The Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on October 18, 2026, closing on a 7-0 run while Atlanta went 0-7 over the final 2:53. Gabby Williams was the only Valkyrie in double figures, with a team-high plus-16. The discussion credits Golden State's defense and weighs Atlanta's chances in the best-of-seven, with attention on the minutes Atlanta was outscored by 6 without Reese and by 11 without Hillmon.