There is one big problem: the game, a potential clincher for the team that wins Game 5 on Monday night, will be held at 12:30 p.m.ET.An afternoon game for a league finals series is interesting in and of itself, but for the 2026 WNBA season to potentially end in the afternoon on a weekday is less than ideal.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGEAtlanta Dream forward Angel Reese looks on during the first half of Game 3 of the WNBA Finals against the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday, Oct.
21, 2026, in Atlanta.(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)The NBA’s Atlanta Hawks are scheduled to host the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 p.m.
ET now, agreeing to move their start time one hour from its originally-scheduled 7 p.m.tip-off that night in the second half of a back-to-back at State Farm Arena.That’s what caused the scheduling snafu, with Game 6 of the WNBA Finals originally set for 8 p.m.
ET on Thursday.ANGEL REESE BLOCKS SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER'S 'MARRIAGE PROPOSAL' AFTER WNBA FINALS GAMESo, it appears the WNBA, wanting the much-larger State Farm Arena in terms of capacity (17,000) compared to the Dream's usual Gateway Center Arena home court (3,500), might not have had a choice of where to stage Game 6.The game will still air on USA Network and stream on Peacock.The Dream have been drawing sold-out crowds through these Finals, and as a result, the league has had to maneuver to ensure the most seats are filled in larger arenas.The Golden State Valkyries celebrate during Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals against the Atlanta Dream on Oct.17, 2026, at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif.
(NBAE via Getty Images)Game 3 was moved from Oct.22 to Oct.
21 to avoid a concert conflict.Meanwhile, Game 4 was pushed to an afternoon tip-off, though it was this past Saturday to accommodate the Hawks’ home opener against the Houston Rockets that night.A weekend can be justified, but for a weekday to be an afternoon tip-off is mind-boggling even given the circumstances.The Athletic report...