The Golden State Valkyries find ways to win games. They earned their first WNBA Finals victory in franchise history on Oct. 17, using defense to shut down the Atlanta Dream in the fourth quarter.
Valkyries All-Star guard Gabby Williams had 26 points in the 68-64 victory and finished with a +16 plus/minus stat line.
Atlanta has redemption on their minds after the Valkyries delivered in big moments down the stretch. The Dream had a three-point lead with under three minutes to go before Golden State closed the game on a 7-0 run. Williams scored six of their seven points.
"Even though we were down ... we had the game right where we wanted it, 'cause it just came down to getting stops," Williams said after Game 1. "That's been our bread and butter all
season. That's why we harp on it so much, because we've built great defensive habits for these moments."
The Dream aren't making any excuses. Angel Reese scored 11 points in the first quarter and finished the game with 14. She added 12 rebounds. She vowed to be more aggressive in Game 2.
"I don't think they really do anything. Maybe that was just on me," Reese said when asked what Valkyries did to slow her down. "I wasn't aggressive enough with the ball and trying to get the ball and get to my spot. So I'm definitely gonna do a better job of that next game."
With Game 2 on Monday, here are the keys the game:
Valkyries keys to Game 2
Gabby Williams' leadership
Gabby Williams continues to show why head coach Natalie Nakase and team owner Joe Lacob have called her the best player in the world. Her 26 points are tied for the fourth-most in a Finals debut in league history. Time and time again, Williams proves why she was a perfect fit for what Golden State needed: someone the team can look to score.
If she's not scoring, she's drawing a foul. She was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in the final 2:38 of the fourth quarter in Game 1. The Valkyries will need more of that from Williams.
Improved shooting efficiency
Golden State has got to find the bottom of the net. Wins will be hard to come by when the team is shooting 32% field goals and 21% on 3-pointer. Way too many Valkyries players had off shooting performances in Game 1. Williams shot 36%, Kaila Charles 30%, Cecilia Zandalasini 30% and Veronica Burton 28%. Tiffany Hayes was 1-for-12 (8.3%) and Janelle Salaun missed her only attempt of the game. The Valkyries are going to need some offense from someone other than Williams.
Second unit production
The Valkyries bench helped them win Game 1 and they'll need an encore performance. Golden State got 20 points off their bench while the Dream had six from their reserves. Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen entered the game in the first quarter and immediately provided a spark scoring all five of her points in 34 seconds to help Golden State go on a run and take a lead. Kaila Charles had seven points and posted a postseason career-high with 10 rebounds in Game 1. She became the sixth player in WNBA history to record 10 or more rebounds off the bench in a Finals game. Laeticia Amihere provided a jolt in the team when she entered the game.
Golden State is going to need more from Tiffany Hayes and Janelle Salaun, who were both relatively quiet in Game 1.
Connectivity on defense
It wouldn't be a Valkyries keys to the game without a defensive emphasis. Making sure that everyone is connected and communicating to shutdown the Dream. Golden State did a solid job on Angel Reese after she scored 11 in the first quarter, playing more physical, fronting her and having back side help. She finished with 14.
That interior play will be need to be replicated in Game 2. Additionally, the perimeter defense was as advertised. The Dream committed 12 turnovers that translated to 17 Valkyries points. Rhyne Howard was held to 12 points on 3-for-14 shooting, Allisha Gray shot 5-for-19 coming back from a hand injury. The Dream were also 4-for-25 from 3-point distance.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Valkyries found a way in Game 1. Here’s what they need to do again
