Valkyries beat Dream 68-64 in WNBA Finals Game 1

Golden State took the opening game of the best-of-seven series, with Williams scoring 26 points and hitting late free throws.

By Standard Topic. AI-generated from the reporting listed under Coverage. Published October 17, 2026. Updated October 17, 2026.

This story is no longer being updated. It reflects reporting up to October 17, 2026.

What happened

The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. Williams scored 26 points and made late free throws to secure the win. Atlanta had entered the series for its first WNBA Finals appearance, with Angel Reese saying the team would not shy away from the moment.

Why it matters

Golden State now leads the best-of-seven series 1-0. The result gives the Valkyries the early advantage in the championship series.

Timeline

Oct 17, 3:08 PM ET: Game 1 of the WNBA Finals was scheduled to tip off at 3:30 PM ET, with Golden State hosting Atlanta.
Oct 17, 4:01 PM ET: Dream coach Karl Smesko said he was optimistic that forward Allisha Gray would return from a finger injury to play in Game 1.
Oct 17, 7:38 PM ET: Golden State held a 68-64 lead, taking a 1-0 series lead over Atlanta.
Oct 17, 8:23 PM ET: The Valkyries held off the Dream 68-64 in Game 1, with Williams scoring 26 points and hitting late free throws.

Coverage

Williams' 26, late free throws lift Valkyries past Dream in Game 1 (espn.com) October 17, 2026
How Golden State held court to take 1-0 lead over Atlanta (ESPN) October 17, 2026
Dream's Gray expected to play in Game 1 of WNBA Finals (espn.com) October 17, 2026
Atlanta Dream v Golden State Valkyries: WNBA finals 2026 Game 1 (The Guardian) October 17, 2026
Dream's Reese won't 'shy away' from big stage of WNBA Finals (espn.com) October 16, 2026
Reese or Williams at No. 1? Ranking the top 15 players in the WNBA Finals (espn.com) October 16, 2026

Valkyries beat Dream 68-64 in WNBA Finals Game 1

What happened

Why it matters

Timeline

Coverage

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