Gabby Williams went absolutely off for a game-high 26 points, including a monstrous 16 in the second quarter alone, as her Golden State Valkyries snatched a 68-64 home win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday afternoon. This wasn’t some easy cruise, though, because the Dream fought hard and actually led for most of the game, making this come-from-behind victory feel even more clutch for Golden State.
Angel Reese Dominated Early, But Golden State Kept Swinging
Talk about a rollercoaster start to the Finals! The Atlanta Dream came out blazing, taking a 22-14 lead after just one quarter thanks to a massive 11-0 run to close it out. Angel Reese was seriously on fire, dropping half of Atlanta’s points in that first frame, hitting an efficient 5-of-6 shots. She ended the game with a double-double, 14 points and 12 rebounds, showing that Finals mindset is real. But Golden State wasn’t about to roll over. They fired back with a ridiculous 28-17 second quarter, giving them the halftime edge. Williams, man, she almost outscored Atlanta all by herself in that quarter. It was pure madness, back-and-forth action from the jump.
Atlanta’s Allisha Gray Tried To Steal It, But Williams Had Other Plans
The pattern of alternating dominant quarters continued right into the third, and it was Atlanta’s turn again. All-Star guard Allisha Gray, who was just back in the lineup after missing almost three games with an injured ring finger on her shooting hand, decided it was time to show up. She scored six points and dished an assist in the third, as Atlanta outscored Golden State 17-9. Gray even capped the quarter with an off-balance two-pointer, a classic “how’d she do that?” moment. With Atlanta leading, it looked like they might just steal Game 1 on the road. But the Valkyries, the league’s top two most efficient defenses, you know they weren’t going to let it be easy. It became Golden State’s turn in the final frame. They locked down Atlanta, outscoring them 17-8 in the last 10 minutes, including a brutal 7-0 run, all on free throws, in the final 2:15 of regulation. And who was at the heart of that run? Gabby Williams, again, scoring six of those points and hitting a clutch shot earlier to cut Atlanta’s lead to 62-61. Unbelievable stuff.
Golden State now gets to host Atlanta for Game 2 on Monday at 8 p.m. ET. You know Atlanta is going to come out hungry after letting this one slip, especially after leading for so long. This series is already living up to the hype, and Game 2 is going to be an absolute must-watch. Can the Dream bounce back, or will the Valkyries ride this momentum? We’ll find out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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