Daniel Chavkin Sat, October 17, 2026 at 9:52 PM UTC · 10 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dream vs. Valkyries live score, updates, highlights from WNBA Finals Game 1 of 2026 playoffs originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The 2026 WNBA may not feature any of the name-brand franchises, but it is still full of interesting storylines.
The Atlanta Dream return to the Finals with a perfect 5-0 record in the playoffs, having taken down the Washington Mystics in two games and the New York Liberty in three games. While this will be the Dream's WNBA Finals, the previous three appearances all came between 2010 and 2013 and resulted in losses.
Atlanta's most recognizable player is Angel Reese, who made a sizable impact in her first season with the team by anchoring the Dream's defense. Reese is joined by Rhyne Howard and Alisha Gray to form a fearsome trio on both sides of the ball, making it no surprise that Atlanta is one of the last teams remaining.
MORE : Watch Game 1 of the WNBA Finals live with Fubo (free trial)
However, the Dream will have to go through the Golden State Valkyries , who have produced a remarkable story of their own. In just their second season of existence, the Valkyries won 32 games to earn the No. 2 seed, then dispatched the Dallas Wings and Las Vegas Aces in the postseason to make their first-ever WNBA Finals appearance.
Golden State's headline player is Gabby Williams, who has averaged an impressive 22.7 points per game in the playoffs so far. Along with Williams, the Valkyries will send out a strong defensive group with Veronica Burton and Kiah Stokes leading the charge.
The Valkyries will have home-court advantage in this series, which could be key as the series unfolds. One way or another, the WNBA is getting a first-time champion this season.
The Sporting News is tracking live scores, updates and highlights from Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals between the Valkyries and Dream. Follow along for full updates from San Francisco.
MORE : Inside Angel Reese's championship history
5:52 p.m. : And that will do it! The Valkyries hold on to take Game 1!
5:51 p.m. : Allisha Gray misses a three, which could ice it here. The Valkyries head to the line with four seconds remaining.
5:48 p.m. : Stokes makes one of two from the line, so Golden State has a two-point lead with 23.8 seconds left.
5:47 p.m. : With the shot clock winding down, Naz Hillmon misses a three that is rebounded by Golden State. Angel Reese then fouls Kiah Stokes, who heads to the line.
5:44 p.m. : Williams now gives Golden State the lead with another two free throws. She's doing this all after potentially injuring her left leg.
5:43 p.m. : Williams makes two clutch free throws to cut the deficit to one. However, she turns the ball over on the next possession.
5:40 p.m. : After the break, Hayes heads back to the locker room to be further evaluated. The Dream are up three with 2:38 left.
5:37 p.m. : The Valkyries hard defense has Tiffany Hayes down on the floor holding her face.
5:32 p.m. : Both Kiah Stokes and Jordin Canada produce big buckets, keeping the score at a three-point Dream lead. Howard is back in the game.
5:26 p.m. : It is now a three-point game thanks to buckets from Kaila Charles and Tiffany Hayes. Rhyne Howard was down and may be injured at a break.
5:21 p.m. : With Atlanta up seven, Naz Hillmon is called for a Flagrant 1 call on Zandalasini, which could allow the Valkyries to cut into this lead.
5:13 p.m. : The end of the quarter comes with the Dream responding with a 6-0 run to take a five-point lead. Allisha Gray has 19 points to lead all scorers.
5:06 p.m. : The Valkyries are on a 7-0 run to flip the game and take a one-point lead. That run was highlighted by a Kaila Charles three that required a friendly bounce on the rim.
5:04 p.m. : The Dream have an 11-2 advantage in the third quarter as their defense has been impressive. Howard has also been a standout.
4:57 p.m. : With the Dream up two, the game has gotten a little chippy. Reese picks up her first two fouls while Atlanta's defense has tightened up.
4:52 p.m. : We are back for the third quarter, and a quick Howard three ties the game already.
4:36 p.m. : The first half comes to a close with Golden State up three points after a strong second quarter.
4:31 p.m. : It's the Gabby Williams show at the Chase Center. She has 16 points, all in the second quarter, and the Valkyries are all of a sudden up five.
4:26 p.m. : A hustle play by Kaila Charkes gets the Valkyries within two points. Golden State is feeding off this crowd to shrink the deficit.
4:19 p.m. : The offense is starting to flow now with Cecilia Zandalasini and Rhyne Howard exchanging threes. Atlanta is up three points with about 4:30 left in the half.
4:16 p.m. : Williams now has nine points in this quarter alone to carry the Valkyries back in the game. Still, Golden State is having trouble staying out of foul trouble on the defensive end.
4:12 p.m. : Gabby Williams is starting to heat up, helping Golden State cut the lead in half. However, Alisha Gray responds with a three to answer immediately back.
4:05 p.m. : The Dream have responded with a run of their own, taking an eight-point lead with Angel Reese leading the way. She has 11 points and three rebounds in the early going.
3:58 p.m. : Golden State is working hard on the offensive end, using second-chance possessions to produce a 9-0 run. The Valkyries have their first lead of the game at 14-11.
3:51 p.m. : At the first commercial break, Atlanta is up 11-7. The Dream's defense has flummoxed the Valkyries thus far, as Golden State has made just three of 11 shots.
3:48 p.m. : There have been five different scorers as the Dream take an early 7-5 lead. Both teams are still trying to settle in to the game.
3:44 p.m. : We are underway from the Chase Center! The Dream win the tip to begin the game.
3:15 p.m.: Here's a look at the Dream and Valkyries' starting lineups ahead of today's contest:
2:55 p.m.: Gray is cleared for today's action. She'll return to the floor after a lengthy hiatus, all in search of one of basketball's most cherished trophies.
2:00 p.m.: Allisha Gray could be on the brink of a stunning return from the injury to her shooting hand that saw her miss the whole of the conference finals. Dream head coach Karl Smesko provided an update on Gray's health ahead of Game 1, saying that her status would only be determined after warmups. All signs are pointing to the All-Star getting the nod in some capacity on Saturday afternoon.
1:30 p.m.: The stars are flooding into the Chase Center ahead of today's contest. Here's a look at Williams and Angel Reese striding through the tunnel.
1:00 p.m.: Gabby Williams will be key to helping deliver a title to the Bay Area. She enters Game 1 averaging 22.7 points per game. While her exploits may be surprising to some, Williams told reporters that she has long held the utmost faith in her ability to perform on the world stage.
MORE: Why Angel Reese deserved WNBA DPOY over A'ja Wilson
Game 1 of the WNBA Finals between the Dream and Valkyries will begin at 3:30 p.m. ET, 12:30 p.m. local time from the Chase Center in San Francisco, California. It will be the first-ever WNBA Finals game in Valkyries history.
NBC will be broadcasting Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals, one of the two games in the series that will be on the main network. Zora Stephenson and Sarah Kustok are set to call every game of the WNBA Finals along with sideline reporter Ashley ShahAhmadi.
Fans looking for an alternate streaming option can find the game on Fubo , which offers a free trial for new users, or Peacock.
Here is a look at the full schedule for the 2026 WNBA Finals.
Source: Sports
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