SAN FRANCISCO — Allisha Gray wanted to be honest with herself before committing to Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. If the hand wasn’t right, she wasn’t going to step on the floor and hurt her team.
It was right. The Atlanta Dream’s leading scorer was cleared to play Saturday afternoon at Chase Center, roughly two weeks after a left hand injury knocked her out of the semifinals, and she wasted no time making her presence felt. Gray scored the first basket of the 2026 Finals on a drive to the rim and had 13 points by halftime, though the Golden State Valkyries carried a 42-39 lead into the break behind a 16-point second quarter from Gabby Williams.
The best-of-seven series, only in its second year under that format, opened before a sold-out crowd on NBC and Peacock. Both teams arrived hunting a first championship in franchise history — the Valkyries in just their second season of existence, the Dream in their first Finals appearance since 2013.
Gray’s road back to the lineup
The injury happened in Game 1 of Atlanta’s semifinal sweep of the New York Liberty on Oct. 4. Gray exited holding her left wrist and hand area with 3:59 left in the first quarter, returned with her ring finger and pinky taped, then went down again diving for a loose ball with 3:44 left in the first half. She was ruled out before halftime and never played again in the series, which the Dream closed out without her.
On Tuesday, Gray revealed she had undergone what she called a “minor procedure” on her left hand. She did not specify the procedure or when it happened, but said “everything is put together and fixed. I’m good to go.”
She was a limited participant in Friday’s light practice, listed as questionable on Saturday morning, and upgraded to available after a shootaround. Dream coach Karl Smesko said beforehand that he did not anticipate restrictions beyond whatever trouble the hand might cause during the game.
“She’s going to go through the workout today. Everything’s trending in the right direction,” Smesko said before the opener. “It’s a hand injury, so if she can go, I don’t expect there to be anything [limiting] other than if she has trouble with it during the game.”
Gray, 31, wore black tape around her left ring finger and pinky. Her own assessment was blunter than any medical report.
“I have no concerns, no regrets,” she told reporters. “Like I said, if I can’t play, I won’t go out there and punish my team like that. So either I’m a full go, I’m 100%, and if I’m not, I’m not going to be out there thinking that about this hand because it doesn’t help me or my team.”
Gray later clarified the timeline: she actually hurt the hand on the first play of that Oct. 4 game, and her brief return was pure competitiveness. “It was just a point where I couldn’t play anymore,” she said Thursday, “so I knew that I wasn’t able to help my team anymore, so it was best for me to sit down.”
The numbers explain why Atlanta wanted her back so badly. Gray averaged 19 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in the regular season on 46.3% shooting, and she has added 17 points per game across three postseason appearances. She is a four-time All-Star.
A first half decided by runs and fouls
Gray’s opening drive set the tone for a scrappy, uneven first half. Atlanta closed the first quarter on an 11-0 run while Golden State went nearly three minutes without scoring, and the Dream led 22-14 after one. Six of Atlanta’s first-quarter points came in transition, and the Dream drew four fouls while committing just one.
The Valkyries answered with a 9-0 run to take their first lead of the game, capped by a Kaitlyn Chen three-pointer that visibly lifted an already loud building. Veronica Burton broke a two-minute scoring drought with a gritty layup and later drew a foul on a made shot for an and-one, fired up as the crowd roared.
Then Williams took over. The Golden State wing scored 14 points in the second quarter alone, stringing together back-to-back-to-back baskets — a tying bucket, a go-ahead three, another layup — that had Chase Center rocking again at the buzzer.
Atlanta’s supporting cast went quiet as the half wore on. Angel Reese led the Dream with 14 points at the break, working the paint throughout, but star guard Rhyne Howard managed just three points and veteran DeWanna Bonner only two. Golden State’s defense forced five turnovers and recorded five blocks and three steals, though coach Natalie Nakase was not satisfied — she told the broadcast at halftime that her team was “sleeping the whole first quarter” and called its defense “terrible,” pointing to the fouls that gifted Atlanta easy points.
Kiah Stokes was the exception, blocking four shots by halftime, including two on Reese.
Bonner, 39, was Atlanta’s first substitute and is now playing in her 104th playoff game, the most in WNBA history. The Dream’s winning streak sits at 10 games, a run that dates to Bonner’s arrival at the end of August.
Two elite defenses, one noisy building
This matchup pits the league’s top two defensive teams against each other in a season defined by record-breaking offense, and the first half played out accordingly — steals traded, shots contested, points hard-earned. Both semifinals ended in three-game sweeps, so neither team had played since, and the rust showed in stretches on both ends.
The environment may be the Valkyries’ biggest weapon. Golden State has sold out every game at Chase Center in its two years of existence, and the violet-soaked “Ballhalla” crowd has been deafening this postseason. The arena announcer lingered over Atlanta’s introductions, drawing a long chorus of boos, and the crowd jeered even Bonner’s entry into the game. Warriors coach Steve Kerr was among those courtside.
Atlanta did not do anything specific to prepare for the noise.
“We do understand how loud it is here and how supportive their fans are and what a great atmosphere and environment they’ve provided the W,” Smesko said. “So we understand what we’re in for.”
Nakase, for her part, leaned into it. She challenged the fans this week to do their own game-planning for Game 1.
“We understand that Ballhalla’s going to be rocking,” she said.
Series schedule and how to watch
Golden State, the No. 2 seed, hosts Games 1 and 2 at Chase Center. The series then shifts to Atlanta’s State Farm Arena beginning with Game 3 on Wednesday. Game 1 tipped off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 17, airing on NBC and streaming on Peacock.
Record-breaking ticket sales have accompanied these Finals, and with both rosters built around defense, fans could be in for a long, gritty series — the kind where a taped-up shooting hand and a four-block first half from a backup big can swing everything.
FAQ
Did Allisha Gray play in Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals?
Yes. Gray was listed as questionable on Saturday, Oct. 17, but was upgraded to available after a morning shootaround and returned to the starting lineup. She scored the first basket of the Finals and had 13 points by halftime.
What happened to Allisha Gray's hand?
Gray injured her left hand in Game 1 of the semifinals against the New York Liberty on Oct. 4, aggravating it while diving for a loose ball before halftime. She missed Games 2 and 3 of the sweep and later underwent what she described as a minor procedure on the hand.
When and where is Game 3 of the WNBA Finals?
Game 3 is Wednesday at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena. The Valkyries host Games 1 and 2 at Chase Center in San Francisco as the No. 2 seed.
How can fans watch the WNBA Finals?
Game 1 aired at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 17, on NBC and streamed on Peacock.