Atlanta Dream: Game 2 response in WNBA Finals

Let's talk about the Atlanta Dream. They are looking to even things up tonight. Atlanta trails Golden State, one game to none in the WNBA Finals, but just four points separated the teams in Game 1. Game 2 tips off tonight at 8 p.m. And joining us now is Fox 5 producer and our go-to Dream expert, Brandon Lynn Hellams, who joins us now live. Brandon, thanks so much for being here. You're on your day off, but you love the WNBA. You love the Atlanta Dream, so you're joining us. First off, how excited are you that we are having Game 2 tonight, and what are you looking for? I'm very excited for Game 2. Of course, you know, it's rough because we didn't win Game 1, but that's okay. That's only one behind. Now, tonight for me, I really feel like Coach Smetsko needs to use his bench a little more. So with the Valkyries, they went 10 deep. Atlanta Dream only went 7 deep. Um, and I understand that, you know, there are different levels to how you use your bench, but it's the finals. So for me, use everybody, use whoever you can use people who can, uh, relieve your starters. Um, our starters averaged about 33 minutes. That's a lot. There's only 40 minutes in a game. So averaging 33 minutes, that's tough. So kind of alleviate those starters, you know, help Angel with rebounding kind of, um, just alleviate and, and use your bench more. So, as I said at the top, four points separated the two teams. I mean, does that give you confidence going into tonight's game? Absolutely. For me, you know, watching game one on Saturday night, I felt like our ladies just kind of ran out of gas at the end. And that, again, goes back to maybe using your bench more. But only about four points at Golden State, which is known for having the loudest arena in the W. So that's a good sign, and I feel like that they can go in tonight with momentum and to win game two. So what are you going to be watching early in this matchup to give you some confidence or, I guess, maybe concern you? Well, for me, I would just look for them starting it the same way they did game one. They started the game out strong. Alicia Gray is, of course, available and will play again, even though, you know, she had that injury to her hand. that didn't stop her from playing well she immediately got the first two points for us and i think if they continue to move that way and continue to work inside out i think they'll be fine um just continue to play with confidence though and and rebound the ball so obviously let's look forward a little bit we know that there's going to be a game three that is coming back here to State Farm Arena on Wednesday which actually was moved up a day between tonight's game and the travel back to Atlanta how challenging is that quick turnaround going to be in your opinion i mean obviously you've watched the Dream all year and all season and we're looking live right now at State Farm Arena so they're going to be in there but a day earlier just because of obviously kind of some changes with in terms of having the uh a venue right as you mentioned um game three did get moved up one day because the Atlanta Dream wanted to make sure that um all fans who wanted to come to the game can experience it. It's a bigger venue. It holds a little over 17,000 fans versus their 3,500 venue. I feel like tonight, I'm sorry, Wednesday with them moving up, the thing is it will be kind of a disadvantage for both teams. It's not just the Dream who have to come. Of course, the Valkyries have to travel as well. Them only having that one day in between and with travel, hopefully they can get some rest tomorrow night and then be ready to go for Wednesday I mean I'm certainly just tired for them to have to play just essentially a day apart or two days apart that's gonna be hard and the cross-country travel that's not like it's super close so certainly going to be a disadvantage for both teams but I do want to mention this so we've talked a lot about the Atlanta Dream the support system though here in Atlanta I know several buildings were lit up in blue i think we have some video of that uh that one of our photo journalists we were able to uh capture and you can see it right there i think that's Atlanta City Hall um that's some of the other the downtown building uh the Westin there and so i mean obviously sometimes women's sports don't get the support that they deserve but it's so nice that we're actually seeing so much support for the Atlanta Dream this go around in the WNBA Finals what's it like seeing the city get behind them it's great um you know women's basketball has been growing exponentially over the past past few years excuse me and the Atlanta Dream itself though over the past four years have been consistently selling out their season tickets um like you mentioned fans are rallying around the city is rallying around a lot of different buildings were turned blue on Saturday night in support of this team and speaking of blue um the Atlanta Dream want all fans to attend the game on Wednesday to wear blue and they said that's any shade of blue you know blue is one of the colors for the team they want you to wear blue they want you to show up proud and they want you to be loud as well but even if you aren't at the game wear blue at home the ladies can feel that energy um so make sure you wear blue make sure you continue to cheer this team on because we of course want to bring a championship back to Atlanta and Brandilyn obviously talking about just how big the support system has gotten we just found out just within the last i think it was week or two that they're going to be moving to State Farm Arena for uh the next season from the Gateway Center, I mean that's huge because obviously they were selling out where they were initially um and now uh they are heading to State Farm Arena where they are actually able to have a much bigger audience a much bigger fan base join them for every single game and so that's going to be exciting as we get into next season I mean even looking beyond the finals this year correct yeah absolutely them moving to State Farm Arena is huge um not just for the Atlanta Dream but for women's sports in general it just shows how much people do actually watch um and with that being said that's why it's important to show up for this finals game just to show why it was a big deal for them to move to State Farm Arena and you can continue to support them um continue to show why women's basketball women's sports in general is good and why everyone should watch and I'm getting a wrap but I have to ask you one more question for the support watch parties they're all over the city I know we have several uh at like notable places like there's one on the BeltLine Park Tavern also on the BeltLine is another place where can people support them Yeah, absolutely. So Jolene, Jolene, of course, is a big one. They've been doing watch parties all year. You have the Beverly, you have Hudson Grills across Metro Atlanta, that's Midtown, Downtown, Kennesaw, and so many other places too. I believe we may have that information on our website as well, Fox5Atlanta.com. And then, of course, the Atlanta Dream have posted it on their Instagram, on their X account. So just look for somewhere near you and go and support the ladies. Watch them anywhere you can or turn it on at home and watch. Please support the Atlanta Dream. I know what you'll be doing tonight. And that is watching the finals game two tonight at 8 p.m. Brandilyn Helms, thanks so much for joining us and breaking all of this down for us. And we'll certainly put all the information on our website, Fox5Atlanta.com and our free Fox Local app. Brandilyn, thanks so much for joining us. Thank you, Tyler. Go Dream. Yep, go Dream.