Two years after their inception, the Golden State Valkyries claimed the WNBA title on Halloween night at a packed Chase Center filled with costumed fans. Natalie Nakase's squad defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in Game 7 of the first Finals series in league history to go the distance. According to Elias Sports Bureau, no expansion team from the major North American sports leagues had won a championship this quickly since 1967.
A strong first half for the Dream
The game started with an 8-0 run by the Valkyries and ten consecutive missed shots by the Dream, who took more than five minutes to score their first basket, courtesy of Angel Reese. But Atlanta found its rhythm, strung together five straight makes, and took the lead before the end of the first quarter. With Jordin Canada (13 points in the first half) leading the way, Karl Smesko's squad reached halftime with a six-point advantage. In the previous six games of the series, the team leading at halftime had always won.
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Gabby Williams' second-half masterclass
Williams went into halftime with 2 points on 1-of-4 shooting. What followed was the greatest second half in Finals history: 28 points, 15 of them in the third quarter, including three three-pointers that turned the game around (45-44 with ten minutes remaining). The fourth quarter was a defensive battle, and Veronica Burton sealed it with two free throws with 5.1 seconds remaining.
Williams finished with 30 points and four blocks, a night that encapsulates her season: the team's first All-Star starter, selected to the All-Defensive Team, and now Finals MVP, averaging 19.6 points and 2.6 steals per game in the series.
A champion with a European accent
The title carries a strong European stamp. Alongside Williams, an international for France, her French teammate Janelle Salaün played an important role, unanimously selected as Sixth Woman of the Year, Italian Cecilia Zandalasini, who claims her second ring, and Iliana Rupert. In the paint, Kiah Stokes set the Finals record for blocks (19) and wins her fourth title; Tiffany Hayes, in her fourteenth season in the league, captures her first.
The Valkyries reached the Finals after eliminating the Dallas Wings and sweeping (3-0) the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. And they did it without any player on the All-WNBA teams, something no champion had accomplished until now.