Gabby Williams poured in a game-high 26 points, including four clutch free throws in the final 78 seconds, to lead the Golden State Valkyries to a hard-fought 68-64 victory over the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. The win came Saturday at Chase Center in San Francisco, California.

The Valkyries, an expansion franchise that reached the playoffs in its inaugural season last year, are now contending for their first WNBA title. The Atlanta Dream, meanwhile, are seeking their first championship after three previous Finals appearances, most recently in 2013.

Williams, who was the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year to Atlanta's Angel Reese, proved to be the offensive catalyst for the Valkyries on a night where the team struggled with shooting. Despite a slow start where she scored no points in the first quarter, Williams exploded for 16 points in the second quarter. Her late-game heroics included securing a rebound off a missed shot by Atlanta's Allisha Gray and drawing a foul from Reese, converting both free throws to give the Valkyries a 65-64 lead. She added two more free throws in the closing seconds to seal the win.

This victory places the Valkyries in a strong early position in the best-of-seven series, with Game 2 scheduled for Monday. The team's renowned defense, which has allowed fewer points than any other in the league this season, was again a key factor in their ability to hold off the Dream in the closing minutes.

Atlanta's Allisha Gray, returning from a hand injury, managed 19 points but was held scoreless in the critical fourth quarter. Angel Reese contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Rhyne Howard added 12 points for the Dream. The Dream's offense faltered significantly in the fourth quarter, managing only eight points in total, with Gray and Reese combining for no points in the final period.

Reese acknowledged her team's offensive struggles, stating she needed to be more aggressive. "I don’t think they really did anything. Maybe that was just on me; I wasn’t aggressive enough with the ball and trying to get the ball and get to my spot. I’m definitely going to do a better job of that next game," she commented after the game.

Williams highlighted the team's defensive prowess as their foundation. "It came down to getting stops and that’s been our bread-and-butter all year," Williams said. "That’s why we harp on it so much, because we’ve built such great defensive habits."

The Valkyries' ability to secure a win despite an off-night offensively, largely due to Williams' individual performance and the team's defensive intensity, sets a challenging tone for the remainder of the Finals series.