The WNBA Finals begin Saturday in San Francisco, featuring two of the league’s top defensive teams—the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream—both vying for their first championship in a best-of-seven series. The Valkyries, a second-year franchise, will host Game 1 at the Chase Center, energized by their enthusiastic “Ballhalla” home crowd.
Golden State has emerged quickly as a formidable contender, reaching the finals in only their second season, a year sooner than Atlanta did when it first made the championship series in 2010. Coached by Natalie Nakase, the reigning Coach of the Year, the Valkyries entered the season with long odds but have exceeded expectations by sweeping the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals. Key players such as forward Kayla Thornton and Gabby Williams have been instrumental, with Williams entering the finals as an early favorite for Finals MVP. The Valkyries have also maintained a perfect 4-0 postseason record at Chase Center.
Atlanta arrives in the finals after a strong playoff run that included sweeps over the Washington Mystics and New York Liberty. The Dream are on a 10-game winning streak, having not lost since late August, and are led by Coach Karl Smesko and WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Angel Reese. Reese has been dominant defensively throughout the postseason, averaging 1.6 steals per game, while teammates Jordan Canada and Rhyne Howard each average 2.2 steals, ranking among the top in the playoffs. Rebounding off a recent regular-season upturn, the Dream have also excelled offensively, benefiting from contributions by Allisha Gray, who is a game-time decision for Game 1 due to a left ring finger injury that kept her out of the last two semifinal games. Gray was Atlanta’s leading regular-season scorer and best three-point shooter.
Both teams pride themselves on their defensive intensity, which is expected to make scoring difficult throughout the series. Thornton acknowledged the challenge ahead, noting that the matchup comes down to attention to detail and determination. Williams echoed this sentiment, highlighting the teams’ aggressiveness in forcing turnovers and disrupting passing lanes.
This finals matchup symbolizes a shift in the league’s competitive landscape, moving beyond previous dominant teams in favor of franchises emphasizing versatile, position-less basketball backed by strong defense and strategic three-point shooting. While Golden State is slightly favored by oddsmakers, Atlanta’s depth and championship experience—bolstered by veteran DeWanna Bonner’s presence—give them a solid foundation to contend.
The winner will end a notable title drought: Atlanta has reached the finals multiple times before but never secured the championship, while Golden State seeks its first at the earliest possible moment since joining the league. Both teams appear well-prepared and motivated as they embark on what promises to be a tightly contested and defensively intense series.