WNBA Finals: Williams and Golden State's defence take Game 1 against Atlanta

Golden State won the first game of the WNBA Finals despite poor shooting. Trailing after the first and third quarters, the Valkyries nonetheless took this opening game on 17 October at the Chase Center. The difference came in the final possessions: the Dream did not score again after the two free throws from Rhyne Howard that had given them a three-point lead. Golden State scored the last seven points of the game.

This first Finals win gives the Valkyries a 1–0 lead in the series. For a franchise playing only its second season, the result opens up the possibility of a title. Four wins will be needed to clinch it, though: this game settles nothing on its own.

Williams puts Golden State back in the game

The two teams had already shifted momentum several times before that closing stretch. Atlanta led 22–14 at the end of the first quarter. Gabby Williams, who had gone scoreless in those first ten minutes, scored sixteen in the second quarter. Golden State thus went into the break ahead, 42–39.

The Dream regained control after the interval. By limiting the Valkyries to nine points in the third quarter, Atlanta went into the final ten minutes with a five-point lead. Golden State still had to come back, with an attack that hit only 32.1% of its shots over the whole game.

Williams finished with 26 points, the game high. Her contribution was not limited to the second quarter: she also supplied the points needed to close out a night on which no other Valkyries player reached ten points.

Seven unanswered points to finish

With 1:18 left, two free throws from Williams put Golden State ahead, 65–64. Atlanta still had chances to retake the lead. Rhyne Howard and then Naz Hillmon missed their three-point attempts. With 23.8 seconds left, Kiah Stokes converted one of two free throws. Allisha Gray then missed her long-range attempt, before Williams made both of hers with 4.1 seconds remaining.

That finish explains the score: Golden State won the final quarter 17–8. The Valkyries protected their lead even though their offence remained reliant on Williams. They also found contributions inside, with nine points and seven rebounds from Stokes, and ten rebounds from Kaila Charles off the bench.

Atlanta held their own, but must finish better

Allisha Gray scored 19 points for Atlanta. Angel Reese added 14 points and 12 rebounds. Those contributions allowed the Dream to enter the closing minutes in position to win; they were not enough to break through the opposing defence at the decisive moment.

Game 2 will be played on Monday 19 October, again at the Chase Center. Atlanta will be looking to level the series. Golden State will try to build on this opening win, hoping to depend less on a single scorer to drive their offence.

File photo: Gabby Williams in a Golden State jersey against Minnesota, on 24 August 2026. © John McClellan / John Mac — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and SNA logo added; adapted under the same licence. This image does not show action from the Finals.