Atlanta Dream vs. Golden State Valkyries 2026 WNBA Finals Game 6 Postgame Press Conference

[10:45] Angel coach thank you for joining us go start first question to your left in the front row [10:51] yesterday we were chatting just about like the mindset of this team and this the joy and the [10:55] swagger that you guys love to play with and thrive with how much of a factor was that today yeah you [11:02] could definitely tell we got our swagger back um first shout out to the crowd being able to come [11:06] here 12 30 on a thursday um and so many things going on in the world from school to work um to [11:13] everything else and we're just super thankful um we fed off their energy they were loud from [11:17] the beginning so we're definitely thankful for that but we wanted to make sure we maximize this [11:21] opportunity um it's going to go home right now and i think everybody left everything they got they had [11:26] out there um and that was what was important to us so we knew shots were going to fall we knew it was [11:31] coming because we put so much work in i'm just really proud of our team um for responding the way [11:35] we did and alicia the jump that you guys made to start the game starting just like a huge scoring [11:42] barrage i guess just what was working for you guys um early on uh just offensive execution um we know [11:48] we play atlanta dream basketball and support each other and move the ball we're successful so the [11:53] biggest thing was just executing the offense angel you talked about last game just the physicality and [12:00] the challenges that obviously that presents but tonight you remained persistent you kept attacking i [12:07] guess what was the difference for you in maintaining that level of attack despite you know maybe not [12:14] the most efficient shooting night yeah um definitely was tough and always frustrating especially for [12:21] threes um because they keep telling me to shoot and i i don't like when i'm not making the shots but [12:26] my teammates still trust and pass it to me so i'm also really really grateful for them for always [12:30] putting confidence into me um but yeah it was just a mental mindset of me just being able to go out [12:35] there and just try to lead the team as best as i can no matter how ugly it could be um as long as [12:39] we came out with the win um i just wanted to do whatever it took to win next question right in the [12:45] front center hey y'all it's meg hall with usa today um angel this question is for you i know yesterday [12:49] at practice you guys talked about joy and there was a theme coming back of playing with joy so i'm [12:54] curious of how much of that started with you guys or perhaps started with carl where did the the kind [12:58] of the conversation come to say hey we need to get back to play with joy yeah um honestly i think it [13:02] started with us um being ever being able to have a little players only meeting um before film and [13:08] talking through things and getting our confidence back getting our swagger back and naz really [13:13] emphasized like remember who you are all of us have been superstars on a team at some point and [13:18] you've maximized things and done things that led to winning and we needed the best of every single [13:24] person tonight and you could definitely see everybody came out super confident anybody that got in [13:28] the people that were on the floor um it was just an effort that you just could see that they were [13:33] the best and i'm just really proud of this group the punch first that we emphasized on of when we can [13:38] punch first we've won every single game so i'm just really proud um of just how we came out tonight [13:45] and we have to make sure we continue that going into bahala third row center of the room alicia that [13:50] first three you hit it took a bounce and kind of rolled around the rim and then fell in how good did it [13:55] feel to have that shot go in at the beginning of the game i felt nice um my plans to come out [14:02] aggressive from the jump um my teammates were were really on me to just play my game and having my back [14:07] so just i guess got the shooter's role but the biggest thing was me staying locked in and stepping [14:13] up to the challenge of the coaches and what my teammates challenged me to do you are right in the [14:20] front row coach the greatest two words in sports game seven how do you feel being able to go there [14:27] and doing what you needed to do tonight to get there yeah it's such a great opportunity such a [14:32] great opportunity i think our team is ready for it we're excited for it we'll take the next day to [14:37] get as prepared as we can any adjustments that uh need to be made but i thought you know from yesterday [14:43] the mindset was so good about what we're capable of doing and the way we came out today i think uh [14:51] there's a mentality right now that yeah we're happy we won but we know the job is not done we got one more [14:57] game we've got a great opportunity and uh you know we expect to go out there and play great [15:04] next question standing to your left hey this is for everyone up there including alicia gray i just [15:09] talked with you yesterday you told me you weren't playing at 100 yet today here you are with 23 points [15:13] leading the team i just talked with jordan and she said that the coaches challenged you and you [15:18] obviously performed what did it mean to have that how did you dig deep to find this performance and for [15:22] you guys what was it like to watch her when she's not 100 do what she just did uh just like we [15:27] we talked about yesterday just give myself grace um just letting the game come to me um what i'm [15:34] dealing with is the playoffs but the big thing for me is just doing other things to help my team out uh [15:40] shots were falling today so i'll take that but i feel like it started on the defensive end i was able [15:45] to play defense go for rebounds and the coaches and my teammates did challenge me and i think well i do [15:52] believe i stepped up to stepped up to the challenge and i know going to game seven not to take the foot [15:57] off the gas and just i feel like i can take it up even another level next question yeah we're we're all [16:04] super proud of leash and i'll tell you everything that we talked about that we wanted to see um she did [16:12] it exactly like the execution from film and practice to the floor was flawless on her part uh you know [16:22] obviously these are as big a games as anybody's been a part of and to just take what she uh saw [16:32] and just implement it to that level uh i mean it was the first thing we said in the locker room how [16:37] proud we are of leash i mean leash does what leash does um and honestly she's never made an excuse [16:48] for anything i mean she she might be hurting but you can't tell i mean she comes out every day and she [16:53] puts in the work and i'm just really proud of her she's very coachable um she takes the film and make [16:58] sure she executes it in the game every single time me and her had a conversation on the way back um [17:03] from san fran and just i told her it's gonna be a mental game like who is going to be mentally better [17:09] and you can't let anybody check you out um you know exactly who you are and i just want her to [17:14] continue to be confident who she is like i always remind her like you that girl like you're a superstar [17:19] like act like a superstar and always be a superstar and we following right behind you next question [17:25] third row to your right hey leash you've joked about not being somebody that blocks shots but [17:32] to show up on the stat sheet how does it feel to see that that defense kind of translated there [17:37] uh just being locked in i'm not giving up on the play um i feel like even though i get hit by [17:43] by a screen which i try to avoid just not giving up i'm just giving that championship effort uh just [17:48] knowing that we need to win game six to force a game seven so it was just like i had to give it [17:53] my all regardless of of what was going on on the court like just not giving up on any play and just [17:58] give my 100 effort next question all the way in back to the left um over here a question for you [18:06] carl as you mentioned the offensive execution um it at least felt like an uptick in flatter spacing [18:11] looks for the offense what did you like from those looks when you got them i'll be honest i didn't hear [18:15] everything it was about offensive execution right how'd you like it oh i liked it i like [18:21] off now we uh we played with the different spacing and pace like uh uh in truth it's how we are [18:32] supposed to play so uh it's just getting back to like our our fundamentals of how we like to play [18:39] offense and in the first half you saw it the uh catching it ready to shoot the pace of one action [18:47] leading directly into another action uh to getting the ball out and going and putting some pressure [18:52] on them in transition it was uh it's just the way that we're capable of playing and the way we're [18:58] supposed to play and uh i give our players so much credit for uh the way they came out today they [19:05] they were relentless all right guys we have time for about three four more questions and then we have [19:09] to have the next team come in uh back row left carl i i wanted to know in the in the last after the [19:19] last game you said you guys did need to make some more shots is it just as simple as that or i'm [19:24] wondering in the games that you've won you guys sort of got out to big leads or won by double digits [19:29] and then the games you lost they they ended up being closer what do you think accounts for that difference [19:36] well uh you know i i think the the biggest problem is when we're not playing at our pace and if it's the game [19:45] is at their pace they have an advantage if the pick the game is at our pace we have an advantage and so [19:52] we have to be just locked in to the way we play and we can't let them take us out of that and i think [19:59] that'll be the challenge in game seven for both teams probably front front row to your right [20:06] angel you talked about just the mental toughness especially down the stretch you know what's the [20:10] message uh to this team especially in game seven because it is going to be very mental more physical [20:16] than anything yeah um one job's not done um we definitely can be happy about it for for now but [20:23] we have more work to do um i think we definitely have another level that we can get to like leash [20:27] was saying um we shot a lot better this this game for sure but i think we just continue to grow from [20:32] this i think our spacing was great tonight we were able to get out and transition a lot more we didn't [20:37] force shots something that we emphasized was upgrades like being able to upgrade and when two come [20:43] being able to kick it out to the three and i think we did a great great job of incorporating film to [20:49] court and just being able to do that same thing like there are going to be a lot of things that [20:53] we talk about in this next film session making sure we implement everything from film to court and [20:57] do the same thing and i think that's what helped us a lot tonight all right these will be our last two [21:02] questions uh standing to the back left angel you mentioned how great the crowd was for the games here [21:08] what are you expecting in game seven and as one of the leaders how do you keep your team from not [21:12] allowing their crowd to impact the game for you guys yeah um luckily we've been able to play there [21:18] what three times now um so just honestly containing ourselves containing our emotions value and possessions [21:24] um is something that we've kind of been doing all year i think that the crowd doesn't really get to us [21:30] much um but i think obviously game seven it's going to be a lot louder um the energy is going to be [21:35] electric in there um so just honestly staying poised staying together and i think we'll be fine all right [21:41] the last question we'll go to the ajc in the back ring hi guys congrats on a win um you guys obviously [21:47] look different you know there's more smiles on your faces and more joy um energy what felt different [21:53] out there on the floor i know you guys said it was a momentum thing and a mental thing going into it but [21:57] what felt different out there and something to take away to go to game seven i mean i think it really [22:08] helps when the work shows and it's been frustrating um for all of us not being able to shoot great and [22:15] the shots that we've been getting um and the open shots that we have been getting not [22:19] hitting them at the right time and i always told the girls like it's it's not gonna rain forever [22:25] and we were able to maximize that moment today um and the sun peaked out a little bit more today and [22:31] gave us the opportunity to see game seven so we're just going to continue to get better um we're going [22:35] to continue to shoot great we're in a great mindset all we needed was a little bit of swagger [22:39] um going into this a little bit of confidence and i think everybody's just in a really great headspace [22:43] right now uh thank you alicia angela coach thank you uh golden state players will be next all right [24:37] thank you gabby veronica we're going to start right in the center front um veronica just um what do you [24:43] think um kind of happened to start the game it seems like they punched and you guys kind of didn't really [24:48] recover until the second half there yeah i mean we talk about it they scored 32 points in the first [24:54] quarter like that's unacceptable on our end oh um so just got to play better defense obviously they were [25:01] hitting hitting good shots and getting good looks i think we were spread out a little bit but um we [25:07] cleaned it up in the other quarters defensively but can't let that happen right out the gate there [25:11] needs to be a sense of urgency it's the wmb finals staying front center for both of you guys um there [25:18] was so much talk about the start time of this game and obviously you you had a tough first quarter [25:25] did the game time have any effect on it and and did it kind of wake you guys up or what what do you [25:30] what do you attribute the slow start to you played at the same time as us right all right so it's so [25:36] it's not an excuse you have to be better next question all the way to the left in the second [25:44] row hi guys it's gonna be for either of you when we talk about punching first and angel mentioned [25:49] they've they've won every game where they've punched first what is the key to that look like [25:53] i think ball pressure especially um and also you you set the tone with the physicality i think when [26:01] you punch first i mean when you when you aren't aggressive at the beginning and then you try to be [26:07] later well that's when like fouls start getting called that's when you're out of position so [26:11] uh i think they did a good job today of setting the tone early um obviously we didn't so something [26:16] to learn from and what's great is we have another chance to your right in the first row veronica even [26:23] though you weren't able to win tonight you still got game seven at home what are the mindset right now [26:28] knowing that you got your crowd your fans you know being able to play you know in game seven [26:33] yeah we feel good um i mean we feel great obviously this is a tough one we knew game six [26:39] would be tough um but at the same time you know it's not just going to be handed to us just because [26:44] we're at ball hollow like we love the hollow we have the best fans but at the end of the day it's going [26:48] to be a dog fight we understand that um both teams want it and so the mindset is a sense of urgency [26:54] like it is do or die officially um we we put ourselves in a position where you know we gave [27:00] us this game like um to fall back on but that shouldn't have been the mentality and it wasn't [27:06] but at the end of the day like now this is it this is what we worked for this we prepared for so we feel [27:11] good going into it and we'll watch the film and clean some things up our next two right in the center [27:16] front gabby uh what adjustments did you guys kind of make in that second half to challenge the dream a [27:22] little bit more and is there any of that um taken to game seven just upped our ball pressure they were [27:28] just too comfortable that's pretty much it staying staying in the center front you mentioned at the [27:35] beginning and the lack of of a sense of urgency why do you think that kind of happened i think we [27:43] just answered not enough ball pressure um didn't come ready and like uh we just said they they punched [27:49] first i'm sorry next question front left yeah veronica um were there things you could take out of the [28:00] second half i know after a game like this it's gonna be hard to to look at the positives but there [28:05] were some positives in terms of how you were able to slow them down a little bit more the things you [28:09] can take out of that that are are positives going into game seven if you will for sure i think yeah [28:16] i've been sitting here and i think my body language is bad like at the end of the day we feel good [28:20] yes we lost it was a bad game for us we had a terrible first quarter but yeah we cleaned it up [28:26] we we found a way we didn't quit games what three and four or two and three were ugly we quit we look [28:33] bad and um we didn't quit on this one we were still in the game and yeah we we didn't give ourselves a [28:38] good position to start out the game but um we feel good and there's a lot to take away from the second [28:43] third and fourth quarter our defense you know is a little bit more like us and uh so we'll watch that [28:48] see the adjustments that they made see where we can adjust and um i think we're in a good spot [28:52] anyone else get the microphone to the back center for either of you it seemed like la had some really [29:04] good minutes uh when she came in later in the game just what was she able to do you know that helped [29:09] you guys come back in those last three quarters yeah la was incredible i think her energy like [29:15] she was ready and honestly she was probably one of the only people that showed up to play the entire [29:20] game today and so we gave a big shout out to her she's been ready you hear her in practice the [29:24] energy is always there and so it's not a surprise at all but really proud of her she she met the moment [29:29] and she honestly changed the game for us so uh big props to her to your left in the front row guys [29:37] in these moments when you're talking about you didn't come with the right energy or you just [29:42] aren't playing at your best who's commanding the energy of the huddles who's the loudest voice in trying [29:49] to to reset things in those moments yeah i'd say it's collective i mean that's the beauty of our team [29:59] is is we all have a voice and we all come together and um again it's not for like necessarily lack of [30:04] effort or lack of awareness um but i think yeah both me and gabby try and speak try and pour life [30:10] into one another but it's everyone you you hear la you hear caitlin you hear you still like it's it's [30:16] everyone and then obviously coach nat landon like all of them they all pour into us um and there's a [30:22] self-accountability and we hold each other accountable but we definitely have no no quiet huddles next question [30:29] all the way in the back to the right hey guys uh just curious did the 12 30 start time have any [30:34] impact on your performance today i'm sorry i think this is like the third time we've answered [30:39] this question they played at the same time as us anyone else gabby veronica thank you thank you [30:48] thank you guys coach natalie will be next and that will wrap the pressers thank you coach we'll start [33:18] with our san francisco contingent right in the front center um did that first quarter surprise you [33:24] and what do you think kind of happened there to put you guys in the hole uh just more frustrated [33:29] me really just unacceptable of you know our poor start so it was just more frustration yeah natalie [33:37] um so much has been made about the odds start time and obviously for you guys it was even earlier it [33:43] was a 9 30 body clock um do you do you feel that that had any factor in the way things started no [33:50] we played at one o'clock yeah last week coach staying front center hey it's meg hall with usa today um [33:58] bb and gabby were just in here and i think bb mentioned that la was one of the few players that [34:02] came in ready to go today i'm curious of how do you reckon with that with a championship potentially [34:08] on the line and i know that you guys emphasize that um you know before today's game yeah no i mean la's [34:15] been uh itching and um she's been so good uh in film sessions just adding her two cents and inside and [34:22] just being she's been super vocal and uh we definitely like you know her ability to pressure [34:28] the ball in a different way and so yeah she was ready to you know play those minutes and i thought [34:33] she had great fight she had uh fresh legs and you know i loved every minute that she was out there yeah [34:39] coach second row to your right coach um kia stokes has been um very pivotal um to how the series has [34:46] gone um 20 minutes for her today what kind of dictates um how much she's in the game and how much she's not [34:52] yeah i mean i just think her legs weren't moving as well as you know la's and so that was just the [34:57] decision that we made yeah coach to your left in the front row hey natalie um do you have an update [35:04] on tiffany uh no but she looked good to me again yeah she looked fine and then when it comes to kind [35:14] of the slow starts i guess how do you reset that in the moment who are you leaning on on the court [35:21] to try and reset that obviously you guys come back in the second half in the fourth quarter [35:26] specifically but who's who's driving that yeah me starts with me and then uh v obviously um is [35:34] usually our vocal leader and then gabby will always put her two cents in everyone kind of always is [35:40] authentically themselves which is nice um but no it starts with me and then b usually like echoes yeah [35:47] coach to your right in the front row coach i know this was a tough one but competitor that you are [35:53] and having a game seven at home and being able to do it in the finals how do you feel about that and [35:59] how do you feel about being able to possibly win it in that type of scenario yeah i mean right now i'm [36:04] just still um you know set right now where my my feet are with i want to go back look at look at the film [36:13] and find solutions and where my message was not delivered correctly on the preparation in terms of [36:20] pre-game and so i just have to not think about that exact you know game time i want to be present [36:27] um check in on my girls i want to check in on tip and um on everyone and you know give them some space [36:33] right now to rest and recover but then probably have some reflection moments uh on the plane right [36:38] home yeah coach next few questions from the left side of the rooms uh second row man go ahead hi coach [36:44] uh it seemed like the dream um we're pleased with the pace they were able to play at today [36:51] what has allowed them in the games they've won to sort of dictate the pace and then in the games you [36:55] guys have won um i mean i can't speak for them but other than we knew that they were going to be [37:01] desperate so you know um like i said like i put that on me of like what did i not say uh what did i [37:09] not get to my team of um the sense of urgency that we knew they were going to play they're going to [37:14] play desperate they were going to play um like their life depends on it and for us not to match [37:19] that um is disappointing and frustrating and so yeah i need to make sure my team is prepared [37:27] what do you think um because the players mentioned that you mentioned it like the sense of urgency [37:32] and i it was a game six kia's last game talked about not wanting to go back to valhalla so it seems [37:38] like everyone had the requisite mindset but what happens when you get into the actual game while you're [37:42] not able to execute on them yeah so i'm just trying to explain to you that um we're all right [37:48] now not happy with how it started and so i want to go back um give them their time right now to get [37:54] their bodies right get their mental right get their nutrition right let them just sit in it and then [37:59] when i you know get on the plane i'm just going to like have these conversations so i just i don't [38:03] have the answers for you guys right now this second um but for me uh i need clarity i need some [38:09] information yeah coach to your left in the front row yeah coach i was wondering if you could talk [38:14] specifically about it seemed like alicia gray was a little more herself today in terms of what we've [38:20] seen from her all season long and ryan howard has also been a difficult player to stop can you maybe [38:26] talk specifically about those two and what you'll have to do against them on saturday yeah pick up [38:31] ball pressure i mean things that we can control we controlled it in the second half so just picking up [38:35] the ball pressuring them um getting them out of rhythm things that we've been doing all um [38:42] series and moments so i just got to make sure again what was my message foggy if it was foggy [38:48] then i need to be very clear yeah all right we have time for a few more uh coach right in the front [38:53] center hey natalie hey kenzo um gatti mentioned like needing to set the tone like with physicality like [39:00] how how key is that going to be going into game seven yeah i mean again this is the finals right the [39:05] physicality is supposed to be ramped up these are win or die this is do or die uh this is it and so [39:12] you want to have that type of uh again two defensive teams like you want to have that physicality you [39:17] want to have that fight uh you want to lay it all out there so um that's what i mean the finals is about [39:23] is just to be um empty the tank mentality and shoot we and we didn't do that tonight yeah coach front [39:32] and center um you mentioned it just now gabby mentioned ball pressure kind of being an issue [39:38] did they do something different to make them more challenging for you guys or like how do you kind [39:42] of turn that on no we just didn't do it so yeah see how frustrating that is it's it's frustrating when [39:49] we just didn't do it so again i have to be very clear and i want to hear what they thought i said [39:55] yeah coach thank you yep thank you thanks you guys