The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals, taking a 1-0 series lead. Gabby Williams led all scorers with 26 points, including four crucial free throws in the final 1:18 to seal the win. The Valkyries overcame a 17-9 third-quarter deficit by outscoring the Dream 17-8 in the fourth, fueled by strong free-throw shooting (11-of-16) and a 41-35 rebounding edge.
Allisha Gray paced Atlanta with 19 points but went scoreless in the fourth quarter as the Dream shot just 2-for-20 in the period. Angel Reese added 14 points and 12 rebounds for Atlanta. Golden State’s bench depth shone through, with Kaila Charles contributing seven points and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes.
The Valkyries improved to 6-0 at home this postseason and snapped Atlanta’s 10-game winning streak. Both teams are chasing their first WNBA title. Game 2 returns to Chase Center on Monday night, with the Valkyries holding home-court advantage in a 2-2-1-1-1 format as the higher seed.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing