Photo via Yahoo Sports

Williams lifts Valkyries past Dream in WNBA Finals opener

The Golden State Valkyries kicked off their WNBA Finals quest with a hard-fought 68–64 victory over the Atlanta Dream in game one, with guard Gabby Williams delivering a breakout performance. Williams, who had been quiet in the first quarter, scored a career-high 26 points—including four clutch free throws in the final minute—to lift her team past a Dream squad led by Allisha Gray (19 points) and Angel Reese (14 points, 12 rebounds).

The Valkyries’ offense struggled beyond Williams, as no other player reached double digits, but their defense stifled Atlanta in the fourth quarter, where the Dream managed just two of 19 field-goal attempts. The win sets up a potential title showdown for both franchises, with the Valkyries aiming for their first championship in just their second season and the Dream chasing their first ever after three prior Finals appearances without a win.

Williams, who finished runner-up in WNBA Defensive Player of the Year voting, took over the scoring load after a slow start, exploding for 16 points in the second quarter. Her late-game heroics—including a rebound off a Gray miss followed by two free throws to extend the lead—sealed the victory with 4.1 seconds left.

The Valkyries will look to build on this momentum in game two at home, while the Dream return to the court with Gray back from a hand injury that cost her two prior games. Both teams now face the challenge of adjusting their strategies after a closely contested opener.

Up nextWNBA· 50m ago

Cathy Engelbert Says WNBA Free Agency Has Helped Break Up Super-Team Era