Golden State Valkyries win Game 1 of 2026 WNBA Finals

Second-year franchise takes the series opener at Chase Center

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 4h1 min read

“This was the type of game I was expecting.” 🍿👏 @SheKnowsSports joins @RealAClifton on The Association to analyze the V Via @NBATV on X

What happened: The Golden State Valkyries opened the 2026 WNBA Finals with a Game 1 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Saturday at Chase Center. Following the opener, NBA TV analysts broke down the Game 1 victory on The Association, noting the tight contest matched pre-series expectations.

Why it matters: Taking the series opener gives the second-year franchise a 1-0 advantage in the championship round and protects home-court edge in San Francisco.

What to watch: Golden State and Atlanta continue the 2026 WNBA Finals in Game 2.

Sources

@NBATV 2026-10-18T01:28:09.551881+00:00

Box score

CONVERSATION

Loading comments…

WNBARecapGolden State Valkyries

Follow WNBA Intelligence

Real-time signals and analysis

@WireReportWNBA

WR Pro

The day's sports, briefed to your inbox at 7am ET. Every claim sourced.

$9/month Free weekly newsletter →