Gabby Williams scored a game-high 26 points, including four crucial free throws in the final 78 seconds, to lift the Golden State Valkyries past the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals.
Williams, who finished runner-up to Atlanta's Angel Reese in the Defensive Player of the Year voting, has emerged as the Valkyries' offensive spearhead through the playoffs and carried the scoring load on a night when the home side shot poorly. It was a game in which no other Valkyries player reached double figures.
The French star got off to a slow start, failing to score in the first quarter as Golden State came out tentatively in front of a roaring Chase Center crowd. Williams then erupted for 16 points in the second half.
"When we all just started playing loose and the excitement spread, we gradually found our rhythm," Williams said in an on-court interview. "Tonight it felt like there was a lid on the rim, but that's why we lean on our defense."
Golden State trailed by a point with 1:18 remaining before Williams grabbed the rebound off a missed shot by Atlanta's Allisha Gray and was fouled by Reese. Williams sank both free throws to put the Valkyries up 65-64, then added two more to seal the win with 4.1 seconds left.
"The game comes down to getting stops, and that's been our strength all year," Williams said. Her team allowed 335 fewer points than any other WNBA team this season. "That's why we emphasize it so much, because we've built really good defensive habits."
Gray, the Dream's leading scorer, returned after missing two games with a hand injury and scored 19 points, but went scoreless in the fourth quarter — a period in which Atlanta made just 2 of 19 shots.
Reese added 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Rhyne Howard scored 12 for Atlanta. The Dream managed just 2 points in the entire fourth quarter; Gray was shut out over the final 10 minutes, and Reese scored all 14 of her points in the first quarter.
"I don't think they really did anything special," Reese said. "Maybe it's on me; I wasn't aggressive enough with the ball, didn't fight for the ball and didn't get to the right spots. I'll definitely be better next game."
The Valkyries will host the Dream in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series on Monday. Both teams are chasing the first WNBA championship in their history. The Dream have reached the Finals three times without winning, most recently in 2013. The Valkyries last year became the first WNBA expansion team to reach the playoffs in their inaugural season, and are now contending for the title in their second.
