It should come as no surprise that this grueling seven-game series went down to the final minutes. But in the end, the Golden State Valkyries pulled it out to win the franchise’s first WNBA Championship, toppling the Atlanta Dream 68-63.
The Valkyries jumped out to an 8-0 run to begin the game, but Atlanta rallied to take the lead at 11-10. Golden State regained the lead 14-12 at the end of the first period. The Dream grabbed control of the game in the second quarter, outscoring the Valkyries 18-10. Jordin Canada did everything she could, scoring 11 of her 13 first-half points in the second quarter. The Dream led 30-24 at the end of the first half in a grind-out game. Canada led Atlanta in scoring with 18 points.
Game 7 took a massive turn late in the third period as the Dream led 40-34 with roughly three minutes to play in the quarter. Gabby Williams knocked down three consecutive three-pointers that sent Ballhalla into a frenzy. Williams scored the final 13 points in the quarter. Williams outscored the entire Atlanta Dream team by herself in the third period (15-14) as the Valkyries outscored them 21-14. That allowed them to carry a 45-44 lead into the final 10 minutes.
To the Dream’s credit, they didn’t go away or crumble. Trailing by five, Atlanta used a 7-2 run to tie the game on an Allisha Gray jumper with 5:14 left in the game. They tied it again at 57-57 with under three minutes left to play. But then Gabby Williams hit a deep 31-foot three-pointer right before the shot clock expired. Golden State would never trail again. Kiah Stokes had a monster putback layup from an offensive rebound with 54 seconds left to put the Valkyries ahead by seven (64-57), essentially sealing the victory for the Bay Area team.
Gabby Williams scored 28 of her 30 points in the second half and was named WNBA Finals MVP. She averaged 19.6 PPG during the pivotal seven-game series.
WNBA Finals Summary:
Game 1: Golden State 68 - Atlanta 64
Game 2: Atlanta 79 - Golden State 65
Game 3: Atlanta 97 - Golden State 71
Game 4: Golden State 67 - Atlanta 62
Game 5: Golden State 64 - Atlanta 55
Game 6: Atlanta 80 - Golden State 69
Game 7: Golden State 68 - Atlanta 63
Even though I correctly predicted (on social media) that the Valkyries would win the WNBA Finals over the Dream, I can’t say I saw this coming. If anything, I was a doubter of the Valkyries most of this season, at least as far as viewing them as a legit championship contender. I felt their lack of offense would prevent them from winning the championship this year. I knew they had excellent defense, but I felt their offense was too reliant on their three-point shooting. If their threes weren’t going down, I didn’t think the rest of their offense was sustainable to win important playoff series against other top teams.
I also didn’t see Gabby Williams as a player who could will her team to the title. I didn’t see her as an A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, or Jonquel Jones-type of player. I was wrong.
This was the first WNBA playoff series to go seven games. And I’m glad it was that competitive. And while I believe all reports are showing that these WNBA Finals did well with a large viewing audience. It certainly wasn’t the prettiest basketball we’ve seen in the WNBA. I’m not sure it was the best showcase for the casual fan.
As we saw throughout the series, both teams’ defenses got the better of the offenses. The Valkyries limited the Dream to just 33% (23-69 FG) from the floor. GSV wasn’t much better as they made 38% (24-64 FG). The entire Finals were pretty putrid from an offensive standpoint.
Golden State, the team that won the championship, never shot above 40% in any of the seven games. Atlanta only did it twice, in two of the three games they won. The Dream never shot above 50%. The full seven-game breakdown is listed below.
Game 1: ATL 33% - GSV 32%
Game 2: ATL 34% - GSV 34%
Game 3: ATL 49% - GSV 35%
Game 4: GSV 36% - ATL 33%
Game 5: GSV 39% - ATL 29%
Game 6: ATL 44% - GSV 31%
Game 7: GSV 38% - ATL 33%
The Valkyries only scored above 70 points once, and it was in Game 3 where they lost 97-71. In all four of their wins, they scored in the 60’s. It wasn’t pretty. I didn’t think they could get it done with that bad of an offense. I’m sure a lot of people felt the same. In the end, it doesn’t matter. Natalie Nakase is an excellent head coach, and she found a way to lead an expansion franchise to the WNBA title in just its second year of existence. Golden State’s primary owner, Joseph Lacob, promised the Valkyries would win the WNBA Championship within five years. They got it done in two. It’s truly a remarkable story, and something we’ll probably never see again in our lifetime.
And with that, the 2026 WNBA season has come to a close.
Notes:
Photo Credit to the WNBA/Golden State Valkyries
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Yay, Gabby! I was heartbroken when the Storm failed to keep her, but I so happy she found a coach that could really help her develop her potential. Love Gabby!
Smesko not going to his bench reminded me a lot of Noey in the years we went to the playoffs with her. The starters are just gassed by the time the 4th rolls around. Nakase really has an incredible system.