The 2026 WNBA Finals opened Saturday night with a matchup almost no one predicted a year ago — and Game 1 lived up to every bit of the hype. Gabby Williams poured in a game-high 26 points as the Golden State Valkyries, a franchise in only its second WNBA season, held off the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in front of a roaring Chase Center crowd to grab a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Both teams are chasing the first championship in franchise history, and after a tense, defense-first opener, it was the Valkyries who landed the first blow.
The pairing is a storybook script for the league: an expansion team assembled through the 2025 expansion draft, savvy free-agent signings, and a blockbuster trade, squaring off against a Dream franchise that had not reached the Finals since 2013. Golden State, the No. 2 seed, rode one of the WNBA's stingiest defenses through the postseason, while Atlanta, the No. 4 seed, stormed in behind a revamped roster headlined by 2026 Defensive Player of the Year Angel Reese.
How Golden State Stole Game 1: Williams' Fourth-Quarter Closer
For three quarters, Game 1 belonged to neither side for long. The Valkyries took a 42-39 lead into halftime after Williams erupted for 16 points in the second quarter alone. Atlanta flipped the script in the third, outscoring Golden State 17-9 to carry momentum into the final frame.
Then Williams, a former Seattle Storm All-Star who has become the centerpiece of the Valkyries' rapid rise, took over. Golden State outscored Atlanta 17-8 in the fourth quarter, tightening the screws on a Dream offense that went ice-cold from deep. Williams sank two free throws with 1:18 remaining to put the Valkyries ahead, then calmly knocked down two more with 4.1 seconds left to seal the 68-64 victory.
The Dream, meanwhile, got rough shooting nights from their two All-Star guards. Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray, Atlanta's regular-season engine, struggled to find a rhythm, and the team finished just 4-of-25 from three-point range. The same Valkyries length and switching defense that swept the defending-champion Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals made every possession a grind.
The Road to the Finals: How Both Teams Got Here
Neither team took an easy path to this stage, which is exactly what makes the matchup so compelling.
Golden State Valkyries (No. 2 seed): In their inaugural 2025 season, head coach Natalie Nakase was named WNBA Coach of the Year after guiding the expansion Valkyries to a historic playoff berth. They leveled up in 2026, grinding through a 2-1 first-round series win over the Dallas Wings before a stunning 3-0 semifinal sweep of the Las Vegas Aces (71-60, 83-81, 87-77) that dethroned the reigning champions.
Atlanta Dream (No. 4 seed): Atlanta's offseason was defined by one franchise-altering move: acquiring Angel Reese from the Chicago Sky in an April trade that sent two first-round picks the other way. The bet paid off immediately. Reese, named the 2026 Kia Defensive Player of the Year, anchored a Dream defense that swept the Washington Mystics 2-0 in the first round (92-77, 93-75) before eliminating the New York Liberty in a 3-0 semifinal sweep, clinching with an 85-83 overtime thriller.
Why This Finals Is Historic: Two Franchises Chasing a First Title
The 2026 WNBA Finals carries a rarity the league hasn't seen in years: neither finalist has ever won a championship. Atlanta's lone previous Finals appearance came in 2013, when the Dream fell to the Minnesota Lynx, one of three franchises that share the league record with four titles apiece alongside the Houston Comets and Seattle Storm. For a franchise that waited 13 years for another shot, the drought is finally over.
Golden State's arc is even more stunning. The Valkyries are playing for a title in just their second season, a feat that would rewrite the expansion playbook. Their surge has been led by Williams, whose 26 points in Game 1 only underscored her status as the series' most dynamic two-way player, with veteran support from Tiffany Hayes, Kiah Stokes, and Kate Martin.
The contrast in styles has made for compelling theater. Atlanta leans on its frontcourt strength — Reese averaged 16.1 points and 12.4 rebounds during the regular season — plus the scoring punch of Howard and Gray, who posted a career-best 19 points per game. Golden State counters with Williams' two-way brilliance and a defense that held the Aces to just 77 points in the decisive semifinal game.
The stakes extend well beyond the trophy. A Valkyries title would crown the fastest expansion franchise to a championship in modern WNBA history, while a Dream title would end one of the league's longest-running droughts and validate their aggressive rebuild around Reese.
Where the Series Stands: Valkyries Up 1-0 Heading Into Game 2
After Saturday's result, Golden State holds a 1-0 series lead and has protected home court at Chase Center, where the Valkyries had not lost a playoff game entering the Finals. The series stays in the Bay Area for Game 2 on Monday, Oct. 19, before shifting to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4 on Oct. 21 and Oct. 23.
The Dream will need to solve two problems quickly: their regression from long range and their inability to generate clean looks against Golden State's length. Atlanta's stars went quiet in the fourth quarter of Game 1, a trend the team can't afford to repeat if it hopes to steal Game 2 and head home with the series even.
What Comes Next: Game 2 and the Battle for the Bay
Game 2 tips off Monday, Oct. 19, at 5 p.m. PT at Chase Center, with the Valkyries looking to seize a commanding 2-0 lead and the Dream desperate to avoid a two-game hole. Under the 2-2-1-1-1 format, the series could stretch as late as Oct. 31 if it goes the distance.
Expect Atlanta to push the pace and force-feed Reese in the paint, while Golden State leans even harder on Williams and its home-court energy. The early returns suggest this will be a defensive slugfest, and that every late-game possession — and every Williams free throw — could swing the series.
The Bottom Line: WNBA Finals Essentials
- The Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals at Chase Center.
- Gabby Williams scored a game-high 26 points, including 16 in the second quarter.
- Both franchises are chasing their first WNBA championship; the Dream's last Finals trip was 2013.
- The Valkyries swept the defending-champion Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals, while the Dream swept the New York Liberty.
- Game 2 is Monday, Oct. 19, at Chase Center, with the series shifting to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4.
