To say the stakes of this year’s WNBA Finals are high would be an understatement. The Atlanta Dream, a team that spent 2021 without a General Manager, have made it to their first Finals since 2013, within just five years of GM Dan Padover taking over. Meanwhile, the Valkyries have already made history just by making it this far.
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Playing their inaugural season in 2025, the Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion team to reach the WNBA playoffs in their first season and now the Finals in their second season. Both teams were ready to give it their all, and when the action started, it didn’t take long for things to get super competitive.
The officiating invited debate
The night started with both teams raising some eyebrows. Fox News reported that both teams walked off the court before the National Anthem started and came back shortly after it ended. Outkick posted a clip showing none of the team present on the hardcourt during the anthem.
As the game progressed, multiple fans on social media started airing their issues with the overall officiating.
The fact that Game 1 would be closely contested became apparent from the get-go. While the Atlanta Dream were able to take the lead and give themselves a nice cushion when the first quarter ended 22-14 in the Dream’s favor, that scoreline didn’t reflect the hard-fought and physical nature of the game.
Before the Dream went on an 11-0 run to close out the first quarter, the Valkyries were actually in the lead at one point with the scoreline reading 14-11 in their favor. From the very first quarter, Atlanta making their way inside the paint rather than relying on long-range or even mid-range shots worked in their favor.
“So far, Atlanta getting to the line more is a big difference in this game. The Dream are 14-of-17 there compared to Golden State being just 3-of-5,” ESPN’s Michael Voepel posted as the Dream finished the third quarter in the lead (56-51).
However, many fans saw this as an officiating problem, accusing the referees of bias and awarding the Dream more free throws.
“The FT differential is insane. Multiple obvious missed calls, including dangerous contact that isn’t even being reviewed,” a fan posted.
Meanwhile, others argued that they were overlooking the physicality, and especially pointed out Angel Reese’s plays.
The 2026 Defensive Player of the Year went all out
Angel Reese was a highlight for the Dream in the first quarter.
“Angel Reese is the fifth player in WNBA history to score at least 11 points while shooting better than 80% in the opening quarter of a WNBA Finals game. Breanna Stewart was the last player to accomplish this milestone,” the WNBA wrote following the first half.
However, her output drastically dropped in the second quarter, and while trying to stop the GSV counterattacks and protect the rim throughout the game, Reese didn’t shy away from using her size and physical advantage against the likes of Veronica Burton, Gabby Williams, and others.
One of the highlights of Reese’s physical play came during one of the many layups that Burton attempted. While already being guarded by one Dream player, Angel Reese came from behind and put up both hands in an attempt to block Burton’s layup.
Brutal play from Angel Reese during offense over Veronica Burton. No foul called.
While she didn’t get the ball, Reese’s arm smashed into Burton, who went straight to the floor clutching her face, and no foul was called. That wasn’t the only instance.
Reese made contact with Gabby Williams’ face on back-to-back possessions while contending for the ball, leaving Williams clutching at her face, and fans pointed out that referees didn’t call for a foul on either of those occasions.
Even WNBA broadcaster Robin Lundberg took note, posting, “Refs let Angel Reese get away with two blatant fouls, no call.”
So besides the free throws, the physicality from Reese and the Dream fueled the officiating debate online. However, the uproar wasn’t completely one-sided.
“No call, but Reese is coincidentally called for a foul on Williams on the other end of the floor. ‘Ref you suck’ chants started,” posted another fan.
In the second half of the game, the Valkyries were repeatedly successful blocking the Dream from finding success with their layups as they charged in, trying to slip through the defense. Kiah Stokes led the Valkyries with 4 blocks, and Burton came in second with 2; several others, including Tiffany Hayes, also contributed with one block each.
And it was during these blocks that some called out the referees for overlooking the Valkyries bringing their own brand of physical defense, and sometimes going too far without being called for fouls.
Then again, Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham had predicted the Reese wouldn’t give anyone space.
“Angel is going to play hard,” Cunningham said on the “No Hesitation” podcast. “She is a player who goes after the ball. I appreciate that about players of her wanting to get on the floor and make the extra effort.”
However, it wasn’t physicality that ultimately decided the night.
Gabby Williams came in clutch
While the Atlanta Dream were in the lead when the first quarter ended, the Valkyries closed the gap in the second quarter and kept biting at the Dream’s heels before finally snatching the lead in the dying minutes of the fourth. Gabby Williams was the architect of that chase.
In the second quarter, the Valkyries responded to the Dream’s scoring with a 12-0 run on their own, and when the first half ended, Golden State was in the lead (42-39). When the Dream tried to score, the Valkyries held them to just 25% shooting from the floor.
Williams had contributed 16 points by the end of the half, and she had no plans to stop.
Williams ended the night with 26 points, 4 rebounds, 3 three-pointers, and +16 rating. And it was her 100% accuracy from the free-throw line (7-of-7) during the last quarter that secured the Valkyries’ win.
It was Williams’ free throws with 1:18 left that gave the Valkyries a 65-64 lead, and with another pair of free throws, Williams closed out the night with the Valkyries winning Game 1 68-64.
However, the overall shooting in the game was lackluster, to say the least. The Valkyries went for a three-pointer approach to close the narrow lead that the Dream held for most of the game, but were inaccurate. Meanwhile, the Dream’s 86% free-throw success didn’t matter at the end of the game.
When the dust settled, the Dream knocked down 33% of field goals throws while the Valkyries had 32%; three-point scoring was even lower, with the Dream getting just 16% and GSV landing 21%.
That being said, this was just Game 1 of a potentially seven-game series. The tide can very well turn.