Valkyries beat Dream 68-64 in WNBA Finals opener

The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals, taking the opener after Atlanta went scoreless over the final stretch. Gabby Williams led Golden State with 26 points, while the Dream’s Angel Reese finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds but did not score in the second half. Atlanta started strongly, leading 22-14 after the first quarter. Golden State answered in the second, outscoring the Dream 28-17 to take a 42-39 halftime lead. Williams scored 16 points in that quarter, helping the Valkyries recover from their slow start. The teams traded momentum after the break. Atlanta moved ahead 56-51 after three quarters and led 64-61 after Rhyne Howard made two free throws with 3:12 remaining. The Dream did not score again. Williams made two free throws with 1:18 left to give Golden State a 65-64 lead, then added two more with 4.1 seconds remaining to secure the win. Reese, making her Finals debut, had 14 points and six rebounds by halftime. Her final line included 12 rebounds, five fouls, two steals and four turnovers, according to game coverage. She scored no points after the break. Williams was Golden State’s only player with more...