A historic night at Chase Center
The Golden State Valkyries hosted the Atlanta Dream on Saturday for Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, the franchise's first appearance in the championship series only two years after it began play. Chase Center, nicknamed Ballhalla in reference to the Norse inspiration behind the team's name, filled with purple as supporters turned out for the occasion, many in playoff shirts and elaborate costumes that stood apart from the usual look of Warriors postseason crowds in the same building.[S1]
The game itself was tight and low-scoring. Golden State started slowly and managed only nine points in the third quarter, then produced a stronger fourth to close out a 68-64 win. The result put the Valkyries one victory closer to a title in their Mission Bay home, and the noise after the final buzzer was loud enough that players covered their ears on the way to the locker room.[S1]
Defense dominates a matchup of top units
The series had been framed as a meeting of the league's best defensive teams. Golden State finished the regular season with the top defensive rating among the 15 clubs, Atlanta ranked third, and the two rosters supplied six of the ten All-Defense honorees. The opener matched that billing: the teams combined to shoot 32.4% from the field across 40 minutes.[S2]
Atlanta arrived as arguably the hotter side. The Dream had won ten straight games spanning five regular-season and five postseason contests, seven of them by double-digit margins, and they had just eliminated the defending champion Las Vegas Aces' conquerors in Golden State's case — the Valkyries swept Las Vegas in the semifinals. Allisha Gray scored on the opening possession, and Atlanta led 11-5 after four minutes.[S2]
Golden State answered with a 9-0 run capped by a Kaitlyn Chen three-pointer that banked in, giving the Valkyries their first lead at 14-11 while Atlanta missed six consecutive shots. Angel Reese, seventh in MVP voting and the Defensive Player of the Year, then took over at both ends and Atlanta closed the first quarter with an 11-0 surge to lead 22-14.[S2]
Williams carries Golden State
Gabby Williams was the only Valkyrie to reach double figures, finishing with 26 points, four rebounds and two assists, and her play pulled Golden State through as Atlanta held the advantage for stretches. The teams traded runs, and the best players on each side asserted themselves in the biggest moments, with Williams answering Reese's first-quarter burst.[S1][S2]
Golden State will try to extend its series lead on Monday in Game 2. The opener was one of the most significant days in Bay Area women's basketball, and the Valkyries now hold a 1-0 edge in a Finals that had been expected to be decided by defense.[S1]
