Dream look to clean up everything after Game 1 loss to Valkyries

SAN FRANCISCO — Three minutes.

It took just three minutes for Game 1 of the WNBA Finals to slip through the Dream’s fingers on Saturday afternoon at Chase Center.

The Dream had a 58-51 lead with 9:07 to go. But Dream forward Naz Hillmon fouled Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini on a 3-point attempt and officials upgraded it to a Flagrant 1 because Zandalasini didn’t have room to land. She went 1-of-3 at the line.

Six-point ball game.

Then they gave up a 3 to Tiffany Hayes off the ensuing possession from the flagrant foul.

One-possession game.

Hillmon, Dream guard Jordin Canada and wing Rhyne Howard hit a layup, a jumper and free throws to stave off the Valkyries’ attack. But Howard’s trip to the free-throw line with 3:12 to play would be the last time the Dream put points on the board.

They went 0-of-7 from the floor and 0-of-4 from 3 down the stretch, despite some solid defensive plays that gained them extra possessions.

Plus, they just couldn’t keep Valkyries forward Gabby Williams off the free-throw line.

The Dream fell to the Valkyries 68-64.

“They forced us into a version of a game of basketball that we just don’t play,” Howard told Atlanta News First. “We didn’t punch back. We just played the way they were making us play.”

Now, the Dream will go over the film and thoroughly diagnose what they need to clean up.

“I like the way that we approached things,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said. “Now we’re just going to have to watch film, make some adjustments, and come out and compete again as hard as we possibly can because we obviously want to leave here, winning Game 2.”

To do that, the Dream will look for better shot selection after making just 32.8% of their field goals and going 4-of-25 from 3.

They’ll also look for ways to feed Angel Reese, who led the team in scoring at the end of the first half with 14 points. Reese had just two field-goal attempts in the second half, both of which came in the fourth quarter.

“I thought we had one really good look with Rhyne, and then when they were up four, (Gray) got wide-open for an open 3,” Smesko said. “It was down the last few seconds. They guarded some actions really well.

“I just think in the second half in particular, we didn’t move the ball well enough. We did a little bit too much one-on-one instead of getting in action. Angel had a great first half. We didn’t get her the ball enough. Those will be some things that we talk about for Game 2.”

Reese, who has averaged 18 points per game in her first playoffs, promised to do a better job in Game 2 when asked what the Valkyries did to slow her down.