Golden State holds narrow fourth-quarter lead over Atlanta in deciding WNBA finals clash

UPDATE - follow-up to Atlanta Dream v Golden State Valkyries: WNBA finals 2026 Game 7 – live buildup:

Fourth Quarter

Golden State leads Atlanta 49-46 with 8 minutes and 10 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of Game 7. Gabby Williams opened the final period with a pull-up jumper to reach 19 points, while Tiffany Hayes added a driving layup. Atlanta coach Karl Smesko called a timeout with 7 minutes and 44 seconds left after Allisha Gray fouled Williams on a shooting attempt, leaving the Valkyries poised to stretch their lead to five with two pending free throws. Both franchises are seeking their first WNBA championship in this winner-take-all game in San Francisco.

Third Quarter Turnaround

The Valkyries clawed back from a nine-point deficit midway through the third quarter to take a one-point lead into the final 10 minutes. Gabby Williams sparked the comeback by erupting for 15 points in the third period after managing only two before halftime, including three three-pointers in little more than a minute. Her turnaround jumper with 1 minute and 5 seconds left in the quarter gave Golden State their first lead since the opening period. Izzy Borlase contributed five points off the bench for Atlanta, but the Dream's offense sputtered down the stretch and Rhyne Howard remained stuck on four points as Golden State outscored Atlanta 21-14 in the quarter.

First Half Action

Earlier in the game, Atlanta built a six-point advantage by halftime after outscoring Golden State 18-10 in the second quarter. Jordin Canada led the Dream offensively with 13 points by the break, including 11 in the second quarter, finishing a driving layup through contact for a three-point play. Canada told USA's Meghan McPeak that her success came from being aggressive and getting into the paint. Angel Reese added five points and seven rebounds in the first half, alongside two blocks, while vacuuming up 10 rebounds overall. The Valkyries struggled deeply on offense in the first half, shooting just 21.4 percent in the second quarter and 9-of-30 overall, with a frigid 1-of-11 from beyond the arc before Kayla Thornton hit their first three-pointer late in the half. Veronica Burton paced the hosts with eight points while missing eight of her 11 shots, and Atlanta built a 12-3 edge in second-chance points.

Context

This historic matchup is the first Game 7 in WNBA finals history, featuring two franchises both chasing their inaugural league title. Game 7 represents the absolute final contest of the season, where teams must leave every tactical adjustment and physical reserve on the court to claim the trophy.