The Atlanta Dream broke through the ice. They did what was earlier seemed impossible, beating the Minnesota Lynx at their den. Brittney Griner had a lot to do with it as she rolled back the clock, scoring a season-high 22 points alongside four rebounds and three assists. Griner went hard early with 17 of her 22 points coming before halftime as the Dream finished with a 14-point lead.
Even with the Lynx rallying late into the game, it proved to little too late for the best side in the league. Current WNBA MVP favorite Napheesa Collier admitted after the game, “They’re a really good team, so when you come out like that against teams, it’s going to be really hard.” This surging performance was another sign that the Dream is slowly finding its footing among the league’s elite teams.
Their next challenge includes welcoming a bruised Golden State Valkyries after finishing their 6-game road trip with a 3-3 record. The Valkyries are coming off a 31-point thrashing at the hands of the WNBA-worst Connecticut Sun. This was their worst loss in their short history, and they continue to drift away from that playoff spot as they fell to 9th place with an 11-13 record. The schedule gets even more difficult for them going forward with a four-game away trip, which includes a surging Dream.
This will be a true test of character for this Valkyries side, which has been one of the feel-good stories of the season. Let’s look at the injury status of both teams and a match preview with a predicted lineup for the upcoming game.
Atlanta Dream vs Golden State Valkyries: Injury Report
Atlanta Dream:
Rhyne Howard hyperextended her left knee in their road game against the Indiana Fever and was ruled out for the rest of July. This is their second-to-last game before the month’s end, so we can expect an update regarding Howard’s health soon. There are no other injuries except for Howard in this Dream Squad.
Golden State Valkyries:
Kayla Thornton is out for the rest of the 2025 season due to a right knee injury suffered during practice earlier. The 2025 All-Star underwent successful knee surgery on Friday, July 25, 2025, and has begun her recovery and rehabilitation process. Along with Thornton, Monique Billings is also ruled out according to ESPN with a right ankle injury.
Atlanta Dream vs Golden State Valkyries: Predicted Line-ups
Atlanta Dream
Brionna Jones
Brittney Griner
Allisha Gray
Jordin Canada
Maya Caldwell
Golden State Valkyries
Cecilia Zandalasini
Janelle Salaun
Temi Fagbenle
Tiffany Hayes
Veronica Burton
Atlanta Dream vs Golden State Valkyries: Match Preview And Prediction
“KT is a huge part of who we are, what we stand for, and where we are today. She’s our leader. She has a massive presence,” Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase explained. Losing your only All-Star at such a critical juncture of the season is some bad luck for the expansion side. To put into context how important Thornton was to them, in the 22 games she started, she was the leading scorer in 6 of them, the leading rebounder in 11, and was the premier thief in 10 with the most steals.
She is their leading scorer with 14.0 points per game and among their best outside shooters with 1.8 threes scored each night. Her loss is a difficult one to soldier through, as the team was already on the low end of teams when it comes to attacking.
Jun 22, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton (5) handles the ball against the Connecticut Sun during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
In her place, Cecilia Zandalasini has come into the starting lineup. She impressed in their win against the Wings with 10 points, three rebounds, and four assists. “What Ceci[lia] brings is high, high IQ,” Nakase said after that game. However, she was unable to keep that up against the Sun, where she finished with zero points and three turnovers.
A lot will depend on how they adjust without their best player and if they are willing to give Zanadalasini a run in that starting spot. The Dream will be an even bigger test for the Valkyries side as they will fight fire with fire.
Both teams rely on their contentious rebounding and defense-heavy play, but their forms are at opposite ends of the spectrum right now. The Dream are marching ahead with a reinvigorated Brittney Griner, who was having the worst season of her career but has shown the flashes of her past in the last couple of games. Her form was the missing piece that stood between Dream being pretty great and elite. Jordin Canada and Allisha Gray are coming into their own as well in the absence of Rhyne Howard.
Considering that, the ESPN Win Predictor gives the Dream a heavy edge with a 77.9% chance of winning this matchup. However, the Valkyries have already broken the odds multiple times this season, and Natalie Nakase will have something in store to contain the bigs of Atlanta. We can expect an exciting game where two teams with similar playing styles go head to head.
The post Atlanta Dream vs Golden State Valkyries: Injury Report, Starting-5, Prediction, and More On WNBA Preview appeared first on EssentiallySports.
