Dream lead WNBA Finals 2-1 after 97-71 win; Kanter Freedom misses game over suite

The Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 on Wednesday night in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. Atlanta leads the best-of-seven series 2-1. It lost Game 1 and won Game 2.

The game was played at State Farm Arena in Atlanta before a sold-out crowd. ESPN put attendance at 17,099.

Angel Reese had 21 points and 12 rebounds for Atlanta. She has recorded a double-double in all three Finals games. Rhyne Howard scored 16 points and Naz Hillmon scored 15. Gabby Williams led Golden State with 15 points, and Tiffany Hayes added 14.

According to ESPN, Atlanta shot 49.3% from the field and Golden State shot 34.8%. ESPN reported that Golden State committed 17 turnovers, which Atlanta converted into 22 points.

"I put the work in for this moment and I'm just happy I could lead the team to a win," Reese said, according to the Guardian. ESPN quoted Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase as saying: "The will is there, the want to is there, but the fight together, I'm missing -- the piece of putting it together."

Atlanta hosts Game 4 on Saturday. ESPN reported that Game 5 is scheduled for Monday in San Francisco.

Freedom and the suite

Before the game, State Farm Arena said Freedom had raised concerns about his personal safety with authorities, the WNBA, the Dream and arena officials. It said he had been directed to watch from a private suite with additional security. The statement said state police had assigned an officer to him at his request.

At halftime, Freedom posted a video. It showed him being told at the entry gate that he had to agree to go to the suite if he came in. He replied that he wanted to sit in the seats he had purchased. He did not watch Game 3 from inside the arena.

Freedom and fellow former NBA player Royce White have announced plans to enter the WNBA draft, saying they identify as women. The league has said neither is eligible. In August, Freedom was ejected from a Chicago Sky home game and banned from that arena after an interaction with Sky guard Natasha Cloud.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not specify what safety concerns Freedom raised. They do not include any post-game statement from the WNBA, the Dream or the Valkyries on his exclusion.

What is disputed

The Guardian reported that Freedom "was removed from the game" after refusing the suite. His video, as described by ESPN and the Guardian, shows a refusal at the entry gate. The reports do not establish whether he ever entered the arena.

What each side says

• Freedom: ESPN quoted him as saying in the video: "I purchased tickets, right? Just because I purchased tickets, I would like to sit in my seat. That's all I want."
• State Farm Arena: A public relations official said Freedom "was offered the suite for his safety and he rejected it," according to the Guardian.
• WNBA: In a letter to U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, posted by Freedom, commissioner Cathy Engelbert wrote that only women are eligible and that Freedom and White are men.
• Gabby Williams: Before the game, she questioned the media attention given to Freedom. "Obviously the media has a responsibility in what they choose to cover," the Guardian quoted her as saying.

Analysis

On the court, Atlanta has regained home advantage after losing Game 1, and Game 4 in Atlanta could shape whether the series returns to San Francisco level or with the Dream one win from a first title. Golden State's turnovers, reported across two games, are one factor observers may watch. Off the court, the Freedom episode raises open questions that the reports reviewed by Vocemundi leave unanswered: the nature of the safety concerns, how venues balance security arrangements with ticket holders' seating, and whether the league or teams will comment. Accounts of whether he entered the arena still differ.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.