Valkyries grind out 68-64 Game 1 win over Dream to open WNBA Finals

The Golden State Valkyries opened the WNBA Finals with a defensive grind, beating the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 at Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday and taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Gabby Williams carried the second-seeded Valkyries with a game-high 26 points, scoring the key baskets down the stretch as Golden State closed the game on a 7-0 run, according to USA Today.

Atlanta led 64-61 after Rhyne Howard knocked down two free throws with 3:12 remaining, but the Dream went scoreless over the final three minutes — missing their last four three-point attempts and committing key turnovers, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. Williams drew a shooting foul and hit two free throws with 2:15 left to cut the lead to one, then drew another foul on Angel Reese at the 1:18 mark and sank both to put Golden State ahead 65-64 for good.

Kiah Stokes split a pair of free throws with 24 seconds remaining to make it 66-64, and Williams sealed it with two more free throws with four seconds left. Reese fouled out with 24 seconds remaining.

Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 19 points, shooting 8-for-8 from the line while playing through an injured left ring finger, after returning from a nearly two-week absence. Reese finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Howard added 12 points and seven rebounds. The Valkyries’ bench outscored Atlanta’s 20-6, and Golden State shot 33% from the field to the Dream’s 32%.

The win extends Golden State’s dominance of the matchup: the Valkyries swept all three regular-season meetings with Atlanta. The Dream had been unbeaten in the playoffs, sweeping Washington and New York to reach the Finals, while Golden State advanced past the Aces and survived the Dallas Wings in a decisive Game 3 of the semifinals.

Game 2 stays in San Francisco on Monday, October 19, at 8 p.m. ET, broadcast on USA and Peacock, theScore reported.