Gabby Williams Powers Valkyries Past Dream in Finals Opener

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Valkyries led for less than two minutes in the second half before closing Game 1 of the WNBA Finals with a 7-0 run, holding off the Atlanta Dream 68-64 on Saturday, according to ESPN.

Forward Gabby Williams scored six of those final seven points and finished with a game-high 26, the only Valkyries player in double figures. The two-time All-Star went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line down the stretch, including the clinching pair with 4.1 seconds left, ESPN reported.

What happened in the final minutes?

Atlanta missed its last seven shots of the game, five of them 3-point attempts, over the final 2:53, per ESPN. Golden State led for a total of 6 minutes, 4 seconds the entire contest, yet closed it out behind a defense the network ranked No. 1 in the league during the regular season.

How did Williams describe her approach down the stretch?

Williams said she tracks the game possession by possession late in close contests. "I'm counting possessions. I'm counting points. OK, what do we need now? What's the most timely time to go?" she told reporters, according to ESPN. "I think it's just like the best way to kind of take the pressure off things too is just to break them down possession by possession."

Teammate Kiah Stokes, seated beside her in the postgame session, called Williams a "nerd" for the habit, and the two laughed, ESPN reported. Stokes added nine points, seven rebounds and four blocks to the win.

Why does Williams say the Valkyries trust their defense late?

"Even though we were down with a few minutes left, I think we had the game right where we wanted it, because it just came down to getting stops," Williams said, per ESPN. "That's been our bread and butter all season. That's why we harp on it so much, because we've built great defensive habits for these moments."

She summed up the team's belief heading into the fourth quarter: "We always knew we were going to find a way somehow."

What's at stake for the rest of the series?

The win gives Golden State a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Finals against Atlanta, led by Angel Reese. The league had already moved Games 3 and 4 to State Farm Arena to accommodate more fans, according to ESPN's coverage of the matchup.

What to watch

• Whether Atlanta's offense, held scoreless over its final seven possessions in Game 1, can find rhythm against Golden State's top-ranked defense in Game 2.
• If a Valkyries scorer beyond Williams reaches double figures, after no teammate did so in the opener.
• Free-throw execution in crunch time, after Williams went 6-for-6 to seal the win.
• Attendance and atmosphere shifts once the series moves to State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4.

For readers tracking other title-contending rosters this fall, HTT News has also covered the Knicks releasing single-game tickets after ending their title drought.

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