Valkyries beat Dream 68-64 in WNBA Finals Game 1 behind Gabby Williams

The Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the best-of-seven WNBA Finals at Chase Center. Al Jazeera, ESPN and the Associated Press (AP) all reported the result.

Gabby Williams scored 26 points, a game high according to Al Jazeera and ESPN. With 1:18 remaining, she made two free throws to put Golden State ahead, 65-64 according to Al Jazeera. She made two more with 4.1 seconds left to seal the win. No other Valkyries player scored in double figures.

Allisha Gray led the Dream with 19 points in her return from a hand injury. She did not score in the fourth quarter. Angel Reese had 14 points and 12 rebounds, all of her points coming in the first half. Rhyne Howard scored 12. Atlanta scored eight points in the fourth quarter.

Neither team has won a WNBA title. The Valkyries host Game 2 at Chase Center on Monday.

How the game turned

According to Al Jazeera, Golden State trailed by one when Williams took a rebound off a miss by Gray and was fouled by Reese. ESPN reported that Golden State closed the game on a 7-0 run, with Williams scoring six of those points. According to ESPN, the Dream went 0-for-7 from the field in the final 2:53 and shot 4-of-25 from 3-point range overall.

According to ESPN, Gray injured the ring finger on her left shooting hand in Game 1 of the semifinals. Al Jazeera reports she missed two games. ESPN said the loss ended Atlanta's 10-game winning streak. According to Al Jazeera, the Dream have reached the Finals three times before without winning, most recently in 2013.

What is disputed

Al Jazeera put Atlanta's fourth-quarter shooting at 2 of 19 attempts. ESPN reported 2-for-20. The two outlets also render Williams's postgame remark on defense slightly differently.

What each side says

Williams credited her team's defense. "There was a lid on that basket tonight, but that's why we rely on our defence," Al Jazeera quoted her as saying. ESPN quoted her as saying: "Even though we were down with a few minutes left, I think we had the game right where we wanted it."

Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase linked the late defense to the team's philosophy. "That's been our identity. We rely on it. We know it's effort. We know it's the details," ESPN quoted her as saying.

Reese played down Golden State's role. "I don't think they really did anything," Al Jazeera quoted her as saying. She also said she "wasn't aggressive enough with the ball" and would do better next game, according to Al Jazeera.

Dream coach Karl Smesko said his team fell into too much one-on-one play in the second half and did not get Reese enough touches, according to ESPN. "We were right there. Right there. That's why it hurts a little bit, but it also motivates us," ESPN quoted him as saying.

Analysis

Game 1 was decided by defense and late free throws rather than shooting. Both teams are seeking a first WNBA title, so every result carries weight. Golden State's case rests on its defense, which Al Jazeera reports allowed 335 fewer points than any other team this season. Atlanta's coach and Reese framed the loss mainly as their own shortfall, pointing to one-on-one play and limited touches for Reese. If Atlanta's shooting improves, the series could tighten. If Golden State's defense holds, its home record may matter. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe Gray's current injury status, which could also shape what happens next.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.