The Golden State Valkyries won Game 1 of the WNBA Finals 68-64 over the Atlanta Dream on Saturday at Chase Center.
Gabby Williams scored 26 points to carry Golden State, but the play that set off criticism online came in the final minutes, when Dream guard Jordin Canada collided with Williams on a box-out at the free-throw line.
WNBA Fans Make Their Feelings Known on Gabby Williams’ ‘Dirty’ Collision With Jordin Canada
After a relatively quiet first quarter, Williams had a 16-point outburst in the second, making it a career high for one quarter and tied for third-most points in a quarter in Finals history.
The two-time All-Star finished with 26 points on 8-of-22 shooting, including three 3-pointers, went 7-of-8 at the line, and was a team-best plus-16. No other Golden State player reached double figures in the matchup.
The controversial collision took place when Williams had just made the second of two free throws late in the fourth quarter.
Atlanta’s Canada moved in to box her out and ran into her left leg from behind, and Williams went to the floor and hobbled in visible discomfort afterward.
Williams played to the end, going 6-of-6 from the line in the fourth quarter. Two of those free throws came with 1:18 left and put Golden State ahead for good, and two more with 4.1 seconds left sealed it.
“It was a long, physical game,” Williams said afterward, declaring that she was doing okay.
Asked about the tangle that left Williams in pain, Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase remarked, “Which one? There were a lot of collisions.”
The no-call drew sharp online criticism, as fans who watched the replay saw something other than a routine box-out. James Boyd’s verdict was simple: “Dirty play.”
Another fan echoed the sentiment, writing, “Incredibly dirty play.”
Mick, a WNBA content creator, aimed his frustration at the officials: “Another obvious flagrant ignored by these incompetent refs.”
Sports writer Robin Lundbergtook aim at the Dream’s physicality more broadly: “The Dream got away with several borderline dirty plays in this game.”
Some wanted Canada disciplined, as Mick argued in a follow-up that Canada should sit at least one game if Williams turns out to be hurt, even if she was only trying to box out.
One fan went further: “Suspend her for Game 2.”
Canada played 38 minutes and finished with eight points on 3-of-9 shooting, along with 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 turnovers.
The Dream led 56-51 after three quarters, and Rhyne Howard’s free throws with 3:12 left put Atlanta up 64-61. However, an offensive breakdown late in the game saw Atlanta get outscored 17-8 in the fourth quarter and finish 4-of-25 from deep.
The loss dropped them to 0-10 all-time in Finals games.
Dream coach Karl Smesko said his team played a little too much one-on-one in the second half instead of running its offense, and was blunt about the finish.
“We had a couple of good looks, they just didn’t go down for us,” Smesko admitted. “We need to maintain how we want to play for all four quarters. When we have an opportunity to finish a game, we’ve just got to do it.”
Williams says she’s OK, while Smesko expects his Atlanta team to play even better. Game 2 on Monday at Chase Center will test both, as the Valkyries look to take a 2-0 lead and the Dream push hard to avoid digging an 0-2 hole.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.