Daniel Chavkin Sat, October 17, 2026 at 6:56 PM UTC · 5 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 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
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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