Gabby Williams Leads Valkyries to Game 1 WNBA Finals Victory Over Dream
Golden State rallies late, holds Atlanta scoreless in final minutes to take series lead.
The Golden State Valkyries erased a late deficit and closed Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on a 7-0 run to defeat the Atlanta Dream 68-64, taking a 1-0 series lead. Gabby Williams scored 26 points, including six crucial free throws in the final 2:15, to lead the comeback.
The Dream held a three-point lead with just over three minutes remaining but failed to score again. Atlanta's last field goal came with 4:23 left in the fourth quarter. The team missed multiple opportunities in the closing minutes, including a potential go-ahead three-pointer by Allisha Gray after a steal by Angel Reese.
Golden State's defense was instrumental in their rally. With the Valkyries trailing 62-59, Veronica Burton blocked Jordin Canada's layup attempt and Kiah Stokes rejected Angel Reese on the same possession. Tiffany Hayes secured the rebound and found Williams for a layup that cut the deficit to one. Stokes finished the game with five blocks.
Williams then hit four consecutive free throws to give the Valkyries a 65-64 lead with 1:18 remaining. After Reese twice stole the ball, giving Atlanta chances to regain the lead, Naz Hillmon missed a three-point attempt. Williams sealed the victory with two more free throws in the final seconds.
Fans at Chase Center expressed their displeasure with the officiating throughout the closing minutes, chanting "Refs you suck." Through three quarters, Atlanta had a significant advantage in free throw attempts, 17 to 5. The Dream finished 18-for-21 at the line, while the Valkyries were 11-for-16.
One controversial sequence involved a foul called on Veronica Burton, who went down holding her face. Officials reviewed the play for a hostile act by Rhyne Howard but assessed no foul. Howard made both free throws to give the Dream their final lead of 64-61. Later, Hayes also fell while attempting a steal, but no foul was called.
Angel Reese started strong for Atlanta, scoring 11 points in the first quarter on 5-of-6 shooting. She finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds. However, she did not make another field goal after the first quarter, scoring her remaining points from the free-throw line. Williams, meanwhile, took over in the second quarter, scoring 16 of her first-half points, including three three-pointers, to help Golden State take a 42-39 halftime lead.
The third quarter saw a defensive struggle, with Golden State scoring only nine points and Atlanta taking a 56-51 lead into the final frame. Gray led the Dream with 19 points. The teams combined for just 51 points in the second half, a stark contrast to the 81 points scored in the first half, reflecting the defensive reputations of both teams.