Gabby Williams scores 26 as Valkyries beat Dream 68-64 in WNBA Finals Game 1

Gabby Williams scored a game-high 26 points as the Golden State Valkyries held off the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday, 17 October 2026. It was the first WNBA Finals win in the history of the Valkyries, who are playing for the title in only their second season as a franchise. Williams scored 16 of her points in the second quarter and sealed the game by making all six of her free throws, the last of them with 4.1 seconds left. Angel Reese had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Atlanta. Before tip-off, players from both teams left the court during the national anthem and returned shortly after it ended; neither team immediately explained why.

These Finals are unusual before a single shot is taken. Neither the Valkyries nor the Dream has ever won a WNBA championship, so one of them will lift the trophy for the first time. For the Valkyries, an expansion team that began play only last year, simply reaching the Finals was a surprise; winning the opening game at home puts them three wins away from one of the fastest rises in modern professional sport.

Game 1 was decided by defence. The score, 68-64, is low for professional basketball, and the Valkyries' ability to shut Atlanta out over the final three minutes, as the Dream missed seven straight shots, was the difference. Williams, a former Seattle Storm player whom the Valkyries have built their attack around, delivered both the scoring burst in the second quarter and the composure at the free-throw line at the end.

For Atlanta, the loss is a setback but not a crisis. There are up to six games left, and Reese's double-double showed that the Dream's frontcourt can trouble Golden State. Their problem was shooting at the finish, which is the part of the game most likely to swing from one night to the next.

The anthem moment drew strong reaction online, with some fans calling for punishment, while others pointed to the league's history of players using the anthem to make statements on social issues. Without an explanation from either team or the league, the reason remains unclear, and it may become a talking point before Game 2.

Short-term: The Valkyries take a 1-0 lead into Game 2 at home on Monday, with the chance to go two games up before the series moves to Atlanta. The Dream must fix their late-game shooting.

Long-term: A title for either team would be a first. A championship for the second-year Valkyries would set a new benchmark for how quickly an expansion franchise can win, and add to the league's commercial momentum.

Who is affected: Players and fans of both teams; the WNBA, which is looking to grow its audience; and other leagues considering expansion, which will watch how quickly the Valkyries have become contenders.

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