Dream-Valkyries, the WNBA will crown an unprecedented champion
Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries They will compete from this Saturday WNBA Finalsa series best of seven games that will crown new and unprecedented champions of the American basketball league, after some semifinals in which the two franchises defeated, respectively, New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces.
The Valkyries face the first Finals in their history just in his second season in the competitionafter debuting in 2025.
The San Francisco franchise, which has already become the first expansion team to qualify for the playoffs in its inaugural yearhas accelerated its growth until it is four wins away from winning the title.
Golden State closed the regular season with a record of 32 wins and 12 losses, the second best record in the league. In the first round they eliminated the Dallas Wings 2-1 and later beat the Las Vegas Aces, current champions, with a resounding 3-0 to seal their qualification.
The defensive solidity and performance of Gabby Williamsone of their main references in these ‘playoffs’, have illuminated the journey of the team led by Natalie Nakase.
Atlanta, for its part, returns to the Finals for the first time since 2013after closing the regular phase with 30 wins and 14 losses.
The Dream finished in first position in the Eastern Conference and have carried that consistency into the playoffs, where they have yet to experience defeat.
They first knocked out the Washington Mystics 2-0 and then defeated New York Liberty, the 2024 champions, 3-0 in the semifinals.
The Georgia team has references such as Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howardtwo of their main offensive threats, in a squad that has combined scoring capacity, intensity and depth to overcome more experienced rivals in decisive scenarios.
The 85-83 victory in the third game against the Liberty certified the ticket to the final and the mental growth of the Atlanta franchise.
The series will begin on October 17 at the Chase Center, where Golden State will have home field advantage due to its better classification. The second match will be played on October 19, before the playoffs travel to Atlanta.
The competition will overlap with the start of the NBA regular seasonscheduled for October 20.
The organization of the Finals has also forced the calendar to be modified. The WNBA announced Tuesday that the third and fourth games, initially scheduled in the Gateway Center Arena, will be played in the State Farm Arenapavilion with capacity for around 17,000 spectators.
The third meeting moved from October 22 to 21, at 8:00 p.m. local time, while the fourth was held on the 24th, but with an early start from 3:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The change will allow the Dream to play their home games in a larger capacity facility and will allow more fans to attend the team’s first final since 2013.
The decision also anticipates a structural change for the Atlanta franchise: starting in 2027, the Dream will play all their home games at the State Farm Arena, definitively abandoning the Gateway Center Arena as their usual venue.
