WNBA playoff takeaways: Dream, Valkyries advance to Finals

Reese has been incredible during the Dream's playoff run, and delivered another huge performance in a series-clinching game on Friday night.

She not only recorded a team-high 22 points and nine rebounds. 

She has always been an elite rebounder and defensive player (and won her first defensive player of the year award this season), but the improvement she has made offensively, especially when it comes to her shot-making, has been a game-changer for her as a player. 

Atlanta is reaping the benefits of it and has made its trade to acquire her before the season, worth everything they paid. 

For Atlanta, it is its first trip to the WNBA Finals since the 2013 season and its fourth overall.

The Dream are still searching for their first championship. 

If they get it, Reese will have an NCAA championship and WNBA championship on her resume, while being the best player on both teams. If they accomplish that, there will be no doubt as to her standing among the league's best players.

Breanna Stewart knows what Liberty need this offseason

The season was a bitter end for the Liberty, and there was some obvious frustration after failing to win even one semifinal game.

When asked what they need to get back into the Finals, Breanna Stewart did not mince words.

"I'm not going to tell you exactly what we need, because I don't think it's appropriate. But defense. People say defense wins championships. It's f------ true."

Stewart finished Saturday's game with 26 points, and acknowledged that with rising salaries and the improved economic climate of the league, it is going to be difficult to keep everybody together. 

Golden State picked a great time for its first overtime win of the season

What a story the Valkyries are writing for themselves.

In just their second season of existence in the WNBA, they are on their way to the finals and have a chance to bring another professional basketball championship back to the Bay Area.

The story on Friday is the same as it has been all postseason for the Valkyries, and especially in this series: Depth. And a lot of it.

Golden State again used a balanced offensive effort that saw four different players reach double-digit scoring, and eight different players record at least six points.

That includes the Valkyries bench outscoring Las Vegas' bench by a 27-13 margin.

Tiffany Hayes was, again, a game-changer coming off the bench, recording 11 points, six rebounds and four assists, along with a game-high plus-20 rating in her 22 minutes of basketball.

Over Games 2 and 3 of the series, Hayes played just 39 minutes, but still finished with 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, only one turnover and a plus-24 rating. It is not a stretch to say they do not win these games without having her come off the bench and add a spark. Especially when one of those games was decided by just two points, and the other had to go to overtime.

This was also the first game the Valkyries won in overtime all season, having lost their first two games that went beyond regulation. 

Hayes is just one of the many examples of how deep this Valkyries team is. Another example: They had a different leading scorer in each of the three games in the series. Gabby Williams is their star, but they are far more than just her. Everybody contributes in every moment. 

What makes their WNBA Finals run even more impressive than just the fact they did it in Year 2 is the fact they had to beat the league's current dynasty to get there. The Aces are the reigning league champions and have won three of the past four titles, and the Valkyries not only stood toe-to-toe with them; they mostly controlled the series.