Gabby Williams Scores 26 as Golden State Valkyries Edge Atlanta Dream in WNBA Finals Game 1

The Golden State Valkyries opened the WNBA Finals with a 68-64 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Saturday, relying on 26 points from Gabby Williams to secure a home win in Game 1 at Chase Center.

Williams served as the primary scoring engine for Golden State on an evening when no other Valkyries player reached double figures. After going scoreless during a tentative first quarter, the French forward ignited for 16 points in the second period to keep the hosts competitive.

Late Free Throws Decide Opener

The contest tightened in the final minutes. Golden State trailed by one point with 1 minute and 18 seconds left on the clock when Williams secured a defensive rebound following a miss by Atlanta guard Allisha Gray. Williams drew a foul from Atlanta forward Angel Reese and sank two free throws to give the Valkyries a 65-64 lead. She closed out the victory by hitting two additional free throws with 4.1 seconds remaining.

Williams, who finished second to Reese in Defensive Player of the Year voting, credited Golden State's defensive identity down the stretch. The Valkyries led the league in scoring defense this season, conceding 335 fewer points than any other franchise.

Atlanta's Offense Falters in Fourth Quarter

Atlanta struggled to generate offense in the closing stages, managing just eight points in the fourth quarter on 2-of-19 shooting from the field. Gray, returning after missing two games with a hand injury, paced the Dream with 19 points but went scoreless in the final period.

Reese totaled 14 points and 12 rebounds, though all of her points came during the first half. Rhyne Howard also contributed 12 points for the Dream.

Both franchises are pursuing their first championship in the best-of-seven series. The Dream previously lost three Finals appearances, most recently in 2013. The Valkyries, who reached the playoffs as an expansion team last season, are playing for the title in only their second year in the league. Golden State will host Game 2 on Monday.

Source: Al Jazeera.