WNBA Finals Game 6 moved to 12:30 p.m. in Atlanta as Valkyries lead Dream 3-2

Game 6 of the WNBA Finals between the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries will be played at 12:30 p.m. ET Thursday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, after the NBA and WNBA negotiated a solution so the building can be prepared for an Atlanta Hawks game against the Cavaliers at 8 p.m. ET that evening. The Valkyries lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 after a 64-55 win in Game 5 on Monday night in San Francisco, so Thursday's game could decide the champion and give Golden State its first title in its second season. In Game 5, Kiah Stokes had 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, and Veronica Burton had 13 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Angel Reese had seven points and 15 rebounds for Atlanta. The Dream sent an open letter to the city saying they had raised concerns about conflicts with NBA games at State Farm Arena two months ago, when playoff dates were set, and that those concerns did not get the attention they deserved. In a letter to the city, the Dream said the move to 12:30 p.m. was not what they fought for.

The right-leaning New York Post and Fox News lead with the venue and timing problems. The Post centers on the Dream's open letter, quoting its thanks to fans and its complaint that concerns went unheeded, and notes Golden State might have to celebrate in the Dream's practice facility. Fox focuses on the early tipoff, including the 9:30 a.m. PT start for California fans, and quotes Warriors coach Steve Kerr saying he will watch. Its headline emphasizes fan reaction, and it mentions record ratings. The left-leaning Guardian instead covers the Game 5 result, with Stokes and Burton's defense, quotes from Burton, Stokes and Reese, and the Valkyries' home crowd, and its excerpt does not mention the scheduling dispute. The sides agree on the 3-2 Valkyries lead and that Game 6 could end the series. They differ in that the right treats the schedule as the main story, while the left treats it as a basketball story. The alternative outlets ESPN and Yahoo Sports also focus on scheduling, with Yahoo quoting columnists calling it embarrassing.