Valkyries win WNBA title on Williams' historic 30-point game

Golden State Valkyries fans at Ballhalla in San Francisco watched their team claim the WNBA championship on Saturday night. The victory ended the franchise's two-year wait for a title and secured the league's first Game 7 in the Finals.

The Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63. Gabby Williams, the team's leading scorer in the series, recorded 30 points in the clinching win. Her performance included 28 points in the second half, a new record for any postseason half in WNBA history.

Williams finished the game 10-for-23 from the field, including 4-for-8 from three-point range and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. She also added four blocks, three rebounds, two steals, and two assists. Her scoring burst silenced critics who had questioned the roster depth of the expansion team for two seasons.

Coach Natalie Nakase identified Williams as the team's closer. Nakase stated that Williams was the most valuable player in the world due to her ability to grind through a seven-game series. Owner Joe Lacob added that Williams had been everything and more to the organization.

The Valkyries became the third team in NBA, BAA, and WNBA history to win the Finals within their first two seasons. They also became the first league team to earn a championship without a single All-WNBA selection in that same season. Williams' 30-point effort tied the record for the most points in a winner-take-all Finals game.

The Dream held a 30-24 lead at halftime. Williams scored just two points in the first half before finding her rhythm. She outscored Atlanta 15-14 in the third quarter and recorded 15 consecutive points spanning the third and fourth quarters. That streak made her the first player in WNBA history to score 15 consecutive points in a Finals game.

Defensively, the Valkyries limited Atlanta to 33 percent shooting from the field and 20 percent from three-point range. Williams was the primary defender on the Dream's lead guard, holding her to 2-for-9 shooting. The team's defense held the score close until the final seconds of the fourth quarter.

Williams hit her fourth and final three-pointer with 2 minutes and 18 seconds remaining to put Golden State ahead for good. She was named Finals MVP after the game. In a post-game ceremony, Williams engaged the crowd in a call and response, changing her favorite word from a previous reference to the new title of champion.