Atlanta Dream fall to Valkyries in Game 1 of WNBA Finals

Dream drop WNBA Finals opener, fans support in Atlanta

The Atlanta Dream dropped Game 1 of the WNBA Finals to the Golden State Valkyries by a score of 68 to 64.

SAN FRANCISCO - In a close nail-biting game, the Atlanta Dream fought hard but ultimately lost Game 1 of the WNBA Finals to the Golden State Valkyries in San Francisco.

What we know:

The Dream went scoreless over the final three minutes as the Golden State Valkyries rallied late for a 68-64 victory at Chase Center.

Atlanta held a 64-61 lead after Rhyne Howard knocked down two free throws with 3:12 remaining in the fourth quarter. From that point on, the Dream went cold, missing their final four 3-point attempts and committing key turnovers down the stretch.

Golden State capitalized with a game-ending 7-0 run. Gabby Williams drew a shooting foul and sank two free throws with 2:15 remaining to cut Atlanta's lead to one. At the 1:18 mark, Williams drew another foul on Reese and hit both free throws to put Golden State ahead for good, 65-64.

After missed 3-pointers by Howard and Naz Hillmon, Kiah Stokes split a pair of free throws with 24 seconds left to push Golden State's lead to two. Williams then sealed the victory by converting two more free throws with four seconds remaining, finishing with a game-high 26 points.

Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 19 points, shooting a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line while playing through an injured left ring finger. Reese anchored the paint with 14 points, 12 rebounds (five offensive), and two steals before fouling out with 24 seconds remaining. Howard added 12 points and seven rebounds, while Jordin Canada dished out seven assists.

Back home in Atlanta, a dozen official watch parties hosted fans across the city, anchored by Jolene Jolene, Atlanta's first bar dedicated to women's sports. The venue handed out rally towels and team gear to a packed house as supporters cheered every defensive stop.

What they're saying:

Before tip-off, Howard reflected on the team's march to the championship series:

"Nobody thought that we would make it to the Finals and we’re doing that, we’re achieving that," Howard told the Associated Press. "We set our goals long before this year and it’s finally coming into fruition."

Gray expressed relief that her hand held up during pregame preparations:

"It gave me time to rest my body and get healthy," Gray told the Associated Press ahead of tipoff. "It’s definitely hard because you want to be out there and compete with your teammates."

What's next:

Game 2 of the WNBA Finals tips off Monday, Oct. 19, at Chase Center in San Francisco. The series will then travel to Atlanta for Game 3 on Wednesday, Oct. 21, and Game 4 on Saturday, Oct. 24.