Gabby Williams powers Valkyries to tight Game 1 victory over Dream
Gabby Williams delivered a game‑high 26 points, including four decisive free throws in the final 78 seconds, as the Golden State Valkyries edged the Atlanta Dream 68‑64 in the opening contest of the WNBA Finals at San Francisco’s Chase Center on October 17, 2026.
Williams, who finished second to Angel Reese in the Defensive Player of the Year voting, emerged as the Valkyries’ primary offensive threat in the postseason, shouldering the scoring load on a night when no other Golden State player reached double figures.
The French star got off to a quiet start, going scoreless in the first quarter as the hosts struggled to find rhythm before a raucous crowd. “Once we all started having fun and the excitement got out, we started to kind of find our way,” Williams said after scoring 16 points in the second quarter. “There was a lid on that basket tonight, but that’s why we rely on our defense.”
With 1 minute and 18 seconds remaining, Golden State trailed by one. Williams grabbed the rebound after Atlanta’s Allisha Gray missed, was fouled by Reese, and sank both free throws to give the Valkyries a 65‑64 lead. She added another pair of free throws with 4.1 seconds left to seal the win. “It came down to getting stops and that’s been our bread‑and‑butter all year,” Williams noted, highlighting that the team has allowed 335 fewer points than any other club this season.
Gray, who returned after missing two games with a hand injury, posted 19 points but went scoreless in the fourth quarter as Atlanta managed only two of 19 attempts from the floor. Reese contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Rhyne Howard added 12 for the Dream.
Atlanta’s offense sputtered in the final period, scoring just two points, and Reese admitted she could have been more aggressive. “I wasn’t aggressive enough with the ball and trying to get to my spot. I’m definitely going to do a better job of that next game,” she said.
The Valkyries will host Game 2 of the best‑of‑seven series on Monday. Both teams are chasing their first championship; the Dream have fallen short in three previous Finals appearances, most recently in 2013, while the Valkyries, who became the first expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in their inaugural season, are eyeing the title in only their second year of existence.