Here’s how the Dream are approaching the remainder of the series

The Atlanta Dream lead the WNBA Finals 2-1 against the Golden State Valkyries and are just two wins away from clinching a franchise-first WNBA championship. Throughout their playoff run, much has changed, strengthening their identity as a team and pushing them closer to making history.

Ahead of Game 4 in Atlanta, here’s what a few players have said about their mindset so far and what’s been working.

DeWanna Bonner speaks on her observations

Before entering the FIBA break, the Dream added 17-year veteran and two-time WNBA champion DeWanna Bonner. She’s kept the team level-headed and added her championship pedigree to the mix.

She says that before she arrived, she saw the team’s chemistry and hunger and wanted to add to it.

“I feel like they’re ready to win,” Bonner told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Not saying other people weren’t, but I feel like they got put out (in) the first round last year, so it’s just a matter of how do they get to the second round, how do they get to the next round? And how can we be more consistent as a team? And it’s like, yeah, I wanted to be a part of that.”

Bonner said she’s been able to push them forward by preaching not to get too comfortable, to get better each game, and to stay consistent.

“You can’t get too high and can’t get too low. And I think we handled that well when we lost Game 1. Kind of like a test for us; it’s like, OK, let’s see how we respond … we’ve got to keep getting better. We never can be comfortable. Never,” Bonner said.

Though Bonner’s poured her experience into her teammates, she says they’ve also poured into her by reminding her to be herself and stay aggressive. During the FIBA break, she and the rest of the team held a training camp in Boca Raton, Florida, where she meshed with the team and learned the system ahead of the regular-season finale. She said they’ve also had chances to bond outside of practices, and that has translated into on-court chemistry that propelled their Finals run.

“Yeah, they keep me young, I’ll say that,” Bonner told the AJC, laughing. “ … We worked really hard, I’m not going to lie. We worked real hard on that trip. But at the same time, we got to hang out at the beach and get to know one another and all of that stuff. But yeah, we kind of talk in our group chat all the time. We’re always talking. That’s all they do.”

Isobel Borlase talks about her Finals experience

In her first WNBA Finals appearance, rookie Isobel Borlase has shown why she was named the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) MVP during the 2025-26 season.

Her quiet demeanor shouldn’t be mistaken for passivity. So far, she’s averaging six points. 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists during her minutes in the Finals series. In Game 3, she elevated her team off the bench with 12 points, five rebounds, and two assists in 26 minutes.

She says she’s been living up to the “stay ready crew” name and finding more confidence as the series continues.

“I think it’s just believing in yourself and knowing that you’ve done the work … taking that as seriously as possible because obviously if you’re not getting game reps, we’re doing it behind the scenes and it just prepares you whenever your name is called,” Borlase told the AJC. “I’ve been learning on the go this whole season, and I think I’ve played in some similar experience games in the Olympics and stuff. So the WNBA finals is next level, but I think I’ve had some small preparation things that have helped me.”

Borlase says nothing about her game stood out individually, but playing in front of a packed crowd at State Farm Arena was a fun atmosphere.

“I just think with the fans and the supporters, they were just amazing. Ever since I’ve been drafted, I’ve just been watching the WNBA Finals, and now I’m here playing in them and just being a part of something special in Atlanta is amazing,” Borlase said.

What goes into a dog mentality?

Maybe the X factor isn’t just a person, but a mindset. It’s the persona an athlete takes on once they step on the court.

That’s the dog mentality that Atlanta is becoming known for, especially when the stakes are higher in the playoffs. Forward Naz Hillmon shared what she thinks makes up that attitude.

“Just that tenacity of not giving up, and also that mindset of, like, if you’re missing a shot, you’re going to continue to go back and get there. You’re not going to let that discourage you, and not letting that take away from your confidence,” Hillmon said on Friday.

Jordin Canada also defined what this looks like to her. As the point guard, she’s constantly putting her teammates in positions to get their best shots. She’s also used her speed and aggressiveness on the floor to hold her own against the competition.

“I think it’s the grit. I think it’s the attitude, physicality, competitive nature. And then I think (it’s) togetherness as well,” Canada said. “We all have each other’s backs, no matter what’s happening … and I think that’s what makes for a dog mentality.”

Canada, Hillmon and Allisha Gray speak on the task ahead

The job isn’t finished. Though the Dream only need two wins, the path to get them won’t be easy.

What’s going through their minds as they near to their final goal?

“The job is not done. That’s what’s going through my mind,” Canada told the AJC. “Again, you don’t want to get too far ahead … We still understand that we have two more games left. It’s going to be a battle. Golden State is a very good team. We know they’re going to come out tomorrow with a lot of energy, so we have to match that energy.”

Hillmon, coming off a stellar Game 3 performance, shooting 50% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc, said something similar but also highlighted the need to take time to celebrate their wins before getting ready for the next order of business.

“Obviously we celebrated for a little bit, celebrated for the night, but we know we have more work to do,” Hillmon said. “We know that this series, it can be long, and you have to make adjustments when you’re playing the same team over and over again. But we have to stay in it. Thinking that we’ve won the championship after two wins is just not going to cut it.”

Hillmon added that they expect Golden State to be even more aggressive and fight to the finish, so she and her teammates are making sure they aren’t too relaxed.

Guard Allisha Gray is looking forward to a sigh of relief when the job’s done, as she’s been looking forward to the moment since she picked up a basketball.

“A championship is always the ultimate goal, and it’s just like, sometimes, I sit back, and I’m like, ‘Dang, I’m really in the Finals,’” Gray told the AJC. “And it’s kind of cool because I did it on my own terms and at my own pace and how I wanted to do it, so it’s very exciting.”

She added that she’s enjoyed the camaraderie and celebratory moments with her teammates throughout the season. However, the message that all the players are keeping at the forefront is that the battle isn’t over yet.