It's fair to expect a WNBA Finals run that is heavy on defense — both the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream are known for their strong defensive prowess. Both teams will be pushing each other as far as they can go, and the outcome of the series may come down to the two players.
While the Valkyries have a ton of talent on the roster, Veronica Burton emerged this season as a defensive threat that is hard to match. Burton has been playing at career highs all season, and she also put in some of her strongest efforts against the Dream this year. That likely means she wil be more than prepared for Atlanta when they roll into Ballhalla on Saturday, and she will be unrelenting.
But the Atlanta Dream will have Rhyne Howard likely firing on all cylinders. Howard, who was drafted by the Dream as the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, understands perhaps more than most exactly what is at stake for Atlanta. The fact that both teams are in the WNBA Finals this season is incredible, but the fact that Atlanta made it here after a lengthy absence is special, and is a credit to Howard and her teammates.
Howard will likely go up against Gabby Williams in a lot of one-on-one action that will be thrilling to see, but that will push her to her limits, especially as the series carries on. The Valkyries have managed to keep Howard's best work at bay throughout the 2026 season, but that is something that she and the rest of the Dream will be able to anticipate during the finals, and likely something they're preparing for. If Howard can dodge the team's attacks and find a way to get her shot going, she'll be able to push the Dream to the result the team is hoping for. If she gets trapped, as she often has in the past, she'll need to rely on her teammates to carry the Dream through.
There are plenty of questions to be answered, and fans will get those answers very soon. No matter who ends up winning this year's WNBA Finals, the 2026 season will go down as enormously memorable. The Valkyries and the Dream have elevated their franchies to new ground, and the two teams have undoubtedly shaped how the league will move forward. For the Valkyries to make it to the WNBA Finals in only two seasons is unprecedented; for the Dream to be back after all this time is justified.
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