Gabby Williams delivered the offensive fireworks, Golden State survived a roller coaster of momentum swings, and the Valkyries turned to their defense when it mattered most Saturday.
Williams scored 26 points, including 16 in the second quarter, as Golden State held off the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals at Chase Center, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship series. Williams was the only Golden State player to finish in double figures.
Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 19 points, while Angel Reese recorded her second playoff double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Rhyne Howard added 12 points and seven rebounds.
The loss dropped Atlanta to 0-10 all-time in WNBA Finals games, extending a championship-stage losing streak dating to the franchise’s first Finals appearance in 2010.
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The Dream built a 22-14 first-quarter lead behind Reese before Williams sparked a 28-point second quarter that sent Golden State into halftime ahead 42-39.
Atlanta answered with an 11-2 run to open the third quarter and carried a five-point lead into the fourth, but shot only 2 of 20 from the field over the final 10 minutes.
Golden State also faced late injury concerns. Tiffany Hayes left after appearing to strike her head on the court, while Williams played through the closing minutes with a noticeable limp. Williams later said she was OK.
Here are three takeaways from the series opener:
1. Williams delivers when Valks need her most
Williams didn’t merely lead Golden State in scoring. She provided the spark to erase an early eight-point deficit and the composure to help the Valkyries finish the job.
Her 16-point second quarter changed the complexion of the game, especially as Golden State outscored Atlanta 14-2 in the paint.
Allllll 16 of Gabby's second quarter points for your halftime entertainment. pic.twitter.com/HvKqyDwsvq
— Golden State Valkyries (@valkyries) October 17, 2026
For Williams, the difference was finding a comfort level on basketball’s biggest stage.
“I was just excited to be here,” Williams said during her postgame television interview. “I was just having fun. Once we all started having fun, and you know, the excitement got out, we started to kind of find our way.”
Williams made all six of her fourth-quarter free throws, including the final two that sealed the victory.
Her approach to pressure is surprisingly analytical. Williams explained that she breaks down late-game situations mathematically, calculating possessions and points rather than dwelling on the magnitude of the moment.
“I’m counting possessions. I’m counting points. OK, what do we need now?” Williams said. “I think it’s just like the best way to kind of take the pressure off things too is just to break them down possession by possession.”
When asked what it meant to hear the Chase Center crowd chant her name after the victory, Williams reminded everyone that Golden State’s championship pursuit is only beginning.
“It feels like we’re not done yet.”
2. Gray’s return can’t offset nightmarish fourth
Gray’s return from a hand injury provided Atlanta with a significant offensive boost, but even the Dream’s leading scorer couldn’t escape the fourth-quarter struggles that ultimately decided the opener.
After missing Games 2 and 3 of the semifinals, Gray returned with 19 points, helping Atlanta repeatedly answer Golden State’s scoring runs.
Her performance was especially important as Howard struggled early and Golden State adjusted defensively against Reese.
Reese scored all 14 points in the first half, then went scoreless over the final two quarters while taking just two shots in 17:44 of second-half action.
Got her feet set, got her shot down
Allisha Gray is up to 11 PTS & counting as she connects on her first three
ATL-GSV | NBC & Peacock | #WNBASeason30 | #2026WNBAFinals
Tap to watch: https://t.co/8Yjda3gGfr pic.twitter.com/tkq4aquNXI— WNBA (@WNBA) October 17, 2026
Golden State’s Kiah Stokes explained the defensive approach.
“Just try to make things as difficult as possible,” Stokes said. “She definitely got going in that first half, so we just want to limit her touches and a big emphasis on boxing out and rebounding.”
Gray, meanwhile, went scoreless in the fourth quarter, missing a potential go-ahead 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
The Dream shot just 25.8% (8 of 31) from the field and 8.3% (1 of 12) from 3-point range after halftime.
Gray’s return gives Atlanta another proven scorer alongside Reese and Howard, but the Dream will need more consistent production from their biggest offensive threats to avoid falling further behind in the series.
3. Golden State’s defense wins championship moments
Atlanta spent much of Game 1 proving it could answer Golden State’s biggest runs. But when the Dream needed one final response, their offense disappeared.
Atlanta shot just 10% (2 of 20) in the fourth quarter, squandering a five-point lead entering the final period.
Williams said Golden State remained confident because the outcome ultimately depended on its defensive execution.
GAME ONE, WON
The @valkyries take Game 1 of the #2026WNBAFinals, 68-64!
Gabby Williams: 26 PTS | 4 REB | 3 3PM | 2 AST
Kiah Stokes: 9 PTS | 7 REB | 4 BLK
Kaila Charles: 7 PTS | 10 REB | 2 STL#WNBASeason30 pic.twitter.com/5fdyXx7Np1— WNBA (@WNBA) October 17, 2026
“Even though we were down, I think with a few minutes left, I think we had the game right where we wanted it because it just came down to getting stops,” Williams said. “That’s been our bread and butter all season.”
The Dream still had opportunities to escape with a victory. Williams turned it over to Reese with 46 seconds remaining, but Naz Hillmon missed a 3-pointer, and Stokes grabbed the rebound.
Stokes split two free throws to extend Golden State’s lead to 66-64 with 23.8 seconds left.
Gray then missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer, and Williams converted two free throws to secure the victory.
Williams also credited Stokes and Kayla Thornton with pivotal plays during Golden State’s comeback, including an offensive rebound and a defensive stop that led to a transition basket.
“Kiah and Kai (Charles) made game-winning plays tonight,” Williams said.
Atlanta coach Karl Smesko acknowledged that some late shots were well defended, but believed his team had opportunities to win.
“We were right there, right there,” Smesko said. “So that’s why it hurts a little bit. But it also motivates us.”
For Golden State, the difference was simple: When the offense struggled, its defense answered.
The Valkyries defense came up CLUTCH to take a 1-0 lead in the WNBA Finals! pic.twitter.com/XC3lB4teqk
— WNBA on NBC and Peacock (@WNBAonNBC) October 17, 2026
For Atlanta, the challenge entering Game 2 is sustaining its offense for four quarters.
W.G. Ramirez is a veteran sports writer from Las Vegas and a Staff Writer at Ballislife.com. Follow him on X at @WillieGRamirez
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