The Golden State Valkyries are just two seasons old, and they are already three wins from a WNBA championship. Gabby Williams poured in a game-high 26 points and sank four pressure-packed free throws in the final 78 seconds as the Valkyries held off the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in a defensive Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals on Saturday at Chase Center in San Francisco.
The victory gives Golden State a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series and keeps the league's newest franchise in control of the championship round. "We always knew we were going to find a way somehow," Williams told the Chase Center crowd afterward as fans chanted "Gabby! Gabby!"
Gabby Williams' Late Free Throws Lift Valkyries in a Defensive Game 1
Game 1 was a grind from the opening tip — exactly the kind of physical, half-court affair the WNBA's two best defenses promised. The teams traded the lead seven times and were tied on six occasions, and neither side ever pulled comfortably ahead. Golden State led just 42-39 at halftime, and the margin rarely exceeded a single possession over the final 20 minutes.
When it mattered most, Williams took over. The All-Star forward converted two free throws with 1:18 remaining to put the Valkyries ahead for good, then added two more with 4.1 seconds left to seal the result. She scored six of Golden State's final seven points as the Valkyries closed on a 7-0 run, finishing with 26 points, four rebounds, three three-pointers and two assists.
Center Kiah Stokes provided the interior anchor, adding nine points and seven rebounds as Golden State — which entered the Finals rated No. 1 in defensive rating, with Atlanta at No. 2 — held the Dream to just 64 points. Atlanta's balanced attack never found a rhythm in the half-court, and the Dream could not convert down the stretch as the clock wound down.
From Expansion Club to Finals in Two Seasons: The Valkyries' Rapid Rise
The Valkyries' presence in the Finals is historic on its own. Announced in October 2023 as the WNBA's first expansion franchise since the Dream in 2008, Golden State debuted in 2025 and immediately rewrote the record book. The club became the first expansion team in league history to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season, finishing 23-21 as the No. 8 seed, and set a WNBA record for most wins by an expansion team with 18. Off the court, the Valkyries sold out all 22 home games at Chase Center — a building fans have dubbed "Ballhalla" — and set new league attendance benchmarks.
Year two has been even better. Guided by Natalie Nakase, the 2025 Coach of the Year and the first Asian American head coach in WNBA history, Golden State posted a 32-12 record (.727), good for second in the Western Conference. The franchise reportedly generated $100 million in revenue in 2026 after $78 million in 2025, cementing its status as the league's expansion blueprint.
The postseason run has been emphatic. The Valkyries swept the Las Vegas Aces 3-0 in the semifinals, closing out the series with an 87-77 overtime victory, to become the fastest expansion team ever to reach the WNBA Finals — doing so in just their second season.
Two Teams, One Goal: A First-Ever WNBA Championship
In a league long defined by dynasties, the 2026 Finals offer a refreshing contrast: neither the Valkyries nor the Dream has ever lifted a trophy. Atlanta reached the Finals in 2010, 2011 and 2013 but came up empty each time, and the franchise had not returned to the championship round since.
The Dream's resurgence has been swift. Under first-time WNBA head coach Karl Smesko — who was coaching at Florida Gulf Coast less than two years ago — Atlanta swept its first two postseason opponents, capped by a stunning 3-0 sweep of the New York Liberty in the semifinals.
Atlanta's engine is a star trio that has torched the playoffs. Rhyne Howard is averaging 19.2 points per game while having led the league in steals during the regular season, Angel Reese is putting up 18 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game, and Allisha Gray has chipped in 19 points a night, with point guard Jordin Canada orchestrating it all.
The stylistic contrast defines the series: Golden State's top-ranked, switching defense and deliberate half-court identity against Atlanta's length, rebounding and scoring depth. The Valkyries swept the teams' three regular-season meetings, but Smesko's group has looked like a different team since — a point Williams acknowledged as the Dream made Game 1 a one-possession battle to the very end.
Where the Series Stands After Game 1
Golden State leads the best-of-five series 1-0 and retains home-court advantage for Game 2 on Monday, Oct. 19 (8 p.m. ET on USA Network) at Chase Center. The series then shifts to State Farm Arena in Atlanta for Game 3 on Wednesday, Oct. 21, and Game 4 on Saturday, Oct. 24. A deciding Game 5, if necessary, is slated for Monday, Oct. 26.
The scheduling of Games 3 and 4 in Atlanta — finalized Oct. 13 — ensures the Dream will host consecutive contests on their home floor, where they posted one of the league's best records. Atlanta must protect that home court to extend the series, while Golden State can seize commanding control with a win on Monday.
What's Next: Game 2 and the Road to a First Title
Game 2 will hinge on adjustments. The Dream must manufacture cleaner looks against the Valkyries' switching defense after stalling down the stretch in Game 1, while Golden State will look for more offensive contributions beyond Williams and Stokes. Expect Smesko to lean harder on Howard and Reese around the rim, and Nakase to counter with the rotations that made the Valkyries the league's stingiest unit.
Both benches could swing the series: Janelle Salaün, the 2026 Sixth Player of the Year, gives Golden State a jolt off the bench, while Atlanta's supporting cast — including Canada's playmaking — has carried the Dream through two playoff sweeps. With a championship on the line for two franchises that have never won one, Monday's Game 2 has the feel of a swing game.
Key Takeaways From the WNBA Finals Opener
- The Valkyries took Game 1, 68-64, behind Gabby Williams' 26 points and four clutch free throws in the final 78 seconds.
- Golden State closed on a 7-0 run after a game featuring seven lead changes and six ties.
- The Valkyries are the fastest expansion team in WNBA history to reach the Finals, doing so in just their second season.
- Atlanta is chasing its first championship after Finals defeats in 2010, 2011 and 2013.
- Game 2 is Monday, Oct. 19 at Chase Center before the series shifts to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4.
