WNBA Finals Preview: Valkyries and Dream chase first championships

On Saturday, the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream every start the hunt for his or her franchise’s first WNBA championship. 

The higher-seeded Valkyries are simply two years outdated with an ideal file of constructing the post-season and are already historic because the quickest growth group to achieve the finals. 

The Dream have been on this place 4 occasions — together with most not too long ago in 2013 — over their 18 years of existence, however have but to put on a hoop.

But by Halloween on the newest, considered one of these two golf equipment will earn their first banner.

The Valkyries and Dream weren’t anticipated to be the final duo standing. But their domination up to now tells an fascinating story about what WNBA success in 2026 appears like. In this iteration of the playoffs, post-season expertise performed much less of a task, defensive-minded groups took over, and long-term WNBA head coaches struggled. 

On the way in which to the highest, the Dream took down the 2024 champs in a three-game sweep, whereas the Valkyries dealt with the back-to-back champion Aces with a sweep of their very own. 

With all this in thoughts, right here’s the whole lot it’s essential know earlier than the three:30 p.m. ET tip-off on Saturday. 

Season collection: Valkyries received 3-0

June 24: Valkyries 77, Dream 66
June 26: Valkyries 78, Dream 75
July 4: Valkyries 88 – Dream 83

Game 1: Dream at Valkyries  (Saturday, Oct. 17, 3:30 p.m. ET)
Game 2: Dream at Valkyries (Monday, Oct. 19, 8 p.m. ET)
Game 3: Valkyries at Dream (Wednesday, Oct. 21, 8 p.m. ET)
Game 4: Valkyries at Dream (Saturday, Oct. 24, 1 p.m. ET)
Game 5: Dream at Valkyries (Monday, Oct. 26, 8 p.m. ET)*
Game 6: Valkyries at Dream (Thursday, Oct. 29, 8 p.m. ET)*
Game 7: Dream at Valkyries (Saturday, Oct. 31, 8 p.m. ET)*

As the largest star left within the playoffs, Angel Reese brings her stardom to the courtroom in dominant defensive play and dependable scoring, however her fame extends her attain past simply the basketball fan. Whether it’s as a result of folks love her, or as a result of they like to hate her, Reese captures an viewers each time she fits up. It doesn’t matter in the event that they’re there to rely her rebounds or make an argument about ‘mebounds,’ the younger star feeds off the added vitality. In a league ripe with aggressive personalities, Reese is finest identified for a way she reveals off that fireplace and makes use of her competitiveness to stage up her teammates. For her first time within the finals, anticipate her aggressive nature to achieve a brand new stage.

But, her ability doesn’t simply come within the type of intangibles. Reese averaged a double-double and received Defensive Player of the Year for her dominance on the boards. At six-foot-four with 16.4 factors and 14.1 rebounds per sport, Reese is an enormous menace for the Valkyries to cope with. Plus, after surviving the insanity in March 2023, Reese grew to become an NCAA nationwide champion, that means she is aware of how you can rise to massive moments. 

Valkyries: Gabby Williams

Gabby Williams is a menace from all instructions. She led the staff in scoring with 14.3 factors per sport within the common season and has upped her contributions within the post-season to now common 22.7. She is taking pictures 40.5 per cent from the three and 44.9 from the sector over this playoff run and has performed extra minutes per sport than any of her teammates with a median of 31.2. 

On the defensive finish, Williams is equally as consequential. She helps outline the Valkyries’ defensive identification. The 30-year-old ahead completed up because the runner-up to Reese in Defensive Player of the Year voting and was named to the 2026 WNBA All-Defensive First Team on Thursday. 

Williams is strictly who the Valkyries want her to be each time they want her to be it. Adaptability and a team-first mentality have been staples all through her profession. Playing no matter position her staff wanted was one thing she talked about on her draft night time when she went fourth total in 2018, and once more one thing she dropped at Golden State when she selected the franchise as her dwelling as a free agent final low season.  

How does teaching stack up?

Natalie Nakase is a particular coach. In the Valkyries inaugural season she reinvented what success can appear like for an growth group and earned Coach of the Year honours on her strategy to the playoffs. In her second season as a head coach, she constructed on that to achieve the finals. 

Nakase’s dedication to the craft can’t be questioned. It reveals within the hours she spends getting ready and planning, even to a fault. In the primary spherical, she fell to her knees and collapsed on the ground in the course of Game 3 in opposition to the Dallas Wings. When she was helped up, nevertheless, it wasn’t to take her off the ground. Nakase instantly returned to the bench prepared to attract up a play. After that sport, she was checked out by docs and advised the incidence was a results of overworking, however that she was cleared to maintain teaching. 

Collapsing mid-game shouldn’t be the defining mark of a very good coach, and certainly not needs to be aspirational, however how her staff responded to that second and the extent of buy-in they’ve reciprocated to her all season is. 

Nakase has already achieved spectacular, near-impossible issues. Why can’t taking a toddler franchise all the way in which be subsequent?

Behind the opposite bench is Karl Smesko. He has been a WNBA head coach for 2 years, each with this Dream staff, and previous to his hiring in November 2024, had by no means coached on the skilled stage. His 23 years on the Florida Gulf Coast can’t be ignored although. In his first yr in Atlanta, he helped accomplish a feat that hadn’t been reached since 2018: a profitable file. 

The Dream entered the finals as winners of all 5 of their playoff video games. Should the Valkyries hand them their first misplaced, Smesko shall be stretched to a brand new process, serving to his group overcome adversity and bounce again. 

Will flash beat out composure? 

Atlanta is loaded with snazzy three-point taking pictures guards, sturdy defenders and the massive gentle likes of Bayou Barbie. Being flashy is vital to the Dream’s model of basketball. And within the finals, there’s one thing highly effective about with the ability to embrace and welcome the environment, not cower underneath its glow. If Atlanta can lean into the second and let it energize their typical fashion of play they might unlock one other stage. 

The Valkyries, regardless of taking part in each dwelling sport this season in entrance of a sold-out crowd of 18 000 followers, are most snug when relaxed and composed. When going through the dynastic Aces, the Valkyries refused to give attention to the enormous that lay forward, as a substitute Nakase preached a mindset of “complete composure and connectivity.” It labored in opposition to five-time MVP A’ja Wilson and now, because the inexperienced group rises to the largest stage, they’ll want to attract on that mindset once more.

Whose defence is superior?

Of the ten gamers named to the 2026 WNBA All-Defensive First and Second groups, six of them shall be taking part in within the WNBA Finals, three on all sides. 

Obviously, defence is what introduced the Dream and Valkyries to this ultimate vacation spot, and stops will play a serious position in attending to that fourth and ultimate win. Golden State has a barely greater defensive effectivity at 0.956, whereas Atlanta is just under them for second in league rankings with 0.994, that means the Valkyries hand over fewer factors per 100 possessions.