The WNBA Finals are in full-swing at the moment, with each game getting more intense than the previous one. The series between the Dream and the Valkyries is currently tied 2-2 with Game 5 scheduled to be the tie-breaker.
This year’s Finals have been strongly discussed for quite some time around dinner tables, social media forums and whatnot, mainly because of the heat that the players themselves have been bringing.
I mean, how fantastic was Angel Reese in Game 2, and how stunning was the Valkyries’ turn-around in Game 4 after Gabby’s locker-room speech? However, apart from the players and the teams themselves another aspect that has been frequently discussed when it comes to this ongoing Finals is that of the ‘venues’ of games.
A lot of weight has been given to the venues that the games have been played, whether it is Golden State’s home-court at Chase Center or Atlanta’s advantage at the Gateway Center Arena. This upcoming game will be at the former, often called Ballhalla, which is touted to be one of the factors that the Valkyries might use to their advantage.
“The thing that I think most about is Balhalla. Like, I think Game Five is going to be one of the most incredible atmospheres that we have ever seen for a game in this league… Both these teams have a significant home-court advantage just in the way their crowds have shown up,” Ryan Ruocco recently said.
A question that many sports fans often wonder is whether venues can actually make a massive difference to a team or a game? With it being the WNBA Finals right now, do the players need to play at a certain venue to perform better? And, what about instances like the upcoming Game 6, where the venue is yet to be even decided?
WNBA Finals Game 6 Venue Is Still A Major Question
The WNBA Finals Game 6 was supposed to take place at State Farm Arena, but this looks quite unlikely at this point considering the irresponsible scheduling by the W. The Hawks will be taking on the Cavs on Thursday which means that the players will not know whether they will be playing at the Gateway or State Farm until the last moment.
For some players, being at their home-ground gives them plenty of added advantage since it is their comfort zone. At the same time, there are a number of other players who thrive on taking up the challenge of playing anytime, anywhere, without any plan at all. I am curious to see how the Finals will continue to take shape, and further analyze how the venues will actually help (or not help) the teams. What do you think?
Related Reading:
Leave a Reply