The Golden State Valkyries aren’t done yet. The second-year franchise that has stunned the WNBA with a run to the Finals is only down 2-1 to the Atlanta Dream after a Game 3 loss on Wednesday.
But the manner of that loss — a 26-point rout at State Farm Arena in Atlanta — engendered an impassioned reaction from Golden State’s best player.
After the Dream polished off a 97-71 win, Gabby Williams gathered her teammates and delivered an animated speech to try and wake up a Valkyries side that faltered down the stretch across double-digit losses in Games 2 and 3.
MORE: Angel Reese’s 4-word message makes Valkyries’ WNBA Finals reality clear
Williams scored 26 points in Saturday’s Game 1 win, a nail-biting 68-64 comeback victory at Chase Center in San Francisco.
But Williams hasn’t been the same since a late-game collision with Atlanta’s Jordin Canada in the final minutes of Game 1. Whether she is playing injured is immaterial, and neither Williams nor head coach Natalie Nakase will look for excuses.
Gabby Williams visibly animated in the huddle immediately after going down 2-1 in Atlanta, 97-71 https://t.co/VSJCcZF9uI
— Ashmere (@ashmereprasad) October 22, 2026
However, the difference in Williams’ play has been stark relative to Game 1, and certainly relative to the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Williams is just 8-of-33 from the field over the past two games, laboring to 29 points as Golden State’s floor spacing has fallen apart. The Defensive Player of the Year runner-up is making an impact on the other end, with eight steals in the series, but she ran a 118 defensive rating in Game 3 as Atlanta shot 49 percent from the field. It has been nearly a month since Golden State’s defense allowed such a high field-goal percentage.
another pov i saw on tiktok 😭 https://t.co/OoGgSPIDTp
— hannah (@1318lucigsv) October 22, 2026
If the Valkyries can win Game 4, Golden State will reclaim home-court advantage with Game 5 and a possible Game 7 to take place at Ballhalla.
But Williams and the Valkyries have to get it going after faltering down the stretch in the past two games.
