ATLANTA -- With her defender closing out, Allisha Gray launched a 3-pointer from the far-right corner of the court with just under a minute left in Game 6 of the WNBA Finals. As it swished through the hoop, Gray turned to the crowd and let out a roar.
The shot sealed the Atlanta Dream's 80-69 victory over the Golden State Valkyries in Game 6 of the WNBA Finals, forcing the first Game 7 in league history.
"I am just locked in. It's Game 6 -- win or go home," Gray told ESPN. "I didn't want to go home. ... We have a championship to win."
Gray has said she has not been 100% healthy in the Finals after injuring multiple fingers on her left hand in Game 1 of the semifinals and needing a "minor procedure" to correct the problem, which has also impacted her shot. Over the first five games of this series, she has sought other ways to help her team outside of high-volume scoring.
In Game 6, she finally had a quintessential shooting night. Gray finished with 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. It's her second-highest-scoring playoff game in her career, and she became the second player in league history to make at least five 3s when facing elimination in the Finals.
Gray also recorded two steals and three blocks, and she held the Valkyries to 2-of-17 shooting as the primary defender.
"I'm just giving myself grace," Gray said. "Shots were falling today, so I will take that. ... My teammates did challenge me, and I do believe I stepped up to the challenge. In Game 7, I can't take my foot off the gas. I feel I can take it up to another level."
Dream coach Karl Smesko said he had a conversation with Gray on Wednesday about what he needed from his leading scorer.
"The execution from film and practice to the floor was flawless on her part," Smesko said. "These are as big of games as anybody has been a part of. It was the first thing we said in the locker room: how proud we are of Allisha."
On their flight back to Atlanta after Game 5, Angel Reese also spoke with Gray about how to tap into the correct mindset to stave off elimination.
"She might be hurting, but you can't tell," Reese said as Gray sat beside her with an ice bag on her left hand.
"I told her, 'This is going to be a mental game. You can't let anyone check you out. You know exactly who you are.' I want her to continue to be confident. I always remind her you are that girl. You're a superstar, so act like a superstar."
Tapping into a more confident -- and joyful and swaggy -- headspace was a theme throughout the days leading up to Thursday's possible elimination game. The Dream had a players-only meeting to discuss the importance of getting back to their identity, which embraced trash-talking early in the series and led to their other two wins in the series.
It was on full display in Game 6. Reese turned toward the Valkyries bench to talk trash after knocking down her first 3-pointer of the night. Rhyne Howard flexed after nearly every 3-pointer she hit. The team waved their hands to hype up the State Farm Arena crowd throughout the game.
"You could definitely see it -- everybody came out super confident and anybody that got in played with an effort that you could see we were the best," Reese said.
And it led to results on the court.
The Dream outscored the Valkyries 32-15 in the first quarter while hitting six 3-pointers; Atlanta became the second team in WNBA Finals history to make at least six 3s and shoot at least 75% from beyond the arc in a Finals quarter. It was the first time the Valkyries allowed a 30-point first quarter in franchise history.
By halftime, the Dream held a 25-point lead -- the biggest lead by a team facing elimination in Finals history. Atlanta made 13 3-pointers, which is tied for the most in WNBA Finals history when facing elimination.
"I'm proud of this group for the punch first that we emphasized," Reese said. "When we punch first, we have won every single game. ... We have to make sure we continue that going forward."
Reese finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Howard scored 21 points and hit four 3-pointers.
Their performance not only saved their season, but it forced a Game 7 on Saturday at Ballhalla in San Francisco at 8 p.m. ET.
"Our job is not done," Reese said. "We definitely could be happy about it, but we have more work to do. We have another level that we can get to."
