What happened: The Atlanta Dream reached 14 steals through three quarters of Game 1, tying the Los Angeles Sparks for the most playoff games with 10 or more steals in league history. Atlanta held the lead heading into the final period.

Why it matters: Establishing a historic defensive pace early in the postseason sets a clear tone for the rest of the series. Consistently forcing turnovers provides crucial transition scoring opportunities in high-stakes playoff matchups.

What to watch: The focus shifts to whether the defense can maintain this pressure to close out the Game 1 victory.