“The crown she wears is heavy, but she wears it well.” - Dallas’s Paige Bueckers singing Atlanta star Angel Reese’s praises.

Dream takes WNBA Finals lead over Valkyries

No. 4 Atlanta took control at home, besting No. 2 Golden State 97-71 in Game 3 to grab a 2-1 WNBA Finals lead in front of a sold-out State Farm Arena.

• Angel Reese put up 21 points and 12 rebounds to become the youngest player with three straight double-doubles in a title series, backed by Rhyne Howard’s 16 points and five steals.

• “We fought for this arena, so we have to protect it,” Howard said, after the Dream moved Games 3 and 4 from the 3,500-seat Gateway Center to 17,044-seat State Farm. “We went and stole one [at Golden State], but we couldn’t let them come in and do the same thing.” (Watch full highlights)

Turning point: The third quarter once again belonged to Atlanta, with the Dream outscoring the Valkyries a combined 63-35 during the period across three games.

• Gabby Williams led Golden State with 15 points and Tiffany Hayes added 14, but the Valkyries shot just 34.8% from the field in their second Finals loss.

• “We know how to come back — what’s good is that we usually come back even tighter,” coach Natalie Nakase told reporters. “This is where we lean on each other more rather than split.” (Watch full clip)

Up next: Game 4 tips off in Atlanta on Saturday at 1 PM ET (NBC).

WTA Finals completes 2026 field

The 2026 WTA Finals is locked, as world No. 7 Karolína Muchová punched the eighth and final ticket to Indian Wells on Wednesday — setting the stage for the year-end championship.

• Muchová qualified for the second time but will make her tournament debut in California, after withdrawing from the 2023 edition early with injury.

• She earned her spot via a standout season, tallying two WTA titles alongside four final appearances, including a runner-up finish at Wimbledon. (See full report)

Setting the field: No. 1 Elena Rybakina headlines the group, joined by No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 3 Mirra Andreeva, No. 4 Jessica Pegula, No. 5 Coco Gauff, No. 6 Elina Svitolina, and No. 8 Linda Nosková.

• Andreeva and Nosková join Muchová as WTA Finals first-timers, while 2018 champion Svitolina returns for the first time since 2019, and injured No. 9 Iga Świątek sits out for the first time since 2019.

• “I can’t wait to welcome our eight singles players to Indian Wells,” Tournament Director Garbiñe Muguruza said. “This is the ultimate stage, where the best play the best.” (See full draw)

Stay tuned: WTA Finals coverage starts November 8th (Tennis Channel).

China dethrones USA Gymnastics at Worlds

A dynasty’s grip has slipped, as China won the women’s team title at this week’s 2026 World Gymnastics Championships to snap a 15-year US reign spanning seven straight championships.

• China posted 165.764 to USA Gymnastics’ 165.531, marking the closest team final since Russia edged the US in 2010.

• The defending champion led at the halfway mark and won the uneven bars, but the balance beam proved decisive — Dulcy Caylor fell on her dismount while China’s Zhang Qingying anchored the rotation with a 15.066. (Watch full highlights)

Looking ahead: The US took silver to lock up its 2028 LA Olympics berth, as Skye Blakely — the team’s only Worlds veteran — and Claire Pease shift focus to Friday’s all-around final before setting down the path to 2027 Worlds in China.

• “We know where we want to be, and we know there’s still work to do,” said US team leader Chellsie Memmel. “We have the time, and I think it’s going to light a fire in them.” (See full schedule)

Tune in: The World Gymnastics Championships run through Sunday (Peacock).

JWS is diving behind the scenes, as For the Crest presented by CVS Health gets up close and personal with NWSL diehards — showcasing the people, traditions, and passions that drive supporters clubs across the league.

• In the episode, soccer personality Duda Pavão joins Kansas City’s Blue Crew as they bring Current matches to life through flags, scarves, drums, chants, and an unmistakable sense of community.

• “When you join a community, you just kind of think, where do I fit?” said one member. “I got to take a really big love of music and add it to my love of sports and be a part of the atmosphere, I get goosebumps thinking about it.”

Tune in: Catch For the Crest on YouTube.

Barcelona requests FIFA staffing rule extension

Barcelona is racing against the clock, as the Liga F titan asked FIFA for more time to meet its new personnel rules ahead of January’s Champions Cup.

• Since March, FIFA has required each club to employ at least two women staffers at its sanctioned events, with at least one filling a head or assistant coach role.

• Barcelona lists women on its medical staff but none under head coach Pere Romeu, with the team telling The Athletic its hiring search is ongoing. (See full report)

Big picture: The mandate aims to close the sideline gender gap ahead of next summer’s World Cup, after just 12 of 23 teams were led by women in 2023.

• Barcelona is set to open its Champions Cup run on January 27th in Miami, joining Liga MX’s Club América Femenil and two other federation representatives in the global club semifinals. (See full format)

WNBA Finals blow past viewership records

The WNBA Finals are must-see TV, as No. 2 Golden State’s Game 1 win over No. 4 Atlanta became the most-watched title series opener in league history.

• Viewership reportedly peaked at 3 million, an 11% jump from last season’s Game 1 clash between Phoenix and Las Vegas.

• It also marked NBC’s first WNBA Finals game since 2002, besting the network’s previous high of 2.85 million during the 1997 winner-take-all championship game. (See full report)

Big screen: Monday’s second clash also did numbers, as USA’s debut Finals broadcast drew 1.33 million across TV and streaming — reported as the most-watched Game 2 on cable.

• The coverage is part of a $3.1 billion media deal, which splits the best-of-seven series among ESPN, Prime, and NBC/USA through 2037.

Number of the day 

5+

With five steals in Game 3, Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard became the first player in WNBA Finals history to record 5+ steals in consecutive title series games.