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Sports

Dream leads Valkyries 56-51 in opening WNBA Finals game

The Atlanta Dream held a 56-51 lead over the Golden State Valkyries in Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals at Ballhalla, with both teams seeking their first championship.

By Published · 11:19 AM · Updated · 1 min read
Dream leads Valkyries 56-51 in opening WNBA Finals game

Key points

  • The Atlanta Dream led the Golden State Valkyries 56-51 at halftime of Game 1.
  • Allisha Gray scored a game-leading 19 points for the Dream.
  • The Valkyries, in their second season, swept the Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals.
  • The Dream swept the New York Liberty to reach the Finals for the fourth time.
  • Game 3 of the series is scheduled to be played at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

The 2026 WNBA Finals began Saturday afternoon with Game 1 between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream at Ballhalla.

Both franchises are seeking their first championship; the Valkyries are in only their second season after debuting in 2025, while the Dream have previously reached the Finals in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

During the first half, the Dream held a 56-51 advantage over the Valkyries. Allisha Gray contributed a game‑leading 19 points for Atlanta.

The Valkyries entered the series as the No. 2 seed and hosted Games 1 and 2 at Ballhalla, after sweeping the Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals. Golden State’s defense ranked first in the regular season and limited the Aces to 72.7 points per game in that series.

Atlanta advanced to the Finals by sweeping the New York Liberty in the other semifinal, boasting the postseason’s best rebounding numbers and a defensive average of 83 points allowed per game.

Game 3 of the best‑of‑seven series is scheduled to move to State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

Your questions, answered

Who is leading in Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals?

The Atlanta Dream held a 56-51 advantage over the Golden State Valkyries during the first half.

Where is Game 3 of the WNBA Finals being played?

Game 3 is scheduled to move to State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

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