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Valkyries Win It All: Golden State Beats Atlanta 68-63 in Game 7 for First WNBA Championship

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The Golden State Valkyries, 2026 WNBA champions. We Speak Sports graphic.
The Golden State Valkyries are the 2026 WNBA champions.

The Golden State Valkyries are WNBA champions. Golden State beat the Atlanta Dream 68-63 on Saturday night at Chase Center in San Francisco to win Game 7 of the WNBA Finals, the first Game 7 in Finals history, and claim the first championship in franchise history in just the club’s second season.

Gabby Williams delivered the game of her life on the biggest night. Williams finished with 30 points, scoring 15 of them in a third quarter takeover that flipped the game. She had just two points in the first half before erupting after the break, hitting three straight three pointers as Golden State erased Atlanta’s lead and went in front 45-44 heading into the fourth.

Atlanta controlled the first half behind Jordin Canada, who scored 13 of her team high 18 points before halftime as the Dream built a 30-24 lead. Golden State opened the game on an 8-0 run and held Atlanta scoreless for more than five minutes, but the Dream settled in and led most of the way until Williams took over.

The fourth quarter stayed tight to the final minute. Kiah Stokes tipped one in with 53 seconds left to push the lead to 64-57, and after Atlanta clawed back within 66-63 in the final seconds, Veronica Burton sank two free throws with five seconds left to close the door. Burton finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Allisha Gray scored 16 for the Dream, Angel Reese had 8 points and 12 rebounds, and Atlanta’s search for a first title ended in its fourth Finals appearance.

The championship caps a stunning rise for Golden State, an expansion team in 2025 that reached the top of the league in year two. For Atlanta, the wait goes on.

Tiffany Hayes added 11 points for Golden State and fought through a third-quarter injury scare to return for the finish. Kiah Stokes controlled the glass with eight points, 13 rebounds and two blocks, and Kayla Thornton added three points off the bench. Golden State outscored Atlanta 44-33 after halftime.

The Valkyries, who went 32-12 in the regular season, will celebrate with a victory parade Wednesday in San Francisco. Golden State Valkyries — 2026 WNBA Champions, series 4-3.

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One Game for Everything: Dream and Valkyries Meet Tonight in the First Game 7 in WNBA Finals History

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17 hours ago

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October 31, 2026

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Atlanta Dream players Allisha Gray, Angel Reese and their teammates celebrate on the court during Game 6 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena
Allisha Gray, Angel Reese and the Dream celebrate in Game 6. (Atlanta Dream)

Forty minutes of basketball will decide a championship tonight, and the WNBA has never seen anything like it.

The Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries meet at Chase Center in San Francisco tonight at 8 p.m. ET in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals, the first Game 7 in the history of the league’s championship series. The game airs on USA Network and CNBC and streams on Peacock.

The Finals only moved to a best of seven format last season, and last year’s series ended in a sweep. This one refused to end. Atlanta forced tonight’s winner take all game with an 80-69 win in Game 6 on Thursday afternoon at State Farm Arena, jumping on Golden State from the opening tip with a 32-point first quarter and a lead that grew to 25 in the first half.

Allisha Gray led the Dream with 23 points and six rebounds in Game 6. Rhyne Howard added 21 points, and Angel Reese powered through the paint for 14 points and 14 rebounds as Atlanta tied the series at three games apiece.

The road here has swung both ways. Golden State took Game 1 at home, 68-64. Atlanta stole Game 2 in San Francisco, then rolled to a 97-71 win in Game 3. The Valkyries answered, and their 64-55 win in Game 5 pushed the Dream to the edge of elimination before Thursday’s answer sent the series the full distance.

Everything about tonight is a first. Neither franchise has ever won a WNBA championship. Atlanta is playing in its fourth Finals after falling short in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Golden State is doing this in just the second season in franchise history, in front of the home crowd its fans call Ballhalla.

If the first six games are the guide, tonight turns on the ball. Every game in this series has been decided by turnovers and the points that come off them, and the team that protects the ball tonight most likely lifts the trophy.

History leans toward the home team in winner take all Finals games, but the Dream have already won once in this building in Game 2, and the No. 4 seed has played free all series with nothing to protect. Karl Smesko’s group is one win from the first title in Atlanta Dream history.

We Speak Media will have full postgame coverage tonight as soon as a champion is crowned.

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