Atlanta Dream 64-68 Golden State Valkyries: WNBA finals 2026 Game 1 – as it happened

That’s all for today. Thanks as always for following along with us and be sure to read the full report from Game 1 here.

“There was a lid on that basket tonight, but that’s why we rely on our defense,” says Gabby Williams, summing up Golden State’s gritty 68-64 win over Atlanta in Game 1 of the WNBA finals.

The Valkyries won ugly on Saturday afternoon, but Williams points to the belief that carried them through the game’s wild momentum swings in her on-court interview with NBC.

“We always know we’re going to find a way somehow,” she says.

As for what sparked her second-quarter explosion, Williams offers a simpler explanation.

“I was just excited to be here. I was just having fun,” she says. “Once we all started having fun, and, you know, the excitement got out, we started to kind of find our way.”

And what did it feel like to hear a sellout crowd of 18,064 chanting her name on the biggest stage in the franchise’s young history?

“It feels like we’re not done yet.”

Gabby Williams scored 26 points as the Golden State Valkyries rallied to beat the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the WNBA finals on Saturday, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Williams, who went scoreless in the opening quarter, erupted for 16 points in the second to erase an eight-point deficit before delivering four crucial free throws in the final minutes.

Atlanta led 22-14 after the first quarter behind Angel Reese’s dominant start, but Golden State responded with a 28-point second period. The Dream regained control in the third, only to come apart offensively down the stretch.

The Dream managed just eight points in the fourth quarter, shooting two-for-19 from the field and missing all seven three-point attempts. Allisha Gray, who led the Dream with 19 points, went scoreless in the final period.

Reese finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds – going scoreless after half-time – while Rhyne Howard added 12.

Kiah Stokes contributed nine points, seven rebounds and four blocks for Golden State, who prevailed despite shooting just 32.1% from the field before a sellout crowd of 18,064 at Chase Center.

Dream 64-68 Valkyries, 0.04, 4th quarter

Gray has missed a potential go-ahead three-pointer with 8.7 seconds remaining and Kaila Charles has grabbed the defensive rebound to leave the Valkyries just seconds from taking Game 1.

Atlanta had called timeout to draw up a play with 23.8 seconds left, trailing by two, but Gray’s 25-foot attempt wouldn’t fall. Jordin Canada immediately fouled Charles to stop the clock.

Charles makes both foul shots and the Valkyries are on the brink.

Dream 64-66 Valkyries, 0.23, 4th quarter

Kiah Stokes has split a pair of free throws to give the Valkyries a two-point lead and Atlanta coach Karl Smesko has called timeout to draw up what could be the Dream’s final meaningful possession. Golden State still have a foul to give.

Atlanta have had their chances. Howard missed a three-pointer with 1:09 remaining, and Hillmon couldn’t connect from beyond the arc with 26 seconds left. Reese briefly gave the visitors hope with another steal on Williams, but the Dream failed to capitalize.

Stokes then grabbed the defensive rebound and drew a foul from Reese (her fifth), converting the second of two free throws.

Dream 64-65 Valkyries, 1.18, 4th quarter

Gabby Williams has put Golden State back in front! The French star has shown nerves of steel, sinking four straight free throws in the space of a minute to turn a three-point deficit into a one-point lead.

It’s been a frantic stretch, with turnovers, blocked shots and missed opportunities at both ends. Howard denied Kaila Charles at the rim, Reese intercepted a Williams pass, while Gray missed a chance to restore Atlanta’s advantage with a layup.

But Williams grabbed the defensive rebound, drew a foul from Reese (her fourth) and coolly deposited both free throws to send Chase Center into a frenzy.

After scoring 16 points in the second quarter to rescue Golden State from a dreadful start, Williams is delivering again when it matters most.

Dream 64-61 Valkyries, 2.38, 4th quarter

Howard has knocked down two crucial free throws to restore Atlanta’s three-point lead after an officials’ review upheld the shooting foul on Veronica Burton.

Golden State then squandered a chance to respond when Kaila Charles threw an errant pass that Jordin Canada intercepted. But the Valkyries’ defense has come to the rescue again, with Burton blocking Allisha Gray’s shot to prevent Atlanta from extending their advantage.

Dream 62-61 Valkyries, 3.12, 4th quarter

Golden State have cut Atlanta’s lead to a single point with just over three minutes remaining and their defense is coming up huge.

Stokes has been everywhere, following up her own offensive rebound for a basket before swatting away an Angel Reese layup. Burton also produced a crucial block on Canada, giving the Valkyries their 11th and 12th blocked shots of the game.

At the other end, Gabby Williams has just converted a running layup off Tiffany Hayes’s pass to make it 62-61. Jordin Canada’s midrange jumper had briefly given the Dream a three-point cushion, but Golden State simply refuse to go away.

Dream 60-57 Valkyries, 5.46, 4th quarter

We’re heading toward a nerve-shredding finish at Chase Center. Golden State have trimmed Atlanta’s lead to three points, with Kaila Charles providing another timely spark off the bench.

Charles picked Rhyne Howard’s pocket and raced away for a lay-up, then came up with a block on Howard at the other end. The Valkyries have struggled mightily from three-point range, but their defensive intensity is keeping them within touching distance.

Atlanta haven’t exactly been lighting it up either. Reese and Gray have missed opportunities inside, although Hillmon’s lay-up briefly restored a five-point cushion.

Now Reese has been whistled for a loose-ball foul as Golden State secure another offensive rebound. Also, Howard appears to have hurt herself and gingerly makes her way off the court.

Dream 58-52 Valkyries, 8.48, 4th quarter

An eventful start to the final period with a lengthy officiating review concluding a flagrant foul was committed Atlanta’s Naz Hillmon.

The officials upgraded Hillmon’s foul to a flagrant 1 after a review, sending Cecilia Zandalasini to the line for three free throws. But the Golden State forward missed her first two attempts before converting the third, leaving the Valkyries with only one point from the opportunity.

Rhyne Howard had earlier made both her free throws to stretch Atlanta’s advantage to seven, their largest lead since the opening quarter.

Another momentum swing at Chase Center. Golden State briefly reclaimed the lead with a 7-0 run midway through the third quarter, but Atlanta have finished the period with six unanswered points to take a five-point advantage into the final 10 minutes.

Gray has continued to lead the way on offense for the Dream, scoring twice in the final two minutes, including a 10-foot jumper with nine seconds remaining. Jordin Canada also knocked down a pair of free throws as Atlanta capitalized on another Valkyries scoring drought.

Dream 50-51 Valkyries, 2.58, 3rd quarter

The Ballhalla crowd is in full throat as the Valks have stormed back once again, ripping off a 7-0 run to reclaim the lead and force Dream coach Karl Smesko into another timeout.

Laeticia Amihere has provided the spark, scoring twice inside, including a putback after a Tiffany Hayes missed lay-up. Kaila Charles then buried a three-pointer to bring Golden State within a point before Amihere finished a layup off Kaitlyn Chen’s pass to put the hosts ahead.

Atlanta had previously stretched their advantage to six on an Isobel Borlase fadeaway, but two turnovers from Jordin Canada helped Golden State turn the momentum around.

Dream 48-44 Valkyries, 4.46, 3rd quarter

Golden State’s offense has gone ice cold. After Gabby Williams tied the game at 44 apiece with a pull-up jumper, Rhyne Howard answered with a basket inside and Jordin Canada added a layup to give Atlanta a four-point cushion.

The Valkyries have missed their last seven shots, including three attempts from Williams, who has struggled to recapture the form that produced 16 second-quarter points.

Angel Reese has made her presence felt defensively, swatting away a Kaila Charles layup, although she has also picked up two fouls in quick succession. Both teams are finding points harder to come by after that fast-paced first half.

Dream 44-42 Valkyries, 8.54, 3rd quarter

Atlanta have come out firing after the break and are back in front thanks to a five-point flurry. Rhyne Howard buried a 27-foot three-pointer to tie the game on the Dream’s opening possession, before Allisha Gray knocked down two free throws to restore their lead.

Golden State, meanwhile, have missed their first four shots of the second half, including two attempts from Tiffany Hayes.

While the players battle it out at Chase Center, outgoing WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has been taking something of a victory lap. Speaking before Game 1 of the finals, Engelbert hailed what she called the most successful season in league history, pointing to record television audiences, attendance and commercial growth during the WNBA’s 30th anniversary campaign.

More than 90 million unique viewers watched WNBA coverage in the United States this season, according to Engelbert, with fans consuming a record 320m hours of basketball. Nearly 3.8 million spectators attended regular-season games, another all-time high, while almost two-thirds of games sold out.

Engelbert, who is preparing to step down after seven and a half years in charge, also praised Golden State’s extraordinary rise, describing the expansion franchise as a “great playbook” for building a successful WNBA organization.

“Every time I come here, I’m amazed at what has been accomplished in a short period of time,” she said.

The commissioner confirmed that the league remains on schedule to introduce a centralized replay center in 2027, following a multimillion-dollar renovation of its facility in New Jersey.

But she also acknowledged the challenges facing her successor, particularly the relationship between players and league leadership.

“I think in collective bargaining, yes, there was a lot of contentiousness,” Engelbert said, defending the negotiations that produced this year’s new agreement.

She also condemned the racism and misogyny directed at players online, saying the league had increased security measures to protect them.

What a turnaround at Chase Center! Golden State have outscored Atlanta 28-17 in the second quarter to take a three-point lead into the break, having trailed by eight after the opening session.

Gabby Williams has been the difference. After going scoreless in the first quarter, the French international exploded for 16 points in the second, knocking down three three-pointers and spearheading the comeback. Cecilia Zandalasini has added seven points, while Kiah Stokes has six points and four blocks.

On the other side, Atlanta have lost the offensive rhythm that powered their blistering start. Angel Reese leads the Dream with 14 points and six rebounds, while Allisha Gray has 13 points and Jordin Canada seven assists. But Atlanta are shooting just 39.4% from the field and 23.1% from beyond the arc.

From 22-14 down to 42-39 ahead: Ballhalla has come roaring back to life.

Dream 37-42 Valkyries, 1.28, 2nd quarter

Gabby Williams has taken over! After going scoreless in the opening quarter, the Golden State star has sparked a remarkable turnaround, scoring seven unanswered points in just over a minute to give the Valkyries their first lead since 14-3.

Williams tied the game with a driving layup, buried a three-pointer after Tiffany Hayes stole an errant Angel Reese pass, then picked off Jordin Canada and raced away for another basket.

That’s a 10-0 Golden State run since Atlanta led 37-32 and Chase Center is rocking. The Dream, who led by as many as 10 points, suddenly cannot buy a bucket.

Dream 37-35 Valkyries, 4.36, 2nd quarter

Golden State continue to chip away at Atlanta’s lead, with Kaila Charles scoring on a putback after Laeticia Amihere split a pair of free throws. The Dream have gone cold offensively, missing their last three shots and committing a turnover, although Naz Hillmon came up with a big block on Veronica Burton. Atlanta still lead 37-35, but Karl Smesko has seen enough and calls timeout with 2.40 to go until the intermission.

Dream 35-32 Valkyries, 4.36, 2nd quarter

Golden State are finding their footing now. Gabby Williams has come alive after a scoreless first quarter, knocking down another three-pointer and a pull-up jumper, while Cecilia Zandalasini has chipped in five points. The Valkyries have clawed their way back into this one, but Atlanta are holding firm thanks to baskets from Isobel Borlase and Rhyne Howard. Angel Reese will shoot two free throws coming out of the official timeout.

Dream 29-20 Valkyries, 7.13, 2nd quarter

Golden State have shown signs of life to start the second quarter, with Gabby Williams knocking down her first shot of the night and Kiah Stokes adding a bucket inside. But Allisha Gray has answered at the other end, ratting off seven quick points, including a 28-footer to keep Atlanta in front.

Atlanta trailed 14-11 after Chen’s three-pointer with 2:48 remaining, but Golden State failed to score again.

Reese took over, scoring nine of Atlanta’s final 11 points. She converted two layups to put the Dream ahead 15-14, added another inside, split a pair of free throws and finished with a driving finger-roll layup with 13.8 seconds left. Gray contributed two free throws as Golden State missed their final five shots.

The numbers tell the story of Golden State’s offensive struggles. The Valkyries shot just 28.6% from the field and a miserable one-for-11 from three-point range. Gabby Williams missed all four of her attempts, while Kiah Stokes supplied three blocked shots at the other end.

Atlanta, meanwhile, shot 45% from the floor and outscored Golden State 16-10 in the paint. An emphatic opening statement from the visitors, who have silenced Ballhalla for the time being.

Dream 11-14 Valkyries, 2.48, 1st quarter

Kaitlyn Chen banks in a 24-footer for three to give the Valkyries their first lead of the game while extending a run of nine unanswered points over the last two and a half minutes.

Dream 11-7 Valkyries, 4.57, 1st quarter

Bonner makes an immediate impact with a running lay-up while Burton continues to carry the scoring load for Golden State. Valks are within four at the first official timeout.

Dream 7-5 Valkyries, 6.59, 1st quarter

Atlanta sprint out to a 7-2 lead behind an Allisha Gray lay-up, a Naz Hillmon three and an Angel Reese lay-up off a Jordin Canada assist. But Verona Burton closes it to 7-5 with an old-fashioned three-point play. Atlanta makes the first sub of the game as the ageless DeWanna Bonner enters the game for Hillmon.

We should be under way any moment now at Ballhalla. Here are the starters for both teams.

Atlanta Dream

• PG: Jordin Canada (#3)

• SG: Allisha Gray (#15)

• SF: Rhyne Howard (#10)

• PF: Naz Hillmon (#00)

• C: Angel Reese (#5)

• PG: Veronica Burton (#22)

• SG: Cecilia Zandalasini (#24)

• SF: Gabby Williams (#1)

• PF: Kayla Thornton (#5)

• C: Kiah Stokes (#41)

As the WNBA finals tip off, the league finds itself at the center of a rightwing campaign targeting transgender athletes – despite having no trans players. But its deeply rooted LGBTQ+ fanbase is pushing back, turning arenas and sports bars into spaces of resistance and solidarity. From New York to San Francisco, fans are fighting to preserve the inclusive spirit that has long defined women’s basketball.

The scene at Wilka’s, where a sign reading “trans people belong in sports” hangs prominently behind the bar, exemplifies much of the WNBA fanbase, which, like the league itself, is heavily queer. But many wouldn’t know that from reading recent headlines about the league. Since the summer, the WNBA has become the target of rightwing activists pushing their agenda to ban trans women and girls from sports. The league has no explicit rule barring or permitting trans women and there are no trans women in the WNBA.

In response, many of the league’s players and fans have made clear they don’t align with anti-trans rhetoric. Several players, like the Chicago Sky’s Natasha Cloud and the Golden State Valkyries’ Gabby Williams, have voiced their support for the trans community; Williams said in May that she would “welcome” a trans teammate anytime.

Fans, too, have loudly pushed back – holding rallies, bringing signs into the games and even defending their sports bars, meant as a safe space for women and LGBTQ+ fans, from aggression. As the WNBA finals between the Dream and the Golden State Valkyries tip off Saturday, the pro-trans, pro-Black, pro-queer fanbase wants to remind others of the original ethos of women’s sports: inclusion and community.

“It’s not about protecting women’s sports,” Allie, another Liberty fan at Wilka’s who asked to go by their first name, said about the anti-trans backlash facing the WNBA. ”And I feel better knowing the fact that the majority of the fanbase is standing up, saying: ‘No, this isn’t right.’”

Angel Reese insists the occasion won’t overwhelm Atlanta as the Dream prepare for their first WNBA finals appearance in 13 years – even if the atmosphere inside Golden State’s famously raucous Chase Center promises to be something special.

“Not really,” Reese said Friday when asked whether the finals felt different from previous playoff games. “I think all of us have been in a stage where we played for some type of championship or played for something at a high stake.”

The WNBA’s defensive player of the year did, however, acknowledge the challenge of playing in front of the Valkyries’ passionate home crowd.

“I know the environment in Ballhalla is great. The energy is great. They have great fan support. They love women’s basketball here and what they’ve been able to do in a year and a half, two years is really cool to see.”

Veteran DeWanna Bonner, a two-time WNBA champion, has been urging her younger teammates to savor the experience without changing their approach.

“Don’t change anything. Do what got you here,” Bonner said. “You never know when you’re going to get back here again. It’s really hard to get back here again, so also make sure you’re having fun out there and soaking it all in.”

For Rhyne Howard, the moment is a measure of just how far Atlanta have come.

“Nobody thought that we would make it to the finals, and we’re doing that, we’re achieving that,” she said. “We set out goals long before this year, and it’s finally coming to fruition.”

Atlanta guard Allisha Gray could return from a finger injury for today’s game with coach Karl Smesko optimistic about her availability. Gray, the team’s leading scorer during the regular season at 19.0 points per game, missed the final two games of the Dream’s semi-final sweep of New York after injuring the ring finger on her shooting hand. She participated in light practice Friday.

“She’s going to go through the workout today. Everything’s trending in the right direction,” Smesko said during Saturday’s pre-game availability. “It’s a hand injury, so if she can go I don’t expect there to be anything [limiting] other than if she has trouble with it during the game.”

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Game 1 of the WNBA finals, where the Golden State Valkyries host the Atlanta Dream in a matchup that few people saw coming. The Valkyries, in only their second year of existence, host a Dream outfit making their first finals appearance in 13 years. Whatever happens over the next two weeks, the WNBA is guaranteed a first-time champion.

After becoming the first WNBA expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in their inaugural campaign, Natalie Nakase’s Golden State have taken another enormous leap, finishing 32-12 before ousting the Dallas in the opening round before sweeping the defending champion Las Vegas in the semi-finals. Atlanta’s journey has been lengthier, but no less compelling. The Dream have reached the finals for the first time since 2013, having lost all three of their previous appearances in the championship round. Under second-year coach Karl Smesko, they have transformed into a defensive powerhouse, sweeping Washington and New York to reach this stage unbeaten in the postseason. Angel Reese, acquired from Chicago before the season, has been a revelation, winning defensive player of the year honors while averaging 18.0 points and 8.4 rebounds in the playoffs.

If you’re expecting a high-scoring spectacle, you might want to recalibrate. These are the league’s two best defensive teams, accounting for six of this season’s 10 All-Defensive selections. Golden State’s Gabby Williams has been magnificent throughout the playoffs, averaging 22.2 points per game, while Veronica Burton and Kiah Stokes anchor a disciplined, relentlessly physical system. Atlanta counter with Reese, Rhyne Howard and the playmaking brilliance of Jordin Canada, though the availability of leading scorer Allisha Gray remains uncertain because of a hand injury.

The Valkyries swept all three regular-season meetings, but these teams haven’t faced each other since early July. And Golden State will have another advantage today: the thunderous support of Chase Center, affectionately known as Ballhalla, where the league’s best-supported franchise have turned home games into something approaching a civic movement.

Tipoff is scheduled for 3.30pm ET (8.30pm BST). We’ll have plenty more of build-up between now and then.

Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s a look at our writers’ predictions for the series ahead.