• Dream win 80-69 to level best-of-seven series at 3-3

• First Game 7 in WNBA history set for Saturday night

• Ella Brockway’s minute-by-minute report of Game 6

The Atlanta Dream had no intention of letting a matinee become their curtain call.

Facing elimination at a lunchtime tipoff, the Dream overwhelmed the Golden State Valkyries 80-69 on Thursday afternoon to force a decisive seventh game in the WNBA finals, rediscovering their offensive touch just as their title hopes were threatening to slip away.

• Dream host Valkyries in opener of best-of-seven series

• Dream say concerns went unheeded for 12.30pm start

• Reach out to Ella on Bluesky or by email

Valkyries 5-8 Dream, 6.41, first quarter

Valkyries point guard Veronica Burton scored the game’s first points with a floater jumper, but Allisha Gray and Naz Hillmon punched back quickly with a pair of threes for Atlanta. The Dream needed to start this game on a fast note, and they have. The home crowd is loving it in Atlanta.

Jordin Canada (#3)

Allisha Gray (#15)

Rhyne Howard (#10)

Naz Hillmon (#00)

Angel Reese (#5)

Veronica Burton (#22)

Tiffany Hayes (#15)

Gabby Williams (#1)

Kaila Charles (#6)

Kiah Stokes (#41)

• 70-year-old wants to spend more time with family

• Johnson leaving after 37 years in role

Ernie Johnson, the widely loved host of Inside the NBA, has announced he will step away at the end of the current season after 37 years in the role.

Johnson made the announcement on social media on Wednesday.

• Crucial Game 6 will take place on Thursday afternoon

• Game moved to larger State Farm Arena in Atlanta

• Hawks’ NBA game on same day could not be moved

The Atlanta Dream say their concerns about finding a suitable home venue for the WNBA finals went unheeded as they prepare to play the Golden State Valkyries in a crucial Game 6 on Thursday.

The Dream’s normal home, Gateway Center Arena, has a capacity of about 3,500 people. To accommodate the increased interest in the team during the finals, the Dream have played their two home games so far at the Atlanta Hawks’ State Farm Arena, which can seat more than 17,000 fans.