Finals Set After Five Years Without Wilson or Stewart
Atlanta Dream vs Golden State Valkyries: For the first time in five years, neither A’ja Wilson nor Breanna Stewart will play in the WNBA Finals. The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries have advanced to compete for the championship. Neither team has ever won a title. The Dream lost in their only Finals appearance in 2013. The Valkyries joined the league in 2025 as an expansion franchise. The Finals begin on October 17.
How Both Teams Reached the Finals
The Dream beat the 2024 champion, the New York Liberty, 85-83 on Friday to complete a semifinal sweep. The Valkyries, seeded second, defeated the defending champion, the Las Vegas Aces, 87-77 in Game 3 on Friday to secure their spot. Atlanta is the No. 4 seed, while Golden State is the No. 2 seed.
Atlanta Dream: Turnovers and Defense
Atlanta finished the regular season with a 30-14 record and is 5-0 in the postseason. Their biggest strength is forcing turnovers. Jordin Canada, Rhyne Howard, and Allisha Gray each average more than two turnovers per game in the playoffs. Angel Reese adds 2.3 blocks. The team pressures the ball and cuts off passing lanes, speeding up opponents and forcing them to play outside their identity. Rhyne Howard said the defense never fails them, no matter what happens on offense.
The Dream needs to avoid forcing shots. The ball must move. When it moves, good things happen. A stagnant offense against Golden State will cause problems because the Valkyries wear teams down. Atlanta is 12-0 when Angel Reese makes at least one three-pointer. They are also 5-0 when she scores at least 15 points in the first half.
Golden State won the regular-season series 3-0 against Atlanta. The Dream have not lost since August 30 and are on a 10-0 run dating back to the regular season. Golden State will try to end that streak. It remains to be seen how Atlanta responds to a loss.
Golden State Valkyries: Depth and Defense
Golden State finished the regular season with a 32-12 record and is 5-1 in the postseason. Their biggest strength is defense combined with depth. Any player can step up on any night. In Game 3 against the Aces, star Gabby Williams scored only four points in the first three quarters. She said she was not worried. The team got contributions from everyone, and Williams scored eight points in overtime. Williams said their depth has kept them healthy and fresh.
Aces coach Becky Hammon said the Valkyries play great team ball and share the ball. She noted that nobody cares who gets the credit. The main area for improvement is consistency. Golden State led by 17 in the third quarter of Game 2 but almost let the Aces steal the game. In Game 3, they gave up key turnovers late that pushed the game to overtime. Coach Natalie Nakase said she saw another level of fight in overtime and was proud of the effort.
The Valkyries held opponents to a league-low 80.4 points per game in the postseason. They swept the Dream in the regular season, winning 77-66 on June 24, 78-75 on June 26, and 88-83 on July 4. However, the teams have not played since well before the All-Star break. Valkyries’ center Kiah Stokes said the Dream are a great defensive team that is physical, rebounds well, and has great shooters. She added that both teams are 0-0 now and it is a clean slate.
How to Watch Atlanta Dream vs Golden State Valkyries
- Atlanta at Golden State, 3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, Oct. 17 (NBC)
- Atlanta at Golden State, 8 p.m. ET, Monday, Oct. 19 (USA, CNBC)
- Golden State at Atlanta, 8 p.m. ET, Thursday, Oct. 22 (USA, CNBC)
- Golden State at Atlanta, 3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, Oct. 24 (NBC)
- Atlanta at Golden State, 8 p.m. ET, Monday, Oct. 26 (USA, CNBC)*
- Golden State at Atlanta, 8 p.m. ET, Thursday, Oct. 29 (USA, CNBC)*
- Atlanta at Golden State, 8 p.m. ET, Saturday, Oct. 31 (USA, CNBC)*
A Clean Slate for Both Teams
Neither team has won a WNBA championship. The Dream lost in their only Finals appearance in 2013. The Valkyries are playing in their first Finals as an expansion franchise. The regular-season series does not matter now. Both teams are 0-0. The Finals will be decided by which team can impose its style and execute when it matters most. Atlanta wants to force turnovers and run. Golden State wants to defend, share the ball, and wear opponents down. The first team to win four games will take home the title.
Read More: Angel Reese Faces Flopping Accusations After Dream’s Playoff Sweep of Mystics