Atlanta's Black cultural capital showed out as the Dream crushed the Valkyries 97-71 in a Game 3 that felt like a citywide block party.
Atlanta has long been a capital of Black culture, and its sound travels far beyond Georgia, from the trap that shaped a generation of global hip-hop to the African artists who borrow from it. On Wednesday night, that identity took over State Farm Arena as the Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. It was the franchise's first Finals game in 13 years, and the city treated it like a homecoming.
The celebrity lineup matched the occasion. Kerry Washington, Ludacris and Cam Newton led the courtside crowd, while Quavo and TI headlined the halftime show. Two more Atlanta rappers took over other long stoppages in play. The city's hip-hop talent is deep, and the Dream made full use of it.
The real show was in the stands, though. Fans packed all 17,608 seats in matching sky-blue shirts, twirled rally towels, rapped every word and reacted to every possession. The noise in the first quarter was loud enough to drown out the referees' whistles. Most stayed until the final minutes, with only a few slipping out early to beat traffic.
When the win was sealed and DJ Khaled's "All I Do Is Win" blared through the speakers, the crowd sent the Valkyries off with the unofficial Atlanta battle cry: "ATL hoe!" Atlanta fans have been burned before and know better than to get carried away. But after a night like this, the Dream look like a team worth believing in.
