The WNBA has never had a night like this. The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries play Game 7 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday at Chase Center in San Francisco. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Central.

It is the first Game 7 in league history. The Finals moved to a best-of-seven format only last season. That series ended in a four-game sweep. Whoever wins tonight takes home a first championship.

Atlanta forced the decider with an 80-69 win at home on Thursday. Allisha Gray's corner 3 put the finishing touch on it as the crowd chanted "Dream in seven!"

Home court has history on its side

Recent history leans toward the Valkyries. Of the eight championship series since 2005 that went the distance, the home team won six of the deciding games.

The series has also been a grind. It opened Oct. 17, wraps up exactly two weeks later and has sent both teams across the country five times. "It for sure feels longer," Dream forward DeWanna Bonner said. "You feel it mentally and you feel it physically."

Valkyries center Kiah Stokes said it plainly. "None of us have ever played in a seven-game series," she said. "But man, it is long."

Two different identities

Golden State won its three games with suffocating defense. Atlanta won its three by scoring more than 70 points each time. By now there are few secrets left.

"We know the schemes, they know our set, we know their tendencies and they know ours," Stokes said. "Who can execute the game plan more? And it comes down to who wants it more?"

Golden State trailed by as many as 25 points in the first half of Game 6. Guard Veronica Burton still saw a positive. "We didn't quit," she said.

"Peel me off the court"

Neither side is short on title experience. Stokes won three championships with the Las Vegas Aces. Bonner won two with the Phoenix Mercury.

Valkyries leading scorer Gabby Williams expects the toughest night of her career. "This is probably going to be the hardest game that we will play in our entire lives, honestly, because both teams want it so bad," she said.

Angel Reese is ready for that. "You're going to have to peel me off the court," the Dream forward said. "I want to be so damn tired."