Valkyries Take Finals Lead Behind Williams' 26 Points

Gabby Williams scored 26 points as the Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco on October 17, 2026. Golden State took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Both teams are still seeking their first WNBA title.

Williams decides a tight finish

The Valkyries trailed by one with 1 minute and 18 seconds remaining. Williams grabbed a rebound after an Allisha Gray miss, then drew a foul from Angel Reese. She made both free throws to put Golden State ahead, 65-64, and sank two more from the line with 4.1 seconds left to seal the four-point win.

Williams went scoreless in the first quarter, then poured in 16 points in the second. Her game-high total carried Golden State through a difficult shooting night; no other Valkyries player reached double figures. The team finished with 68 points.

In an on-court interview, Williams said: “Once we all started having fun and the excitement got out, we started to kind of find our way.” She added: “There was a lid on that basket tonight, but that's why we rely on our defence.”

Defence shapes the game

Golden State’s defence, Williams said, was central to the win. “It came down to getting stops and that's been our bread-and-butter all year,” she said. “That's why we harp on it so much, because we've built such great defensive habits.” That season, the Valkyries allowed 335 fewer points than any other WNBA team.

Atlanta’s fourth quarter brought little scoring support. The Dream made two of 19 attempts from the floor in the period and scored eight points. Gray, Atlanta’s leading scorer, returned after missing two games with a hand injury and finished with 19 points. She scored none in the fourth quarter.

Reese had 14 points and 12 rebounds, all 14 of her points coming in the first half. Rhyne Howard added 12 points for Atlanta. After the game, Reese said: “I don't think they really did anything,” then added, “Maybe that was just on me; I wasn't aggressive enough with the ball and trying to get the ball and get to my spot. I'm definitely going to do a better job of that next game.”

A first title remains in reach

The Valkyries were due to host Game 2 on Monday. The best-of-seven series continues with Golden State one win ahead as both teams pursue their first WNBA championship.

Atlanta has lost in three previous Finals appearances, most recently in 2013. Golden State reached the playoffs in its inaugural season the previous year, becoming the first WNBA expansion franchise to do so. Now in their second season, the Valkyries are competing for the title, with Williams’ late free throws giving them the opening win.