road games avoided a fourth consecutive defeat away from Chase Center,
Golden State had gone ahead 69-56 thanks to a 30-point third frame, but fell silent for most of the fourth when it was outscored 19-8.
The game's final minutes endured several lengthy stops, including with a minute to go and the score tied 75-75 when a spectator threw a sex toy onto the floor.
Center Monique Billings started her first game since before the All-Star break after being questionable with a left ankle injury, but left the game after playing 8:52 and did not return. Billings started the game defending 6-foot-9 Brittney Griner, and she held the Dream center to four points and one rebound in the first half.
Every Valkyries backcourt player had at least three fouls by the start of the fourth frame. Janelle Salaün picked up her fourth early in the third quarter, while Iliana Rupert picked up two of her three within minutes of picking up Griner on defense.
After being tied at the half, Golden State went on a 10-0 run midway through the third quarter on Hayes' third trey of the night before layups from Veronica Burton and Laeticia Amihere and a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Burton.
Valkyries 77, Dream 75
Percentages: FG .476, FT .750.
3-Point Goals: 11-26, .423 (Hayes 3-5, Zandalasini 3-5, Leite 2-2, Burton 2-3, Martin 1-1, Fágbénlé 0-1, Amihere 0-2, Rupert 0-3, Salaün 0-4).
Team Rebounds: 8. Team Turnovers: None.
Blocked Shots: 2 (Billings, Fágbénlé).
Turnovers: 13 (Burton 5, Hayes 3, Leite 3, Martin, Salaün).
Steals: 4 (Hayes 2, Amihere, Zandalasini).
Technical Fouls: None.
FG FT Reb
ATLANTA Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS
Caldwell 34:02 3-9 0-0 0-2 4 1 9
Jones 27:40 4-13 0-0 4-6 0 2 8
Griner 19:51 3-7 3-3 0-3 0 1 9
Canada 35:34 6-11 5-5 2-2 8 2 21
Gray 33:53 2-11 6-9 0-6 2 4 12
Hillmon 30:05 5-11 2-2 2-8 3 0 14
Walker-Kimbrough 12:05 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 0
Paopao 4:26 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 2
Coffey 2:24 0-0 0-2 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 200:00 24-64 16-21 8-27 18 11 75
Percentages: FG .375, FT .762.
3-Point Goals: 11-33, .333 (Canada 4-8, Caldwell 3-8, Gray 2-6, Hillmon 2-8, Walker-Kimbrough 0-1, Jones 0-2).
Team Rebounds: 11. Team Turnovers: 1.
Blocked Shots: 4 (Caldwell, Canada, Griner, Hillmon).
Turnovers: 6 (Gray 2, Jones 2, Canada, Walker-Kimbrough).
Steals: 8 (Caldwell 4, Gray 3, Hillmon).
Technical Fouls: None.
Golden State 20 19 30 8 — 77
Atlanta 16 23 17 19 — 75
A_3,265 (3,500). T_2:17.
A game after shooting 0-for-8 from the field in an ugly loss to Phoenix, veteran guard Tiffany Hayes scored 15 points — nine of which came in the third quarter — while Zandalasini finished with 18 points off the bench. Golden State's reserves outscored Atlanta's 39-16.
Golden State will travel to Washington to face the Mystics on Thursday in the third game of its five-game road trip.
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