Valkyries host Dream in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday, with a first title guaranteed for one of them
Golden State, in their second season, have home court after a 32-12 regular season and won all three meetings with Atlanta. The Dream are back in the Finals for the first time since 2013, and they have never won a Finals game.
By Renee CastellanoDesk name · October 13, 2026 · 3 min read
Gabby Williams scored 23, 16 and 19 points in Golden State's three regular-season games against Atlanta, and the Valkyries won all three. On Saturday, October 17, the two teams start the WNBA Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco, and one of them will win a championship for the first time.
The Valkyries began play in 2025. They finished this regular season 32-12, two games better than Atlanta at 30-14, so they have home court: Games 1 and 2 are in San Francisco, Games 3 and 4 in Atlanta. The Finals are a best-of-seven series.
The Dream have been here three times before, in 2010, 2011 and 2013, and were swept each time. They have never won a game in the WNBA Finals.
How they got here
Both teams swept their semifinals 3-0.
Golden State beat the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 71-60, 83-81 and 87-77 in overtime. In the clincher in Las Vegas, the Valkyries came back from 11 points down, Kiah Stokes blocked A'ja Wilson with 28.6 seconds left in regulation, and Golden State won overtime 16-6. Kayla Thornton led them with 18 points, and Williams scored eight of her 16 in overtime.
Atlanta beat the New York Liberty 92-82, 101-98 in overtime and 85-83 at Barclays Center. In the clincher, Angel Reese scored 22 points, Rhyne Howard 21, and Jordin Canada 19 with 11 assists. The Dream won the last two games without Allisha Gray, who missed them with a left hand injury from Game 1.
The regular-season series
The Valkyries won 77-66 and 78-75 in June, then 88-83 on July 4.
- Game 1, 77-66: Gabby Williams scored 23 and Kayla Thornton 17. Madina Okot led Atlanta with 16.
- Game 2, 78-75: Williams scored 16, and Kiah Stokes and Kaitlyn Chen 13 each. Canada had 23 for the Dream and Gray 14.
- Game 3, 88-83: Veronica Burton scored 21 and Williams 19. Gray scored 22, Howard 19 and Reese 17 for Atlanta.
Atlanta lost all three by a combined 19 points, and two of the three by five or fewer.
What to watch
Gray's hand. Gray scored 14 and 22 in two of the three regular-season meetings. If she is back for the Finals, Atlanta add a scorer who was missing for most of the semifinal.
The Valkyries' defense in tight games. Golden State held Las Vegas to 60 points in Game 1 and won Game 2 by two on a late Stokes block. Two of their three wins over Atlanta were by three and five points.
Reese and Howard. The two scored 43 between them in the semifinal clincher, and Reese reached double figures in all three regular-season games against Golden State.
Schedule
- Game 1: Saturday, October 17, at Golden State (Chase Center)
- Game 2: Monday, October 19, at Golden State
- Game 3: Wednesday, October 21, at Atlanta (State Farm Arena)
- Game 4: Saturday, October 24, at Atlanta
- Game 5, if needed: Monday, October 26, at Golden State
- Game 6, if needed: Thursday, October 29, at Atlanta
- Game 7, if needed: Saturday, October 31, at Golden State
What is next
Game 1 tips off on Saturday afternoon in San Francisco, Eastern time 3:30 p.m.
Opinion: Victor Ashby argues the 3-0 regular-season series is the weakest evidence in this matchup, and picks the Dream to win the Finals.
Update: Game 1 went to Golden State, 68-64, with Gabby Williams scoring 26.
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