The Golden State Valkyries just made franchise history, snagging their first-ever WNBA Finals game win, beating the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in a defensive slugfest for Game 1. Talk about starting a series with a statement, even if it was a nail-biter all the way to the final buzzer.
Game 1 Was a Grind, From Start to Finish
Man, if you were hoping for an offensive fireworks show, this wasn’t it. This first contest of the seven-game series was tight, and I mean *tight*, with neither team ever grabbing a double-digit lead. The Dream actually came out firing in the first quarter, going up 22-14 with Angel Reese absolutely popping off for 11 points in those initial ten minutes. But don’t sleep on the Valkyries; they stormed right back in the second quarter. They put up 28 points in that frame, with Gabby Williams dropping a huge 16 points herself to turn the tide. Golden State took the lead into halftime, and you just knew both teams were gonna crank up the defense even more after that.
And crank it up they did! The entire second half became a full-blown defensive war. Golden State managed to outscore Atlanta 26-25 over the final 20 minutes, which, yeah, tells you everything you need to know about the shooting. Both teams struggled big time, hitting just 33 and 32 percent from the field for the game. From deep? Forget about it. Neither squad was better than 21 percent. Oof.
Gabby Williams: The Hero Golden State Deserved
When the chips were down, it was Gabby Williams who absolutely carried her team across the finish line. The veteran guard was unstoppable, pouring in 26 points, which not only led *all* players on the court but also made her the *only* Valkyries player to hit double-digit points. Seriously, how clutch is that? Late in the fourth quarter, with the game hanging in the balance, Williams coolly stepped to the line and drilled two free throws to take the lead. Then, to ice the game, she did it again, sinking another two free throws. And get this: she was doing all of this after potentially injuring her left leg. That’s grit, right there.
Atlanta’s offense just completely fell apart in that fourth quarter, scoring a paltry eight points. Angel Reese, who looked so dominant early, was much quieter to finish things out. To make matters worse, Tiffany Hayes had to head to the locker room for evaluation after a tough play where she was down holding her face. That’s a huge blow for the Dream as they try to figure out what went wrong.
Game 2 is set for Monday night, back in San Francisco. The Dream seriously need to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to get their offense going, especially in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Golden State is riding high on the momentum of their first-ever Finals win, and you know they’ll be looking to build on that defensive intensity. Get ready for another battle!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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