WNBA Finals Game 2: Atlanta Wins 79-65 With a 14-Point Free-Throw Edge

Atlanta beat Golden State 79-65 in WNBA Finals Game 2 on October 19, 2026, tying the series 1-1. Angel Reese finished with 30 points and 16 rebounds. But the team totals reveal a less obvious explanation of the score: both sides made 21 field goals, including seven three-pointers. Atlanta's 30 made free throws against Golden State's 16 account for the entire 14-point difference.

Those figures come from the WNBA's official Game 2 box score. They do not establish that officiating decided the result, or that a game without free throws would have unfolded identically. They show where the points came from. That distinction matters before turning a lopsided final score into a claim about one team's shooting.

Cover photograph: Chase Center exterior on August 31, 2025, by Sarah Stierch (Missvain), via Wikimedia Commons, dedicated under CC0 1.0. This is venue context, not a photograph of the October 19 game.

The 79-65 score, separated into scoring types

Atlanta attempted 35 free throws and Golden State 19. Their conversion rates were close: 85.7% and 84.2%, respectively. The larger difference was the number of opportunities, not how reliably each side finished them. Atlanta also took 62 shots from the field to Golden State's 61; Golden State actually had the slightly higher field-goal percentage, 34.4% against 33.9%.

That is why field-goal percentage alone is a poor summary of this game. It leaves out points earned at the line. Conversely, the free-throw totals alone cannot explain which possessions created fouls, whether a particular call was correct, or what adjustments would have changed the next possession. A box score records outcomes; it is not a substitute for a possession-by-possession officiating review.

Reese supplied production that the team averages hide

Reese made 10 of 16 field-goal attempts, including one three-pointer, and nine of 11 free throws. Her 30 points were supported by 16 rebounds. Allisha Gray added 18 points; Jordin Canada had 13 points and 10 assists. These individual lines show how unevenly Atlanta's offense was distributed: a low team shooting percentage did not mean every major contributor struggled equally.

The Dream's official recap identifies the decisive stretch between halftime and the end of the third quarter. Atlanta's 39-37 lead became 60-46. Subtracting those checkpoints gives a 21-9 quarter and a 12-point swing. The final period was 19-19, calculated from the third-quarter and final scores. Most of the separation was already in place.

For another basketball Finals analysis, our Knicks-Spurs Game 4 account examines a very different kind of result: a comeback and its closing decisions. Here, the useful starting point is not the final highlight but the scoring components and the quarter in which the margin widened.

When is WNBA Finals Game 3?

Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday, October 21, at 8 p.m. Eastern / 5 p.m. Pacific at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The official October 13 schedule update moved it from October 22. Game 4 is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, at 1 p.m. Eastern / 10 a.m. Pacific, also at State Farm Arena. These are the revised times, not the original schedule.

The venue choice also has a practical calendar consequence. The same announcement says the Atlanta Hawks' October 24 home opener was moved by 30 minutes to accommodate the WNBA game. For fans booking travel or arranging viewing, the updated release is more useful than an older fixture graphic. The Finals use a best-of-seven, 2-2-1-1-1 format; the series is now level heading to Atlanta.

Sources and the next game

This analysis uses the league box score for player and team totals, the Dream recap for the quarter checkpoints, and the official schedule release for dates and times. The Valkyries' recap also confirms the result and series position. Where recap wording and the statistical table differ, the player totals above follow the league box score.

Watch the official WNBA Game 2 highlights on the league's site. The direct link remains available here because its native player does not provide a verified portable embed. For Game 3, the question is whether Atlanta can preserve its production at the line while Golden State changes the possessions that produced those opportunities. One night's scoring breakdown supplies a useful baseline, not a forecast.