On October 17, the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries will lock horns to kick off their seven-game championship series. Both teams enter the WNBA Finals undefeated in the semifinals, having swept two of the league’s most experienced teams 3-0. So with the championship getting closer, the Valkyries star Gabby Williams has made it clear what Golden State must do to counter the Dream that has made a name for itself with its defense.

“They like to get into passing lanes. That’s what we know,” Williams said during a recent practice availability. “They lead the league in steals. So, we’re just going to have to – it’s going to maybe be a game where good offense leads to good defense as well. We don’t want them to get going in transition. So, we’re just going to have to take care of the ball and have good shots.”

With the 2026 Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year leading the way, the Dream have built one of the most disruptive defenses in the league. During the regular season, Atlanta had three players among the league’s top three in steals per game, with Rhyne Howard averaging 2.3, while Jordin Canada recorded 1.9 and Angel Reese 1.8. And that threat has only grown in the playoffs.

Three of the top four players in steals per game are from Atlanta, with Howard and Canada averaging 2.2 each and Allisha Gray close behind at 2.0. Their perimeter defense has been relentless, pressuring passing lanes and throwing opposing offenses out of rhythm. But even when teams manage to get into the paint, Reese is waiting, averaging the third-most blocks in the postseason at 2.2 per game.

Still, what makes Atlanta dangerous is that its strength is not limited to defense. The Dream have also been the highest-scoring team in the playoffs, averaging 92.6 points per game. They are a complete, two-way powerhouse, but their relentless defense and ability to force turnovers could be the biggest challenge Gabby Williams and the Valkyries face in the Finals.

However, the Valkyries will enter the series with confidence built in late June and early July. Atlanta and Golden State faced each other three times during that period, and Williams led her team to victory in all three games, averaging 19.3 points per game.

Another point of advantage for Golden State is in its depth. The Valkyries averaged 35.9 bench points per game during the regular season, breaking the previous WNBA record of 35.0 set by the 2020 Las Vegas Aces. But Gabby Williams knows the stakes are different now and is not taking the Dream lightly, regardless of how the earlier matchups played out.

“Of course, we’re going to go back, and we have gone back and watched the film from those games, so we can take some things, but just because we won those games doesn’t mean anything’s given at all. So we’re just scouting how we scout. Obviously we can still scout, but I think mentally preparing for a different kind of energy,” she said when asked what Golden State could take away from those regular-season meetings.

The 2026 WNBA Finals are undoubtedly shaping up to be a massive showdown, as both teams will chase their first-ever championship. But before the Valkyries can turn their title ambitions into reality, they may have to overcome a concern of their own, with questions lingering over whether Williams and her teammates will be at full strength for Game 1.

Gabby Williams & Valkyries Face Health Concern With WNBA Finals Right Around the Corner

The Valkyries have reached the WNBA Finals by relying on their depth, but a health concern has emerged just days before their championship showdown with the Atlanta Dream.

With Gabby Williams and her teammates preparing for the biggest series in franchise history, the timing of the issue has raised questions about the team’s availability.

Valkyries beat reporter Kenzo Fukuda recently shared an update on October 12, revealing that Kiah Stokes left practice early after experiencing “congestion.”

Stokes’ situation is worth monitoring given the impact she made during Golden State’s semifinal sweep. She grabbed 14 rebounds and recorded four blocks in Game 1 before delivering a game-sealing block in Game 2. The center then closed out the series with an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double in Game 3, the first of her playoff career. However, Fukuda noted she should be “fine.”

The reporter also added that an illness may have been circulating within the team, adding, “There’s been a bit of a flu thing going around the team; Veronica Burton clearly had a cough last week and through Game 3 in Vegas.”

The Valkyries have little room for error, and staying healthy could prove just as important as their performance on the court as they look to make history and bring Golden State its first title.