WNBA Finals Game 2 Tonight: Valkyries vs Dream, Time and TV

Game 2 of the WNBA Finals is tonight in San Francisco. The Golden State Valkyries host the Atlanta Dream at Chase Center at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific, leading the series 1-0. The game airs on USA and CNBC, with E! also carrying it, and streams on Peacock. Radio coverage runs on 95.7 The Game and ESPN 1320.

The game in one page

• Date: Monday, Oct. 19, 2026
• Tipoff: 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT)
• Arena: Chase Center, San Francisco
• TV: USA, CNBC and E!
• Streaming: Peacock
• Series: Golden State leads 1-0

What happened in Game 1

Golden State won the opener 68-64 on Saturday. Gabby Williams scored 26 points, 16 of them in the second quarter, and Golden State closed the game on a 7-0 run, with Williams scoring from the foul line late. She was the only Valkyrie in double figures, but Golden State outrebounded Atlanta 41-35 and its bench outscored Atlanta's 20-6, OurSports Central reported. The Valkyries have not lost at home in these playoffs.

The supporting numbers explain how a one-player scoring night still won the game. Kiah Stokes tied her playoff career high with four blocks. Kaila Charles set a playoff career high with 10 rebounds off the bench, becoming the sixth reserve in WNBA Finals history to reach double figures in rebounds. Six Valkyries grabbed at least four rebounds, and Golden State won the offensive glass 12-7.

What Atlanta must fix

Atlanta missed its final seven shots in Game 1 and scored only 64 points, far below its regular season average of 91.3. The fourth quarter was the collapse: the Dream shot 2 for 19 from the field, scored eight points and lost the quarter by nine after entering it with the lead. Allisha Gray led the Dream with 19 points in her return from a finger injury, and Angel Reese had 14 points and 12 rebounds, but Rhyne Howard shot 3 for 14 while scoring 12.

Fatigue is part of the story. Atlanta used only seven players in Game 1, with all five starters playing at least 29 minutes and Howard and Jordin Canada each logging 38 of the 40 minutes. Golden State played 10 players, and only Williams went past 30 minutes. The Dream, the No. 4 seed, need a win tonight before the series moves to Atlanta for Game 3 on Wednesday. Golden State, the No. 2 seed in just its second season as a franchise, can take a 2-0 lead home with it.

The rest of the series

Game 3 is Wednesday, Oct. 21 in Atlanta, and Game 4 is Saturday, Oct. 24 in Atlanta. Games 5, 6 and 7, if needed, are Oct. 26, Oct. 29 and Oct. 31.

How it finished

Atlanta won Game 2, 79-65, to level the series at 1-1. Reese took over, with 30 points and 16 rebounds, only the third 30 point, 15 rebound game in WNBA Finals history. Atlanta broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Golden State 21-9 and closing the period on a 15-2 run, capped by a Jordin Canada three pointer from near the logo at the buzzer. Gray added 18 points, Canada had 13 points and 10 assists, and Howard set a Finals record with six steals as Atlanta forced 18 turnovers. The series now moves to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4 at State Farm Arena.