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Valkyries take Game 1

Sports · Heat 1.0 / 10 · 2 shows · 29m airtime

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.

How 2 podcasts covered it

  1. The Ringer WNBA Show, 2026-10-18 (3:34 to 4:50)
    Recaps Golden State's 68-64 home win
    Opens the episode with a Game 1 recap: Golden State protects home court 68-64 in Valhalla. Barnes is baffled by how Atlanta lost control late, noting Gabby Williams needed help and Angel Reese went missing in the second half.
  2. The Ringer WNBA Show, 2026-10-18 (5:25 to 10:04)
    Explains how Atlanta lost control
    Breaks down how Atlanta controlled most of Game 1 and still lost, crediting Golden State's pick-and-roll-heavy defense for wearing down Reese and Hillmon. Stays inside the Game 1 result already on the record.
  3. The Ringer WNBA Show, 2026-10-18 (10:04 to 16:22)
    Goes deep on Williams' Game 1
    Goes deep on Gabby Williams' Game 1: 22 shots, the only Valkyrie in double figures, six for six from the line in the fourth and a team-high plus-16. Adds her second-quarter burst and the mid-range counters to the record.
    New angle: Gabby Williams was the only Valkyrie in double figures in Game 1, with a team-high plus-16.
  4. The Ringer WNBA Show, 2026-10-18 (16:16 to 20:00)
    Runs the box score for bench minutes
    Runs the Game 1 box score for bench minutes and finds Atlanta's biggest red flag: the Dream were outscored by 6 in Reese's 5 minutes off the floor and by 11 in Hillmon's 10, and Golden State won the possession battle, outshooting Atlanta by 14.
    New angle: Atlanta was outscored by 6 in Reese's 5 minutes off and by 11 in Hillmon's 10 in Game 1.
  5. The Ringer WNBA Show, 2026-10-18 (20:04 to 23:23)
    Breaks down Atlanta's final possession
    Breaks down Atlanta's final possession of Game 1: Ryan Howard's turnover and contested three after Alicia Gray slipped, and the case that Gray should have had the ball. Stays inside the Game 1 tape, with a note that the Dream won't shoot 4 for 25 again.
  6. Nightcap, 2026-10-18 (2:59 to 10:50)
    Breaks down the 7-0 closing run
    Breaks down Golden State's 68-64 Game 1 win: the 7-0 closing run, Atlanta's 0-7 finish, Gray's 19 in her return and the Valkyries' 3-0 season series. Frames it as a winnable game Atlanta squandered and sizes up the seven-game series.
    New angle: The Valkyries closed Game 1 on a 7-0 run as Atlanta went 0-7 in the final 2:53.
  7. Nightcap, 2026-10-18 (48:56 to 50:51)
    Runs a rapid weekend rundown and congrats
    Closes the show with a rapid weekend rundown - BYU over Notre Dame, Miami over Florida State in overtime, Auburn over Georgia, Florida over Texas - and a one-line congratulations to the Valkyries on Game 1. Recap only, no new ground.
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