The 2026 WNBA Finals are tied 2-2 after the Golden State Valkyries held off the Atlanta Dream's comeback in Game 4. The best-of-seven series effectively becomes a best-of-three, with Game 5 scheduled for Monday at Ballhalla. The winner will be one victory away from the first championship in franchise history for either team. This is the Valkyries' first Finals appearance in their second season, while the Dream are making their fourth appearance after being swept in their first three.
Finals MVP candidates
1. Angel Reese (Dream) – 18.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.5 blocks per game; 47.1% FG, 60% 3FG, 75.9% FT, 57.2% TS. Despite a poor Game 4, Reese has been the series' best player. She recorded 30 points and 16 rebounds in Game 2, joining Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones as the only players in Finals history with a 30-point, 15-rebound game, then added 21 points and 12 rebounds in Game 3 to join A'ja Wilson with back-to-back 20-point, 10-rebound games. Reese leads all players in points and rebounds, ranks third in steals and second in blocks, and is the most efficient among the six double-figure scorers. The only precedent for a Finals MVP on a losing team is Jerry West in 1969; Reese could enter that territory if the Dream fall short.
2. Gabby Williams (Valkyries) – 18 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals per game; 30.3% FG, 22.6% 3FG, 90.5% FT, 42.2% TS. Williams trails Reese by one point for the series scoring lead and is the only Valkyries player to score in double figures every game. She posted a game-high 26 points in Game 1 and hit the go-ahead free throws to secure the win. Historically, only three Finals MVPs have shot under 40% from the field, with Cynthia Cooper (2000) the only one below 35%. Williams has played through a knee injury suffered in Game 1 and is tied for second in the series in assists and steals.
3. Rhyne Howard (Dream) – 13 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, three steals, 1.3 blocks per game; 32.6% FG, 25% 3FG, 76.2% FT, 47.1% TS. Howard has struggled offensively but set a Finals record with six steals in Game 2 and followed with five steals in Game 3, becoming the only player in WNBA history with five-plus steals in multiple Finals games. She leads the series in steals and has five blocks. Coach Karl Smesko said, 'she's contributing in a lot of ways to help us win games.' A shooting surge could boost her MVP case.
4. Kiah Stokes (Valkyries) – 3.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.5 blocks per game; 46.7% FG, 0% 3FG, 50% FT, 47.2% TS. Stokes has delivered historic rim protection, becoming the first player with three-plus blocks in four consecutive Finals games; her 14 blocks are a series record. She holds Reese to 5-of-21 shooting when matched up, while Reese is 19-of-30 against other defenders. Stokes leads the series in offensive rebounds and ranks second in total rebounds, but her low scoring output makes an MVP award nearly impossible.
5. Tiffany Hayes (Valkyries) – 11 points, four rebounds, two assists, 0.5 steals per game; 37% FG, 14.3% 3FG, 72.7% FT, 43.3% TS. After a 1-of-12 Game 1 and a facial injury, Hayes has scored in double figures in each subsequent game, including key fourth-quarter buckets in Game 4. Coach Natalie Nakase moved her into the starting lineup for Game 4. The Valkyries are minus-52 in her 97 minutes, but a 20-25 point outburst in Games 5 and 7 could open a narrow MVP path if Golden State wins the title.
