The Golden State Valkyries on Saturday survived the Atlanta Dream to win Game 1 of what promises to be a long, grueling WNBA Finals series.
Vakyries star Gabby Williams scored a game-high 26 points -- including 16 in the second quarter -- as Golden State held on for a 68-64 win at Chase Center, in the first WNBA Finals game held inside a raucous Ballhalla.
But a late collision between Williams and Dream guard Jordin Canada prompted concern for Golden State, and her status going forward will be something to monitor.
MORE: Gabby Williams, defense carry Golden State to Game 1 win
After she sank a pair of free throws with 2:15 to go in the fourth quarter, Williams fell to the court after Canada boxed her out at the free throw line.
Williams got up gingerly while massaging her left knee. The Defensive Player of the Year runner-up was in visible pain over the next couple of possessions before she received treatment on the Valkyries bench during a timeout.
Gabby Williams limping and in discomfort after collision with Jordin Canada. https://t.co/6pP3zw1GG2
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) October 17, 2026Williams seemed to walk off the pain and drained two more free throws with 4.1 seconds left to close out the win. It is highly unlikely that she will miss any time given how much is on the line, but if she is hampered in any way, the knock-on effect to Golden State's offense could be significant.
That said, the Valkyries just pulled off a win in a game where they scored just 26 points in the second half thanks to their greatest strength: team defense.
Golden State held Atlanta to 32.1 percent shooting and erased a five-point deficit entering the fourth quarter by holding the Dream to just two made field goals in the final 10 minutes.
Whether Williams is limited or not, the Golden State defense will remain strong as the Valkyries try to go up 2-0 in the series on Monday night.
