Gabby Williams rallies Valkyries past Dream in Finals Game 1

Gabby Williams delivered when Golden State needed it most, scoring 26 points and sealing a 68-64 win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday at Chase Center. Williams made six free throws in the final 2:15 as the Valkyries finished on a 7-0 run, turning a late deficit into a 1-0 series lead.

Atlanta led by three with just over three minutes remaining, but the Dream did not score again. After trailing by seven earlier in the fourth quarter, Golden State tightened defensively and found just enough offense to complete the comeback. Atlanta managed only eight points in the final period and did not make a field goal after Jordin Canada's jumper with 4:23 left.

Golden State flips the game late

One of the biggest sequences came with the Valkyries down 62-59. Veronica Burton blocked Canada's layup attempt, and Kiah Stokes followed by rejecting Angel Reese on the same possession. Tiffany Hayes secured the rebound and pushed the ball ahead to Williams, who converted a running layup with 3:22 left to cut the margin to one. Instead of facing a possible five-point hole, Golden State was suddenly back within striking distance.

Rhyne Howard briefly restored Atlanta's three-point cushion by making two free throws, but Williams answered from the line. Her second pair gave Golden State a 65-64 lead with 1:18 remaining, and the Valkyries never trailed again. Stokes split two free throws with 23.8 seconds left to make it 66-64, then Williams added two more with 4.1 seconds remaining after Allisha Gray missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer.

Atlanta still had chances. Reese stole the ball from Williams twice in the final 1:41, but the Dream could not turn either takeaway into points. Gray missed a layup after the first steal, and Naz Hillmon missed a 3-pointer after the second.

Defense decides the finish

Stokes finished with five blocks, and Golden State's defense changed the game in the closing minutes. The Valkyries also fed off a loud home crowd that repeatedly voiced frustration with the officiating. Chants of "Refs you suck" echoed through Chase Center, especially after a late sequence in which Howard drove to the basket, Burton was called for a foul, and officials reviewed the play for a possible hostile act before deciding there would be no foul on Howard. Howard made both free throws to give Atlanta its final points at 64-61.

Less than a minute later, Hayes went down holding her face after attempting a steal just before Burton blocked Gray's shot. No foul was called and no review followed, bringing another strong reaction from the crowd.

The free-throw totals reflected the tension. Through three quarters, Atlanta had attempted 17 foul shots to Golden State's five. The Dream finished 18-for-21 at the line, while the Valkyries went 11-for-16.

Reese starts fast, Williams takes over

Although both teams are known for defense, the first half produced 81 combined points. Reese powered Atlanta early, scoring 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting in the first quarter. She had nine points during an 11-0 run that turned a 14-11 deficit into a 22-14 Dream lead.

But Reese did not make another field goal after that opening quarter. She finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, with her remaining points coming on second-quarter free throws. Gray led Atlanta with 19 points, and her two late jumpers in the third quarter helped the Dream take a 56-51 lead into the fourth after Golden State managed only nine points in the period.

Williams carried the Valkyries offensively. She scored all 16 of her first-half points in the second quarter, shooting 6-for-9 and hitting three 3-pointers as Golden State outscored Atlanta 28-17 in the period to take a 42-39 halftime lead. Even then, coach Natalie Nakase made clear she wanted more, saying at the break that her team had been "sleeping the whole first quarter" and that its defense was "terrible right now."

After halftime, the game finally matched the defensive reputation of both rosters. The teams combined for only 51 points in the second half. Golden State found enough through Williams. Atlanta, despite multiple opportunities, could not find one last basket.