The 2026 WNBA Finals is officially underway as Gabby Williams and the Golden State Valkyries landed the first punch by beating the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 on Saturday afternoon.

Golden State and Atlanta fought hard to get to the championship round of the 2026 playoffs. The former took down the Dallas Wings in the first round before taking down A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Atlanta eliminated the Washington Mystics before taking down the New York Liberty to make the final round.

Golden State has made incredible strides in its infancy as a franchise. They made the playoffs in their inaugural season and built on that by making the WNBA Finals the following year.

They look to win their first championship, as Williams set them on that path by having a great performance in Game 1. In 33 minutes of action, she delivered a stat line of 26 points, four rebounds, two assists, and one steal. She shot 8-of-22 from the field, including 3-of-11 from beyond the arc, and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.

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